RICHIE DONNELLY feels it's time to fast-forward to the next stage of his Tyrone career. A mid-season recruit this year, he managed just one start - the Qualifier win over Meath - but the 24-year-old plans to make his move in 2016.
The O Fiaich Cup has provided an early opportunity and, having excelled in last weekend's win over Derry, Donnelly is ready for more action in Sunday's final against Louth. And with the Dr McKenna Cup just a few weeks away, he intends to push for a regular starting place in Mickey Harte's team.
"That has to be the aim, like everyone here. It's just to develop and keep improving, listening to Mickey and Horse [Gavin Devlin] and see how far I can go with my development phase, see where it takes me and hopefully it will be a good place," he said.
As always, competition for places in the Red Hand set-up is ferocious. And the arrival of a handful of new recruits, many with All-Ireland minor and U21 medals, has provided exciting options.
"There's a lot of good players there, a lot of hungry players that want to develop and improve and that's probably the main aim of everyone here, just to keep improving and see how far we can get potentially and fulfil our potential. It's a good way to be," he added.
"It will be very competitive, but it's the same in every county. There's always young boys coming in, looking to improve, looking to wear a county jersey, so we're no different to anywhere else in Ireland. It's just about keeping working ourselves, adding to the team environment."
Donnelly played at midfield in last Sunday's clash with the Oak Leafers at Crossmaglen but, having won an All-Ireland minor medal as an attacker in 2010, his versatility looks set to be an asset.
"I'm prepared to take a jersey wherever it is. It doesn't matter whether it be in goals or corner-back or wherever. I'm just happy to be here and happy to help the group improve," he said.
It may have been mid-December, but Tyrone brought refreshing levels of energy and pace to last Sunday's game, pulling away in the second-half with an impressive scoring blitz.
"Games like that was just about getting back and getting things to work on and there's plenty to work on, so we'll just keep doing that," he said.
"There was a lot of men missing on both sides and it was just about getting the cobwebs off, just getting out and starting the ball rolling. You don't expect anything big this time of year."
It was the first of four competitive meetings with Derry in the months ahead. Everything will be geared towards the Ulster Championship clash at Celtic Park on May 22, but Donnelly's focus is on more short-term objectives.
"We'll just take it one game at a time, we'll go out and try and win every game you can and improve on the basics," he said.
"Mickey has always said he just wants to win every game he goes out and plays and that's just it. We'll take the McKenna Cup first and see how it goes, then we'll take the league one game at a time and see where each game takes us and keep looking to improve."
