TABLE-toppers Tyrone are targeting a place in the NHL Division 3A final, but skipper Conor Grogan has warned they must leave nothing to chance.
With two games to play, the unbeaten Red Hands are on course to either move directly to the decider or at least secure a semi-final spot.
Having taken three points from a possible four against pre-season favourites Roscommon and Armagh, they take on Monaghan this weekend, before facing a Louth side currently propping up the table.
“We want to make it to the League final, we want to get promotion.
“We have Monaghan and Louth ahead of us, and in this division there’s nothing between any of the teams,” said Grogan.
Michael McShane’s side will be fancied to get the better of the Farneymen on Sunday at Inniskeen, and to take both points from their home tie against Louth, but Grogan insisted both teams must be feared.
“Louth ran Armagh to a point a couple of weeks ago, and we always have a dogfight against Monaghan, so we’ll not be taking anything for granted.”
Tyrone just missed out on a place in the League final last season, and later reached the Nicky Rackard Cup final, demonstrating progress and a raising of standards.
“We’re taking the League game by game. It’s always nice to get a run in the Nicky Rackard, and we’ll push on for it when the time comes, but at the start of the year, we set out the goal to take it game by game.”
One concern for the Red Hands is the depth of the squad.
With a number of players unavailable and others missing through injury, they had just four outfield players on the bench for last Sunday’s meeting with Armagh at Pairc Eire Og in Carrickmore.
“We have a tight unit built up, we have boys coming back from injury.
“We had a lot of injuries going into the campaign, but thankfully they are clearing up and boys are coming back.
“You need a bench, fifteen players won’t win you games, it’s the men coming off the bench that sins games nowadays.”
However, young players breaking through from the under-age ranks are adding to the options available to the manager.
“There are new players adding to it each year, young boys coming in and doing a fantastic job for us.
“There’s boys who were starting last year are on the bench this year.
“Each week the starting fifteen is changing, which is a good sign, for there’s competition for places.”
Last weekend’s 2-21 to 1-14 win over previously unbeaten Armagh lifted Tyrone to top spot in the League table, with Damian Casey hitting 13 points.
“Damian has been doing that this last eight or nine years, and we’re glad he’s on our side.
“That scoreline probably flattered us near the end, but we’ll keep working hard.”
