Gormley, Brian
April 17, 1992
Down's Greg Blayney moves into tackle Brian Gormley.
The Carrickmore Man may be small in stature, but big in bravery, skill and determination.
By Francis Mooney
There's quite a buzz around Tyrone these days as the Red Hand men continue their spectacular National League run. A new crop of fresh faced young stars have brought a breath of fresh air to football in the county proving that the process of rebuilding need not be a painful and barren one.
Veterans Plunkett Donaghy, Kevin McCabe, Damien O'Hagan and Enda Kilpatrick are still there, but they are surrounded by youthful newcomers who have signalled a bright new era for Tyrone.
Some, such as Peter Canavan and Adrian Cush are already inter-provincial stars and household names the length and breadth of the county but the name now on everyone's lips is Brian Gormley.
The diminutive wing forward is perhaps the smallest county footballer in Ireland, but he has blossomed into one of the most exciting and dynamic attackers to emerge for years. What he lacks is stature, he more than makes up for it in skill, bravery and determination, and his performances so far this, his first year as a Senior player, have been simply breathtaking.
Brian Gormley knows no fear. His willingness to compete wholeheartedly in every situation and to throw himself unflinching into the most dangerous of situations are a measure of his immense value to this talented Tyrone team.
Just five feet six inches tall, Gormley is the epitome of the heart-and-soul player who manages to succeed at the highest level, despite his slight stature in what is essentially a physical though highly skilful sport.
"I rely a lot on loose and broken balls and I depend on other players to bring me into the game", he says modestly.
But anyone who has seen him in action this season will note that the little Carrickmore Tiger is a master of understatement.
Few players become more involved in the game than the 20-year-old student teacher. He is equally likely to turn up in his own full back line as in the half forward line, winning valuable possession to relieve pressure on his defence.
And when Tyrone are on the attack there he is, linking up what has become one of the most feared forward divisions in the country.
Brian Gormley can be classified as neither a striker nor a provider, for he is a supreme practitioner of both arts.
Whether he is diving in among flailing boots to gather midfield possession against the odds or shearing through the defences to strike vital scores, Gormley cuts an unmistakable figure.
The National League semi-final victory over Connacht Kingpins Roscommon saw him at his brilliant, consistent best.
The little man astounded the Breffni Park crowd with his bravery, sheer audacity and all round contribution to the Ulster side's deserved victory. And the four magnificent points he scored - with both feet - were the highlight of the performance which epitomised the Tyrone spirit of resilience and hunger for success.
As Tyrone now prepare for a National League semi-final against Dublin, Gormley relishes the prospect of returning to Croke Park, the stage of one of his many starring roles earlier this season.
He scored one of Tyrone's four goals in the 12 points drubbing of the Dubs in their own back yard on November 10th, and added a point for good measure as part of his considerable contribution to the 4-11 to 0-11 scoreline. But he is the first to acknowledge that the Easter Sunday showdown will be a totally different proposition.
"We caught Dublin on the hop when we met them earlier in the league and I think they were shocked by our performance.
'But it will be a different Dublin team in the semi-final. Their attitude has changed and they are now preparing for the Leinster championship. They will be in much better shape this time.
"Dublin are a very good team, and it will be a tough game, but that's what you expect in a National League semi-final.
"However, we are confident and I think we're good enough to beat them. There's a great spirit in the Tyrone camp at present and things are going well for us".
Gormley believes the speed of the Tyrone attack will be a vital factor in the side's bid to reach the National League final.
"We have a fast forward line with a lot of emphasis on the ball being played in quickly, and a good attacking half back line, which is very important.
'The experienced players in the team, such as Plunkett Donaghy, Kevin McCabe and Damien O'Hagan help us younger players a lot. If Plunkett is back for the semi final it will be a great boost. He's a great inspiration and a vital player for gaining possession at midfield and laying the ball off. He's one of the players we all look up to"
Brian Gormley won an All Ireland Under 21 Championship medal last year, and of course, is still a member of the side as it bids to retain that title.
Things are going well so far, with victories over Derry - after a replay - and Donegal carrying Tyrone through to another Ulster final where they will meet Monaghan.
But the county's success is putting a heavy burden on Gormley and the eight other Under 21 stars who are also members of the senior squad.
They were forced to play their Under 21 semi final on the day before the National League quarter final, giving them little breathing space and adding the perilous possibility of injury.
But Brian Gormley in particular showed what a great warrior he is, performing superbly in the Under 21 game and scoring a vital goal in the one point victory.
Twenty four hours later, he was one of the outstanding figures in Tyrone's victory over Roscommon.
After the rigours of such a taxing 24 hours most players would have gratefully accepted a well-earned rest … but not Brian Gormley.
He made a quick dash from Breffni Park back to Tyrone where he captained his club Carrickmore in the Jim Devlin Cup final, scoring two goals in the victory over Errigal Ciaran.
But the pressure is something which players like Brian Gormley have had to learn to handle. His involvement with so many teams is bound to create problems, but he deals with these in a calm and collected manner. Earlier this season he was a member of the St. Mary's Sigerson Cup team which lost to Belfast rivals Queens University in Galway.
Now he is trying to meet all the club and county commitments placed on him.
On the Under 21 front, he's hopeful Tyrone can retain their All Ireland crown.
"It was great to win it last season and I think we have the ability to win it again. We still have a very good team, with a lot of last years side still there", he says.
And on top of all his footballing commitments, Brian Gormley is a leading hurler. He still plays regularly for Carrickmore, but has to Withdraw from the Tyrone Senior side for obvious reasons. "It would be impossible to keep playing football and hurling for Tyrone. I just wouldn't have the time.
"I had no problem choosing football over hurling. I was happy to get my place on the county football team and everything has gone well so far".
Brian has two all Ireland special Minor medals, and is still one of Carrickmore's top players in the Tyrone hurling League. Ironically, while he was a regular on the county minor hurling team, he could not hold down a place on the football side. He played a handful of Ulster Minor League games, but was never a regular.
How times have changed.
Taken from Hogan Stand magazine
17th April 1992
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