McGinley lauds O'Neill character

Enda McGinley scored a crucial late point in Tyrone's victory

Tyrone's Enda McGinley hopes Stephen O'Neill will be able to reflect fondly on last weekend's All-Ireland triumph over Kerry in the years to come.

O'Neill was reluctant to get involved in the Tyrone team's celebrations at Croke Park given his much-publicised return to the squad three weeks ago.

But McGinley has insisted that O'Neill has "nothing to be embarrassed about".

"The players were absolutely delighted to have Stevie in the panel. He helped us so much on Sunday," said McGinley.

"Whether we would have won it without him, who knows but it was fantastic that he was there.

"It was a hugely courageous decision that he took to come back.

He helped us all to get an All-Ireland medal in 2005 through his brilliance Enda McGinley

"A lot of eyebrows were raised with people asking why the team could suddenly take this person back and that he was just jumping on the bandwagon.

"But the players, we've known Stevie for 10 years.

"It was said in the meeting:'He's one of us and he always will be one of us'.

"We knew what sort of man Stevie was and we knew deep down that he wouldn't be enjoying that it appeared he was coming back on the backwagon.

"Everybody saw the true side of Stevie when he didn't want to go up and lift the cup. He just didn't want to take part in the celebrations.

"But in the years to come, I would hope he will enjoy that medal.

"As I said to him, he helped us all to get an All-Ireland medal in 2005 through his brilliance.

606: DEBATE Give your thoughts on Tyrone's All-Ireland triumph

"If we repaid him in any small way with that third All-Ireland, then brilliant."

McGinley believes that O'Neill's nagging fear that his absence might cost the Red Hands a third All-Ireland title convinced him that he had no option but to return to Mickey Harte's squad.

"What was haunting him the most was the thought of being in the stand on All-Ireland Final day and watching the match and maybe Tyrone losing by a point or two points and maybe supporters saying to him:'What weren't you out there'.

"Deep down in his heart he wouldn't have had an answer that would have satisfied them and for the rest of the days he would have been thinking:'What if'.

"The team probably would have been thinking:'What if' as well.

"You want at all times in sport to avoid that kind of scenario. That meant he had to take a pretty courageous decision to put himself forward again and the team took him back with open arms."