Former Tyrone star Ronan O’Neill feels that the players who have departed the squad since year have been used as a “scapegoat” and stressed that he retired of his own accord.
In total seven players have stepped away from the All-Ireland champions for various reasons.
While O'Neill retired from inter-county duty after 10 years, Hugh Pat McGeary, brother of Footballer-of-the-Year Kieran, also retired. However, Tiernan McCann, Mark Bradley and Michael Cassidy also left the panel.
Read more: Down insist James McCartan remains in charge ahead of Monaghan clash
Midway through the League campaign, Trillick’s Lee Brennan also departed while Dungannnon attacker Paul Donaghy quit at the end of the League.
By that stage, the Red Hands had already secured their Division One status for 2023 following back-to-back wins over Mayo and Kerry, but the form of the All-Ireland champions came under intense scrutiny in the early part of the season.
Tyrone drew with Monaghan and beat Kildare, but defeats to Armagh, Donegal and Dublin left them in a relegation battle and O’Neill feels their sluggish start was unfairly attributed to the players who’d left the panel.
“I did not leave because of discontent or anything like that - I retired,” stated O’Neill.
“I just want to get that point across. I was content where I was in my own life. I want to give five or six good years to Omagh.
“I am moving into the house in the next couple of months and I am getting married at the end of the year.
“My life is moving on and life does move on. You have to go with it too as well. I have been with Tyrone a long time.
“I asked the boys too. I would be quite friendly with all of them and they all had different reasons.
“I think the fact that Tyrone have not been going that well in the League, this was put on them that this was the reason because these boys were away.
“I think maybe it is being made out to be a bit of a scapegoat for Tyrone’s performances in the League.
“I don’t think it is the reason why Tyrone have not been performing so well in the League, but they did come good towards the end.
“Each person has their own reason for leaving and you have to respect that decision.”
O’Neill was the undisputed star of the Tyrone minor side who claimed the All-Ireland minor crown back in 2010, but he failed to hit the same heights during his senior years.
A cruciate injury when he was in the U21 team halted his progress, yet the Omagh St Enda’s clubman was still able to showcase his talents in an era of blanket defences in Gaelic football.
His amazing brace of goals against Down in the 2017 Ulster final highlighted his class, yet he found game time hard to come by in recent seasons.
He played just once for Tyrone during their run to the Sam Maguire last season, replacing Mark Bradley for the closing stages of the Ulster Final win over Monaghan in Croke Park.
While last September’s win over Mayo was O’Neill’s first taste of All-Ireland senior success, he claimed he doesn’t see it as an All-Ireland for himself personally.
He stated: “It is a career highlight in the 10 years, but if I was to say to you, ‘Did I think I won an All-Ireland?’ I would say, ‘Probably not, no.’
“Last year, you’d people congratulating you and stuff. . . part of me was saying, ‘I didn’t win that. It had nothing to do with me’.
“That was my own personal feeling towards it. Just because I felt I did not contribute enough on the pitch as a person as I feel I should have contributed.
“Obviously, maybe my teammates and other people will say the impact I played behind the scenes or on the training pitch helped Tyrone win the All-Ireland.”
“You put your life on hold. You make so many sacrifices.
“You want to play at the end of the day. It is just my personality but I just don’t feel that I did enough to say I warranted an All-Ireland medal in my own head.”
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