Electric Ireland Ulster MFC quarter-final: Tyrone v Down (tonight, Healy Park, 7.30pm)
TWO counties looking to revive their minor football fortunes will meet this evening when Tyrone take on Down in an Ulster MFC quarter-final tie at Healy Park.
The Red Hands, once a consistent force at this level, have not won a provincial title since 2012, while Down must go back to 2005 for their last triumph, when they went on to win the All-Ireland title
New managers have been tasked to find a way back to the glory days, with Gerard Donnelly taking charge of Tyrone and Patrick Cunningham guiding Mourne fortunes this year.
However, it’s going to be a short, sharp season for one of them in a straight knock-out series with no qualifier rounds, and no league campaign through which to test and prepare their teams.
Tyrone have a handful of survivors from last season’s squad, with defenders Michael Rafferty, Callan Kelly and Patrick McCann and forwards Ruairi McHugh and Cormac Devlin returning, just weeks after the end of their delayed 2020 campaign.
Manager Gerard Donnelly is hoping that his team can find its flow on the evening, despite the difficulties with preparations over the past few months.
“It was slow to begin with, especially with last year’s panel still going, but we’ve been trying to do as much as we can,” said Donnelly.
“The lads have club schedules as well and they have been playing away with their clubs, so it’s about getting the balance right.
“But the boys are getting plenty of football, and that’s the main thing.
“With the times that are in it, and the long lay-off there has been with no football, it’s good to get them football now, and they’re getting plenty with their clubs.”
Down have no survivors from their 2020 squad, but manager Patrick Cunningham feels his players are ready for the challenge, despite all the factors that appear to be favouring the home side.
“Tyrone are always a strong county at Minor level, they have won 23 Ulster minor titles over the years, far and away the leaders in that regard,” he said.
“But we’re happy with how the lads have been preparing, and everybody is looking forward to the challenge that lies ahead.”
Burren clubman Cunningham has made the most of the limited time and opportunities he has had to work with his squad in light of all the difficulties presented by Covid.
“Normally we would have an Ulster League programme where you can try the lads out in a competitive environment ahead of the Championship, and with the short turnaround time in terms of preparation that hasn’t been possible.
“But that’s the same for all the counties, we’re all in the same boat, so there’s nobody disadvantaged.
“But it was great to get boys back on the pitch, they were playing with their clubs and then back at training sessions with us. To be out playing football again, particularly for young kids, is fantastic, both for the physical and mental aspect of things.”
