Tyrone County Football and Hurling

[Carmen1932]

That's a strong list of 35 players detailed above and if all can stay fit and interested then surely that leaves Tyrone is a strong position for the season ahead.
However, Fullerton possibly deserves a chance, although admitted haven't seen much of him lately but he has regularly been at the top end of the scoring charts. Every other forward on those charts seems to have got an opportunity.
Carmen1932 - does he have the pace to cope with the potential new rules regards 3v3 inside half way?. Pace will be a vital component in the county game going forward if these new rules get passed which seems likely

I think he has. Aggressive on the ball too & very good at movement.

The new rules will suit him as there will be more space to get the ball kicked in to him too. Very effective & a real goal scorer.

Don't see how he gets game time with the two Canavans, McElholm, McCurry and Bradley.
[/quote]

Wouldn't be easy but it's a crime how he never even got 1 trial. I'm sure he's not too bothered anyway better off playing for Carmen instead of sitting out of the starred games. Like Paul Donaghy for the Clakes.

[thebigfullforward]

That's a strong list of 35 players detailed above and if all can stay fit and interested then surely that leaves Tyrone is a strong position for the season ahead.
However, Fullerton possibly deserves a chance, although admitted haven't seen much of him lately but he has regularly been at the top end of the scoring charts. Every other forward on those charts seems to have got an opportunity.
Carmen1932 - does he have the pace to cope with the potential new rules regards 3v3 inside half way?. Pace will be a vital component in the county game going forward if these new rules get passed which seems likely

I think he has. Aggressive on the ball too & very good at movement.

The new rules will suit him as there will be more space to get the ball kicked in to him too. Very effective & a real goal scorer.

Don't see how he gets game time with the two Canavans, McElholm, McCurry and Bradley.

Wouldn't be easy but it's a crime how he never even got 1 trial. I'm sure he's not too bothered anyway better off playing for Carmen instead of sitting out of the starred games. Like Paul Donaghy for the Clakes.
[/quote]Seems to have put on a bit of weight from the final in '22. No doubting his a top forward though. Judging him solely off championship performances tells me everything I need to know. He can win his own ball too just unlucky there's others in his position

[Carmen1932]

I think he's actually lost a bit since. Heading in the right direction.

[RoundBall]

Tyrone Allianz League Division 1 Football Fixtures 2025.

Round 1: Saturday 25th January 2025 at 6pm: Tyrone v Derry at Healy Park, Omagh.

Round 2: Saturday 1st February 2025 at 6pm: Armagh v Tyrone at Athletic Grounds, Armagh.

Round 3: Sunday 16th Fenruay 2025 at 1:45pm: Mayo v Tyrone at McHale Park, Castlebar.

Round 4: Sunday 23rd February 2025 at 1:45pm: Tyrone v Kerry at Healy Park, Omagh.

Round 5: Sunday 2nd March 2025 at 1:45pm: Galway v Tyrone at St. Jarlath's Park, Tuam.

Round 6: Sunday 16th March 2025 at 3:30pm: Donegal v Tyrone at O'Donnell Park, Letterkenny.

Round 7: Sunday 23rd March 2025 at 3:45pm: Tyrone v Dublin at Healy Park, Omagh.

[NotedObserver]

Anyone any word from the camp?

[BennyHarp]

THE Freemantle Dockers' decision not to recruit any international
rookies for next season has the potential to be a massive boost for
Tyrone.
It means that highly-rated young forward Eoin McElholm will not be
leaving for Aussie Rules – in the short-term at least – and so he will
be available to Tyrone manager Malachy O'Rourke and U20 manager
Paul Devlin for next season.
Meanwhile, Fermanagh fans will also be relieved that Ultan Kelm is
not on his way 'Down Under' either. Kelm made no secret of his
understandable desire to carve out a career in professional sport in
the AFL.
Injury and then the Covid pandemic scuppered earlier moves and it
was thought that the marauding Erne Gaels forward was on the
verge of a switch but he will line-out for his county once again next
season.
Tyrone starlet McElholm impressed in several trials in Australia and it
is understood that the Dockers will continue to monitor the progress
of the talented youngster who scored a match-winning 0-7 (all from
play) as the Tyrone U20s beat Kerry in this year's All-Ireland final. He
remains eligible for U20 football next year.
Following that success, the Loughmacrory clubman marked his
Tyrone debut with a point when he was brought on as a second half
substitute in last season's All-Ireland quarter-final preliminary round
game against Roscommon.
He was among the outstanding performers in the senior club
championship and his form earned him a call-up to the Ulster squad
for the Inter-provincial championships. McElholm was among the
scorers as Kieran Donnelly's men beat Leinster and Munster to win
the title.
Alongside his slick skills and eye for a score, McElholm is blessed
with pace and power and his considerable talents can now be
harnessed by new Tyrone manager Malachy O'Rourke.
The Fermanagh native took over the Red Hands after Brian Dooher
and Feargal Logan stepped down at the end of last season during
which the 2021 All-Ireland champions had struggled to find any
consistency.

Good news

[Carmen1932]

THE Freemantle Dockers' decision not to recruit any international
rookies for next season has the potential to be a massive boost for
Tyrone.
It means that highly-rated young forward Eoin McElholm will not be
leaving for Aussie Rules – in the short-term at least – and so he will
be available to Tyrone manager Malachy O'Rourke and U20 manager
Paul Devlin for next season.
Meanwhile, Fermanagh fans will also be relieved that Ultan Kelm is
not on his way 'Down Under' either. Kelm made no secret of his
understandable desire to carve out a career in professional sport in
the AFL.
Injury and then the Covid pandemic scuppered earlier moves and it
was thought that the marauding Erne Gaels forward was on the
verge of a switch but he will line-out for his county once again next
season.
Tyrone starlet McElholm impressed in several trials in Australia and it
is understood that the Dockers will continue to monitor the progress
of the talented youngster who scored a match-winning 0-7 (all from
play) as the Tyrone U20s beat Kerry in this year's All-Ireland final. He
remains eligible for U20 football next year.
Following that success, the Loughmacrory clubman marked his
Tyrone debut with a point when he was brought on as a second half
substitute in last season's All-Ireland quarter-final preliminary round
game against Roscommon.
He was among the outstanding performers in the senior club
championship and his form earned him a call-up to the Ulster squad
for the Inter-provincial championships. McElholm was among the
scorers as Kieran Donnelly's men beat Leinster and Munster to win
the title.
Alongside his slick skills and eye for a score, McElholm is blessed
with pace and power and his considerable talents can now be
harnessed by new Tyrone manager Malachy O'Rourke.
The Fermanagh native took over the Red Hands after Brian Dooher
and Feargal Logan stepped down at the end of last season during
which the 2021 All-Ireland champions had struggled to find any
consistency.

Good news

Everyone knew that months ago about McElholm.

[RoundBall]

Any update on the Senior Panel? Any other additions or word about challenge games? Will Any additional Errigal men receive call ups when they get finished up?

[NotedObserver]

All v quiet. I see posts about other counties playing challenge games but v little in Tyrone

[God14]

Malachy O'Rourke is a big-name appointment for Tyrone and Niall Gartland looks at the road ahead for the new man at the helm.

FEARGAL Logan and Brian Dooher's names will go down in the history of Tyrone GAA and rightly so, but it was no major surprise that their tenure came to an end at the tail-end of last August.

After a prolonged period of uncertainty in the wake of a surprise championship exit to Roscommon – leaving fans to wonder what exactly was going on – change at the top came quickly.

Dooher and Logan stepped aside after four years in charge and a fortnight later Malachy O'Rourke, whose stock has never been higher, was formally announced as their successor. And if there was ever a formality, this was it.

O'Rourke was the only man nominated for the job and while there's palpable excitement about the road ahead, there's also a recognition that it might take a year or two for Tyrone to return to the top table.

Rome wasn't built in a day and all that but at the same time it wouldn't be much of a shock if the Red Hands put in a credible challenge for All-Ireland honours as the raw ingredients are there.

O'Rourke, who's brought with him his sideline sidekicks Ryan Porter and Leo McBride, as well as enlisting Collie McCullagh, Chris Lawn and John Devine, has assembled a provisional panel of around 45 players ahead of their first competitive outing against Derry on Saturday, January 26.

In terms of strength-in-depth, it's hard not to draw parallels with the stacked squad at Logan and Dooher's disposal in their All-Ireland winning debut season of 2021.

Prodigal sons like Mark Bradley, Richie Donnelly and Rory Brennan have decided to give it another crack, there's no retirements to speak of – Mattie Donnelly, for one, lined out in last weekend's challenge game against Meath, which Tyrone won – and there's a batch of immensely promising players coming through the ranks who backboned the county's 2022 and 2024 All-Ireland U-20 wins.

Eoin McElholm made his debut against Roscommon and has been touted as a star of the future – he was even named by The Irish Times recently as one of five young sportspeople (not just GAA) to watch out for in 2025. A word of caution – he's only 19 and will need time, and even just finding a place on the team will be difficult enough with similarly talented, and more experienced forwards like Ruairi and Darragh Canavan and Mark Bradley and Darren McCurry around. Still, he looks a class act.

And as much as he might like to, O'Rourke can't play 'em all. Cast your mind to the All-Ireland final of 2021 and Mark Bradley didn't see a single minute of action. Not long after, he announced his retirement from the inter-county game – and that's how it was worded, his retirement. Rory Brennan also left after lifting the Sam Maguire, and these lads aren't coming back to renew friendships – they're coming back to win a second Celtic Cross.

Plenty has already been written about how the new rules are tailor-made to All-Star goalkeeper Niall Morgan. He's arguably the best in the business, but he needs help at the back and Tyrone have been uncharacteristically porous in recent years.

Further out the pitch, there's serious competition in that middle eight. Conn Kilpatrick and Brian Kennedy have formed a steady partnership in the middle but Richie Donnelly and Joe Oguz will push hard for a starting jersey and elsewhere there are a batch of hard runners fending for a starting berth. Conor Meyler too could come back into contention after an injury-ravaged 2024. Then there's another star of the future, Shea O'Hare, who was drafted into the senior team swiftly after last year's All-Ireland U-20 success. He'll have a say.

It really feels like anything could happen with Tyrone this year. It wouldn't be a shock if they struggle to stay afloat in Division One (given the strength of the competition) but nor would it be a surprise if they pick up a head of steam and give the All-Ireland a serious rattle.

O'Rourke is a generational manager, he knows the new rules inside out having formed part of the specially formed Football Rules Committee and he delivered a coaching day on matter last weekend at Garvaghey. He's a down to earth fella but there's a steely intelligence there and he knows Tyrone football inside-out having lived in Ballygawley for decades.

A look at his LinkedIn account gives us a glimpse into his managerial priorities: "Establishing a vision; Crafting a sustainable, resilient culture; The importance of belonging; Setting standards; Striving for excellence; Realising individual potential; Personal growth and motivation; Developing leadership; The power of positivity; Building effective teams and The importance of physical health and wellbeing." In a term, man management.

He's won his All-Ireland at club level with Glen and there's an obvious box to be ticked with Tyrone. But. as Jim Gavin always spoke about, it's a process.

The first step, in our eyes, is improving the team's consistency levels.

In recent years, you never really knew what you were going to get with Tyrone and there were plenty of chastening defeats.

If they pick up a winning habit and in general bring a lot more cut and thrust to their play than in recent years, it'll bring out the crowds and you never know where it might all lead in the end up.

[God14]

Good summary from Niall Gartland there on the latest Gaelic life

It was mentioned on here a while ago Tiernan McCann had returned as well, but this looks to be off the mark, otherwise it would have been confirmed by now. Certainly Niall is the go to journalist for Tyrone football

Derry in a fortnights time without the Errigal contingent.

[NotedObserver]

Anyone take a stab at starting side for national league? Assume Errigal are out and m bradley is injured?

Morgan
Mckernan
Brennan
Clarke
Ohare
Mattie Donnelly
Seanie O'Donnell
Kennedy
Kilpatrick
Ciaran Daly
E Mcelholm
Ritchie Donnelly
McCurry
?
?

[God14]

Anyone take a stab at starting side for national league? Assume Errigal are out and m bradley is injured?

Morgan
Mckernan
Brennan
Clarke
Ohare
Mattie Donnelly
Seanie O'Donnell
Kennedy
Kilpatrick
Ciaran Daly
E Mcelholm
Ritchie Donnelly
McCurry
?
?

I'll guess

Morgan
McKernan
Teague
Clarke
Conal Devlin
Brennan
Niall Devlin
Kilpatrick
Kennedy
Daly
McElhom
Seanie
McCurry
Mattie
Bradley

[NotedObserver]

 Interested to see how Niall Devlin comes on this year. Spoke well on niblock podcast about bulking up and reaching inter county level. Forgot about him in my side. Hope Teague makes an impact.

Will Michael O'Neill get game time? Hopefully young players get game time as well

[Goals_Will_Come]

Anyone take a stab at starting side for national league? Assume Errigal are out and m bradley is injured?

Morgan
Mckernan
Brennan
Clarke
Ohare
Mattie Donnelly
Seanie O'Donnell
Kennedy
Kilpatrick
Ciaran Daly
E Mcelholm
Ritchie Donnelly
McCurry
?
?

1. Niall Morgan
2. Aidan Clarke
3. Peter Teague
4. Rory Brennan
5. Shea O'hare
6. Michael McKernan
7. Niall Devlin
8. Brian Kennedy
9. Conn Kilpatrick
10. Seanie O'Donnell
11. Eoin McElholm
12. Kieran McGeary
13. Darren McCurry
14. Mattie Donnelly
15. Ciaran Daly