Tyrone fans in Philly.
More than a dozen Tyrone GAA fans, many of them Tyrone natives, dashed up the front steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum, Rocky-style, last Sunday to pose for a photo to share with Tyrone fans across the world.
Their team is facing Kerry, the reigning champs, this Sunday in Croke Park in Dublin in semi-final action. The last time Tyrone made it to the All-Ireland was in 2008. This weekend, the coach who took them to victory in 2008, 2005, and, for the first time ever, in 2003, Mickey Harte, is hoping for number 4.
The reason for the photo—which was to join all the other photos from around the world—was to show support for the team which was, until this week, facing the loss of a key player. Tiernan McCann was facing an eight-week ban for allegedly overreacting to an opposing player from Kerry touching his head during a quarter final game at Croke Park. Officials said McCann “dived” when his hair was ruffled, leading sports writers to dub the incident “rufflegate.” That ban was lifted this week by the Central Hearings Committee.