Football

Killyclogher and Donaghmore ready to go toe-to-toe in Tyrone SFC

Tiernan McCann is one of several familiar faces who will line out for Killyclogher against Donaghmore tonight. Picture by Seamus Loughran
Tiernan McCann is one of several familiar faces who will line out for Killyclogher against Donaghmore tonight. Picture by Seamus Loughran Tiernan McCann is one of several familiar faces who will line out for Killyclogher against Donaghmore tonight. Picture by Seamus Loughran

LCC Group Tyrone SFC: St Mary's, Killyclogher v St Patrick's, Donaghmore (tonight, 7.30pm, Omagh)

THE LCC Group Tyrone SFC will provide non-stop action for the next five days, with all eight first round games to be played off over a bumper long weekend.

From this evening until next Monday, the battle for the O’Neill Cup will be fought fiercely at venues all over the county, each tie a crucial must-win game in a traditional straight knock-out format.

O’Neills Healy Park is the venue tonight for the meeting of Killyclogher and Donaghmore. It’s the second time in three years that they have clashed in the opening round, with the St Mary’s coming out on top on the last occasion.

But Donaghmore feel they have made progress since then, with significant development based on a thriving youth programme.

Young talents such as Conor Cush have blended impressively with experienced players Niall McKenna, Shea Hamill, Hames McCann and Peter McKenna to develop an effective style of play which has seen them chalk up some positive results in the League.

Manager Barry Tracey has been prudent in timing the integration of emerging players, and so far the formula has worked for a progressive club.

Killyclogher go into their Championship opener with a more established team, and can draw on the vast experience of several trusted performers, many of whom have O’Neill Cup medals from the club’s last title triumph in 2016.

Tiarnan McCann and Mark Bradley, having missed most of the League campaign, return following Tyrone’s All-Ireland success to add class and leadership to the set-up, while Conal McCann, Matthew Murnaghan, Danny Gorman and Mark Hayes will be important players for the men from Ballinamullan.

Last season, Killyclogher felt they were well placed to make a big challenge for the title, after defeating Carrickmore in the first round.

But they lost out to defending champions Trillick in the quarter-final, finishing on the wrong end of a penalty shoot-out following an extra-time thriller.

They’re ready to go again against a Donaghmore side that lost narrowly to Ardboe in the first round of 2020, but this one looks too close to call, and may demand added playing time once again.