Football

Conor McAliskey: intensive training with Padraig Hampsey aided my recovery

Tyrone's Conor McAliskey in pursuit of Dublin's Jack McCaffrey during the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final at Croke Park, Dublin on September 2 2018. Picture by Philip Walsh.
Tyrone's Conor McAliskey in pursuit of Dublin's Jack McCaffrey during the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final at Croke Park, Dublin on September 2 2018. Picture by Philip Walsh. Tyrone's Conor McAliskey in pursuit of Dublin's Jack McCaffrey during the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final at Croke Park, Dublin on September 2 2018. Picture by Philip Walsh.

CONNOR McAliskey has revealed one of the key reasons for his impressive return to action last year following a serious knee injury – going toe-to-toe with Padraig Hampsey every night at training.

The Clonoe forward is currently working his way back from the dislocated ankle he suffered last September, while Hampsey is also on the comeback trail from a niggly groin injury.

Neither man will be involved in Sunday’s Division One opener against Kerry, but it won’t be long until the pair are reacquainted in Garvaghey as the Red Hands begin their charge towards the summer.

Since forcing his way into Mickey Harte’s starting 15, Hampsey has earned a reputation as a fearsome man-marker – expertly keeping a close eye on the likes of Conor McManus, Michael Murphy and Dublin’s Paul Mannion.

And, as McAliskey points out, coming up against the versatile Coalisland man at training is the best preparation any forward could ask for.

“Paudi’s shown the last couple of years how far he’s come on,” he said.

“He’s a machine of a man. In training I had the joys of having him marking me last year, but that’s what you want.

“Me and him travel to training together because we live beside each other, then in in-house games we would’ve been marking each other.

“Coming back from the knee injury, working hard and battling against him night in, night out at training, it definitely brought me on.”

Although he hasn’t been involved, McAliskey was an interested spectator at all Tyrone’s Dr McKenna Cup games, and feels last Saturday’s final victory over neighbours Armagh has set them up perfectly for their trip to the Kingdom.

“It was a real game; the perfect set-up for moving onto the League,” he added.

“There’s a lot of teams pushing and improving. Division One’s going to be very tough, we have a trip to Killarney and the last few times we’ve gone down there we’ve come back with our tails between our legs. We haven’t turned up.

“Obviously they have a new manager, a lot of boys eager to show what they’re made of, and with the quality coming through from their minor teams they’re going to be a big test.”