Oisin McConville believes that Tyrone are ‘uncomfortable’ playing as reigning All-Ireland champions

"It was a systems failure first and foremost as to how they went about trying to carve out a win against Derry."

Former Armagh star and BBC pundit, Oisin McConville believes that Tyrone are struggling with the tag of being reigning champions. Last year the Ulster side were the underdogs in a lot of their matches, and came from seemingly nowhere to lift the Sam Maguire. This time around though, they are shoved into the spotlight from the very beginning, and have become the hunted rather than being the hunters. Speaking on BBC’s Sportsound Extra Time podcast, McConville shared his views on the Red Hands recent struggles.

“When you’re the champions you’re there to be got at and I think Tyrone don’t really feel that comfortable in that scenario,” McConville said. “That’s proved even with the All-Ireland’s they’ve won before in 03, 05 and 08. They were a pale shadow of their former selves in the year following.

“So I think it’s a mindset shift and I think there seemed to be stages this year where everybody said, ‘Well ok, that’s the wake-up call they needed.’ But look, if they needed a proper wake-up call they got it yesterday. “They have five weeks now and they will improve but as far as yesterday, it was a systems failure first and foremost as to how they went about trying to carve out a win against Derry.

“But I think the most important thing for me was just a lack of energy and they were bossed in their own ground and I think that won’t sit well with them.”