Standing on the Moy sideline this year was a strange experience for Sean Cavanagh. There were a couple of reasons. Firstly, he'd never thought about going into GAA management. Secondly, he was still a player.
"I was combining playing with managing this year and sort of bringing myself on in the second-half which was weird at times," Cavanagh tells Balls, speaking at the launch of the AIB GOAL Mile.
"You're taking plenty of abuse from the opposition for doing so! It's strange but the dynamic of doing so seemed to work OK.
"I spent the first half analysing the game and trying to understand where I could fit in and add something. That could have been as a full-forward leading the line or another day as a defensive midfielder, creating space for others. It seemed to work OK despite a bit of abuse here and there."
Pictured is former Tyrone GAA footballer, Sean Cavanagh who has come on board as an AIB ambassador for this year’s GOAL mile. Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Bryan Keane
Cavanagh took over as manager of his home club "out of necessity" during the season.
"We weren't going well this year," he says.
"Guys asked me if I could come in and steady the ship a little bit."
Cavanagh did more than guide the club to calmer waters. They reached the Tyrone intermediate final, which they lost to Pomeroy, and had a chance of being promoted to Division 1 of the league but lost to Coalisland in a playoff at the weekend.
"It's about getting the respect of the players," says Cavanagh about the Moy's change in fortunes this season.
"We were struggling to apply ourselves the way we should have been in the early part of the season.
"Whenever you have one of your own come in, it becomes that bit trickier to not apply yourself because you're only fooling yourself at that point. Immediately, within a week or so, guys who weren't working as hard, weren't committing as much, all of a sudden did that.
"I know the players very deeply. Having someone who is playing with them and understanding the player mindset, the player qualities, I changed things around and had a different style of play overnight."
The defeat to Coalisland was Cavanagh's last in a Moy jersey.
"I've been playing basketball as well for the last year or two and I kind of have to wise up at some point," he says.
"I've got four young kids as well and a lot going on with my business.
"Just too much happening and the body slows down like everyone's does. It slowed down a little bit this year and it's probably time to call time on it. I've been playing with the club since 1998 so 25 years has a nice ring to it."
The possibility that he will continue as Moy manager next season has been discussed with the club, though not yet had "that conversation" with his wife.
3 February 2018; Sean Cavanagh of Moy Tír na nÓg celebrates with his children, from left, Eva, Seán, and Clara after the AIB GAA Football All-Ireland Intermediate Club Championship Final match between Michael Glaveys and Moy Tír na nÓg at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
"I'll never say no to my club," he says.
"I don't think I'll ever manage another club because I never had an intention of going into management.
"I'd have to see where the time commitment lies next year but I have no doubt I'll be there or thereabouts in some capacity. It does mean a lot to me.
"I'm going to say something that probably goes against most managers in the country: I don't think I'd have that same passion and wouldn't be as invested if it wasn't the Moy or Tyrone. That's what I believe in. Trying to win for your community, that meant the most to me.
"I've been approached by a lot of clubs in the last number of weeks as well to take over clubs in different counties. It's not something [I'd do]. I don't think my wife would allow me either!"
5 August 2017; Tyrone manager Mickey Harte in conversation with Sean Cavanagh ahead of the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Quarter-Final match between Tyrone and Armagh at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Cavanagh would "never say never" to the possibility he would one day take over as manager of the Tyrone senior team.
"The only two GAA teams that mean anything to me are my own teams: The Moy and Tyrone. I don't think I'd go elsewhere," he says.
Feeling that he shared those values with Mickey Harte is why the former Tyrone manager taking over as Derry boss feels "bizarre".
"I was surprised as anyone else," says Cavanagh.
"Mickey was very passionate about being a Tyrone persona and managing Tyrone. He was deeply rooted in that same principle that I've mentioned around your own people and own place and it being difficult to go elsewhere.
"The scenario of Mickey Harte coaching against Tyrone, I find it bizarre to get my head around it.
11 September 2021; Former Tyrone player Sean Cavanagh congratulates Tyrone players, including Conor McKenna, after the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Final match between Mayo and Tyrone at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
"It's going to make the 2024 season remarkably interesting. I still find it difficult to imagine Mickey Harte standing on an opposition sideline to Tyrone.
"He coached me in 2002 with the U21s so I was with him for 17 or 18 of those years. I knew how passionate he was for Tyrone. Everything was 'Tyrone, Tyrone, Tyrone’, nothing else mattered.
"He was a brilliant man for having that siege mentality. Tyrone was against everyone and that’s why every Tyrone man had to be deeply rooted and you forgot about everything else that was going on around you.
"I’m sure he’s thought [managing against Tyrone] through – I hope he has – because that is a likely enough scenario. He’s obviously comfortable with it, I just find it strange.
"I don’t think I could be standing on an Armagh touchline or a Derry touchline trying to beat Tyrone because Tyrone, genuinely, means so much to me. It’ll be a spectacle at the very least."
This year AIB and GOAL are calling on GAA clubs to ‘Step Up Together’ this festive season and host their own GOAL mile to raise funds to support vulnerable communities across the world. AIB are also offering people the chance to win €1,000 for their GAA club simply by registering for their GOAL Mile by visiting www.goalmile.org and also registering their club for the AIB GAA GOAL Mile competition at www.jotform.com/team/232784181278060/AIBGoalMileCompetition2023.
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