ALL four Ulster counties are masters of their destiny in next Saturday’s final round of group games in Division One North.
With two games played, a semi-final spot or relegation remains a possibility for the northern quartet. Donegal top the table on three points, one ahead of Armagh and Tyrone who are a point better off than bottom side Monaghan but the scenario is simple: the winners on Saturday (Armagh v Donegal and Tyrone v Monaghan) advance to the semi-finals, the losers head for the relegation play-offs.
Tyrone could have found themselves bottom of the table had Armagh taken their chances against them at the Athletic Grounds on Saturday night. They didn’t, the Red Hands did and their five-point success means the Feargal Logan/Brian Dooher managed side are eyeing up a place in the top four if they can beat the Farneymen at Healy Park.
“It’s in every team’s own hands now and that leaves it exciting,” said Mattie Donnelly.
“That was always going to be the case in a smaller league, it leaves next week interesting, and it’s steady preparation for what’s down the road.”
What’s down the road is the Ulster Championship of course and, on Saturday’s evidence, Tyrone have the strength-in-depth to come out of this League and kick on in the race for their first Anglo-Celt Cup since 2017.
Six familiar names made an impact when they entered the fray as substitutes while the likes of Cathal McShane, Connor McAliskey, Tiarnan McCann and Ronan O’Neill watched from the bench. New boys Cormac Munroe (corner-back) and forward Paul Donaghy are getting runs in the team while Darren McCurry grabbed his chance to impress with seven points.
“There’ll be more twists and turns in that team, no doubt,” predicted Donnelly.
“So you can’t get too comfortable in your spot. You have to produce the goods every weekend, because there’s boys waiting in the wings who feel they can do a job as well, and they can.
“It keeps everything on edge, which is good.
“The season is going to be very interesting, but we have good depth in the squad there.
“Every year there’s a change in personnel anyway with new boys coming on, and this year is no different.
“We had two debutants last week in Cormac and Paul, and they performed really well.
“We know we have good stock coming behind, which is a positive for Tyrone in future terms and obviously the (new) management coming in.
“It’s different personnel but the intentions are the exact same in that they have Tyrone’s best interests at heart, the exact same as the management before. They are real passionate Tyrone men, real energetic and passionate Tyrone men.”
Saturday’s win was the first at senior level for All-Ireland U20 winners Logan and Dooher. The new management will have issues to address with a defence that conceded two goals and a penalty but, on the flip side, their team scored 2-15 and produced some excellent phases of attacking football.
“It was a big cagey, nervy at times and there was a lot of emotions opened out on both sides, and that showed,” reflected Donnelly.
“It made it a bit frantic at times, disjointed, but getting a win was priority number one.
“That gives us something to go back to the drawing board with and we’re very much in a refining process week on week here.
“Everyone is getting to know each other, the management are getting to know the players. There’s a lot of that going on. It’s a review and refine process at the minute, but the win gives us a better perspective going forward.”
