Sport

Dromore's Peter Teague hoping club form can catch the eye of Tyrone management duo

14/11/2021  Dromores   Peter Teague       Picture  Seamus  Loughran
14/11/2021 Dromores Peter Teague Picture Seamus Loughran 14/11/2021 Dromores Peter Teague Picture Seamus Loughran

PETER Teague’s starring role in Dromore’s Senior Championship triumph has cast a timely reminder in the direction of Tyrone managers Feargal Logan and Brian Dooher.

Teague was a member of the Red Hand All-Ireland winning squad, but didn’t manage to break into the team.

However, success with the club could be a hindrance as much as a help to his inter-county ambitions.

Should Dromore progress through the rounds in the Ulster Club Championship, he’ll miss out on Tyrone’s pre-season schedule, a crucial time for a young man with just one rookie season behind him.

“God knows how that will pan out. Hopefully that will keep going and I mightn’t get playing for Tyrone for a right while yet,” said the 24-year-old.

“I’m not going to lie, I was disappointed this year not to get any game time for Tyrone.

“I know it was my first year breaking into the team, but I just kept plugging away and plugging away, trying to keep my fitness levels up, and keep my sharpness up, knowing that I’d be coming back for Dromore and I wanted to prove my worth, that I was good enough.

“I wanted to keep ready, so I made sure when I came back in with Dromore that I was ready to hit the ground running and ready to contribute for the team, and thank God I was able to do that.

“I never thought that this year would pan out the way it did. It was unbelievable, an All-Ireland senior medal, and Ulster Championship medal and now a Tyrone Senior Championship medal.”

The past year has taught him many valuable lessons about the demands of the inter-county game and the importance of adaptability.

“It’s completely different football. Club championship in Tyrone takes on a life of itself, but inter-county is a high intensity game, it’s just a different type of football.

“But hopefully I’ll be able to get my body right. I have a few wee niggles I need to get cleared up, but I know we’re going into an Ulster Championship now.”

And Teague, a versatile player who has rotated between full back and midfield, is confident the St Dympna’s can prosper on the provincial stage.

They have three weeks to prepare for a first round tie against either Derrygonnelly or Enniskillen Gaels, who meet in the Fermanagh SFC final this weekend.

“Most of this team has Ulster U21 medals, and there’s no reason why we can’t go on and deliver on that big stage as well like Gaoth Dobhair did there a couple of years ago and Kilcoo.

“There’s no reason why we can’t, absolutely not. We have Derrygonnelly and Enniskillen Gaels in the Fermanagh final next week and they’re two very formidable teams, so that will be tough.

“And the Armagh champions are on our side of the draw as well. We played Clann Eireann in the Ulster U21 competition as well. It will be tough, but what an experience, what an opportunity.