Tyrone County Football and Hurling

[Goals_Will_Come]

The Peter Donnelly S&C point comes up repeatedly, its a red herring for me, some of the U20s haven't/won't transition to senior as they aren't at the level, invariably someone has to be picked, the playing base is there, the programmes in place are high end, its tactical tweaks (via selection) and the top 6 inches where Sam will be next won, although entering something of a new era with 2021 heroes being phased out, I'd still be expecting a good tilt at Sam every year, the problem at the minute is the Kerry forward line and that 5 IAR minor run coming reaching its peak

There has to be something to it though as physically our young lads looks miles off it. We're dominating u20 level at the minute but the players are very slow to step up. They look to be lacking the conditioning and physicality of players coming through in other counties. Roarty and Moore could run all day for Donegal, Roarty is 2 years younger than Shea O'Hare - last year's u20 player of the year. Moore is the same age as the likes of Ciaran Daly. McEvoy and Ethan Doherty burst on the scene for Derry when they were still u20s, they were at that conditioing level required way before our lads are.

There's a big difference between minor and u20, a lot of players can drop off in that time. Kerry won 5IAR minor but 2 or 3 of those teams had the greatest player in the game right now by a landslide.

There's something not right about the rate at which our young players are developing physically in comparison to the other big counties right now.

By the logic of comparing our current underage success with that of Kerry's 5 in a row team. We can look at hitting our peak in 3/4/5 years time.
Kerry won All Ireland Minor from 2014-2018 and won an All Ireland in 2022 and 2025 - so the oldest of them boys were roughly 26 by the time the first All Ireland rolled around.
We won All Ireland U20 in 2022, 2024 and 2025 - so we should be looking at 2028 onwards for our boys to hit this age.
And while in the mix at the minute, 2028 does seem a reasonable time frame to have blooded together enough players to form a new team fully conditioned with genuine All Ireland aspirations. 2028 still leaves Kennedy, Kilpatrick, Darragh Canavan and Michael McKernan at good ages as well.

Come 2028 who'd have left the team? Harte, Donnelly, Brennan, Bradley, Hampsey be about it potentially? Not a huge drop off in terms of numbers, just be difficult to replace a few of those lads

Morgan be 38 or so by then. Probably still be well able to play in goals at that point but I'd say with a young family and work commitments his time in a Tyrone jersey will be soon to be coming to an end.

The issue really is getting the next generation to hit the ground running.

I would have expected the likes of Cush and McGleenan to be turning into key players for us by now from the 2022 u20 team but injuries and whatever else really seemed to have stalled their progress.

McGleenan didn't play any club championship this year. Is he long term injured?

McGleenan on the shelf long term - not sure when or if there is a return target. Has been out since Clonoe league game in May/June 2024. So full 18 months out at this stage.
Cush was good in the championship for Donaghmore and maybe worth a call up - but is he any upgrade on Darragh, McCurry, McElholm, Ruairi?

[Hand of God]

McGleenan on the shelf long term - not sure when or if there is a return target. Has been out since Clonoe league game in May/June 2024. So full 18 months out at this stage.
Cush was good in the championship for Donaghmore and maybe worth a call up - but is he any upgrade on Darragh, McCurry, McElholm, Ruairi?

Thanks for that..shame for McGleenan. A lot of football to miss at a key point in his career.

Cush has a bit more directness that Ruairi Canavan anyway. Think he might be an option at wing forward in the future if he can build a bit more power and durability.