DAN McFarland was looking forward to a day of watching rugby on the couch yesterday as the extent of the challenge awaiting Ulster in the spring slowly unfolded in front of his eyes.

Tyrone manager Mickey Harte is set to postpone his annual January cull due to an injury crisis ahead of the start of the Allianz League.

McKenna Cup specialists Tyrone lifted their eighth title in nine seasons with an uninspiring win over Monaghan at the Athletic Grounds.

Holders Tyrone reached yet another Dr McKenna Cup final with a nine points win over Down at the Athletic Grounds.

Keith Earls will make his first Munster appearance of the season in tomorrow's Champions Cup opener against the Ospreys.

Tyrone struck an early and perhaps decisive blow in their Super 8s opener at Hyde Park, where they scored a four-point win over Connacht champions Roscommon.

Tyrone blew Cavan away as they charged into the Super 8s series with a ruthless demolition of the beaten Ulster finalists.

No fireworks in Newbridge. Not this time.

Qualifier specialists Tyrone are up and running again, and while a four points margin at Pearse Park will not inspire supreme confidence, they are set to gain momentum along the back door route.

Donegal swept past Tyrone to book their place in the Ulster SFC final, scoring a first win over fierce north-west rivals Tyrone in four Championship clashes as they triumphed by four points at Kingspan Breffni Park.

Tyrone charged through to the Ulster SFC semi-finals with a demolition job at the Athletic Grounds.

Last year's All-Ireland finalists Tyrone came through a draining battle when they just couldn't shake off a game Derry challenge in the Ulster Championship preliminary round in Omagh.

Mickey Harte declared himself satisfied with their new attacking strategies after his side moved a step closer to Division One survival with an Ulster derby win over 14-man Cavan.

Mickey Harte has named the team that is bidding to stop Dublin winning a fourth All-Ireland title on the bounce.

Down will be without their free-taker Donal O’Hare for their round 2 Qualifier against Cavan on Saturday.

Tyrone escaped from Navan with a narrow win and a place in the second round of the Qualifier series, squeezing out a courageous Meath side in an extra-time thriller.

Tyrone 2-14 - Mayo 0-8: After what he described as his team’s best performance in years, Tyrone manager Mickey Harte took aim at those who had been critical of Tyrone’s tactical approach this year.

University of Ulster 1-13 UCD 0-18 (after double extra-time)

Brian O'Seanachain and Con O'Callaghan scored in the second period of double extra-time to book UCD's place in Saturday's Sigerson Cup final for the third year in a row.

Galway scored their 13th ever league win over Tyrone when they led throughout a tough contest at Tuam Stadium.

Tyrone 0-19 Cavan 1-9: Tyrone’s unbeaten record in this Division 1 campaign never looked in any danger, even when they trailed by four points at Healy Park.

Tyrone turned on the power in the second half to take over the leadership of the Division One table and send Cavan crashing into a relegation dogfight.

UU 0-9 UCD 1-18: After a tight, combative first half of immense quality, Sigerson Cup holders UCD raced away in the second-half to crush 13-man University of Ulster at Jordanstown.

Tyrone 0-11 Monaghan 0-13: Monaghan were crowned Ulster U21 champions for the first time since 1999 last night in another statement of the current strength of football in the county.

Tyrone withstood a barrage of late Tipperary pressure to secure the county’s fifth All-Ireland U21 football title this evening.

Tyrone 0-17 Roscommon 0-12: TYRONE showed pace, power and panache when overcoming last year’s beaten finalists, Roscommon, in Saturday’s EirGrid All-Ireland U-21 semi-final at Sligo’s Markievicz Park.

Tyrone reached their first All-Ireland U21 Football Championship final since 2003 with a hard-working win over Roscommon, embroidered by the grace of ace finisher Lee Brennan.

Tyrone 1-11 Donegal 0-13: Tyrone converted an injury-time free to win a first Ulster U21 title in nine years last night, condemning Donegal to a third final defeat in a row at this grade.

Two first-half goals against Armagh helped Tyrone into the Ulster U21 final for the first time in three years last night.

Tyrone 0-17 Fermanagh 0-07: Mark Bradley and Mark Kavanagh formed a deadly strike force as Tyrone booked a place in the Ulster U21 Championship semi-finals.

University of Ulster 0-10 DCU 3-10

Ulster 26 Leicester 7: European Champions Cup Pool 3: Darren Cave helped clip the Tigers’ claws in an attritional Champions Cup clash at the Kingspan Stadium on Saturday when Ulster had their bonus point on the board by the 50th minute before a brickwall defence proved almost impenetrable.

Down 1-13 University of Ulster 1-07: Down made light of terrible conditions in Páirc Esler to see off the students in last night’s Dr McKenna Cup tie.

St Joseph’s HS, Crossmaglen (Armagh) 1-7 Our Lady’s SS, Belmullet (Mayo) 1-7(AET)

“Follow that,” quipped Robin Copeland two days ago as he wrapped up his media duties at Ireland’s team base and breezed out the door past Tommy O’Donnell.

Gloucester 23 Edinburgh 12

Mayo 2-13 Tyrone 1-13

Philly McMahon is the only change to the Dublin team that beat Kerry for tomorrow’s All-Ireland SFC final with Mayo.

Tyrone 1-12 Roscommon 0-13