McConville fails fitness test for semi-final clash

OISÍN McCONVILLE is out of the Armagh team for next Sunday’s Allianz NFL semi-final against Laois at Croke Park.

The Crossmaglen Allstar, and one of the most mercurial wing forward’s in the game, failed a fitness test on a damaged hamstring last night and was ruled out of the equation.

Likewise, the exciting Ronan Clarke failed to make the starting fifteen, after his period of recuperation following surgery on his hip, was not deemed to be sufficient.

Barry O’Hagan continues at left half forward in the enforced absence of McConville, while Diarmuid Marsden now dons the number 14 shirt, with Tony McEntee moving to left corner forward.

Old friends will square up as adversaries this weekend at Croke Park.

Mickey Harte and Martin McElkennon have forged professional and sporting partnerships over the years.

But their close working relationship as teaching colleagues will be put to one side, their joint exploits with GAA teams at schools, club and county level but a distant memory.

Harte sends his Tyrone side out to battle for National League glory against a Fermanagh side honed to the peak of fitness by McElkennon.

Friendly greetings exchanged in the corridors of St Ciaran’s High School in Ballygawley will give way to tense glances cast along the Croke Park sideline.

Once compliant in strategies which brought success to teams representing St Ciaran’s, Errigal Ciaran and the Tyrone Minors, these men now prepare to stand face to face.

And while he won’t allow it to show on Jones’ Road, Harte has the highest regard for his erstwhile confidant and contemporary foe.

“He was with us in the minors in ‘97, and he was with Errigal Ciaran for a few years, before he went to Derry, and now he’s with Fermanagh.

“I know the work he puts into teams, and I know what he’s capable of. I know what he brings to an organisation, and it’s no coincidence that Fermanagh have had some success this season,” said the Tyrone boss.

“They always had quality players, and maybe Martin has brought new insights to them, and helped them find new belief in themselves as players and as people.

“We played them in the first round of the McKenna Cup, it was early season, and it was a tough game. We only won by a couple of points at the end and they were a bit wasteful.”

McElkennon renews his management partnership with Harte a week later when the pair lead the St Ciaran’s Under-16 team in an All-Ireland final against Co Carlow school Tullow.

“We’ve been working together now for 11 or 12 years, and we’ve had more good days than bad days with school teams. During that time we have built up a fairly good working relationship,” said the Fermanagh fitness guru.

“For us to beat Tyrone on Sunday we have got to perform at our very best, and hopefully Tyrone on the day will be a little bit short of their best.”

ARMAGH (SF v Laois); P. Hearty; E. McNulty, J. McNulty, F. Bellow; A. O’Rourke, K. McGreeney, A. McCann; J. Toal, P. McGrane; P. McKeever, J. McEntee, B. O’Hagan; S. McDonald, D. Marsden, T. McEntee.