Tyrone’s Dooher targets March return on the road to recovery

BRIAN Dooher is still several months away from making a comeback to the Tyrone colours, with the 2006 captain in the throes of recovery from a serious injury.

One week after the Red Hand County were dumped out of the Ulster championship by Derry, Dooher broke his knee cap in training and he hasn’t played since.

He was in Croke Park on Saturday night to delight in the win over Dublin but after the game it was back down to the serious business of rehab, with a session from team physio Louis O’Connor.

“I’m making progress, but it’s a slow road back,’’ he explained.

“It’s looking like the end of March before I can expect to be thinking about coming back. I have done nothing since the Derry game.’’

Along with team-mates Brian McGuigan, Colin Holmes and Ciaran Gourley, he meets with the physio three times a week. “Louis set up a programme for us and we have our own sessions with him. He’s trying to get us back on the road again.

“With me, it’s a case of trying to build my knee again, to strengthen it.

“I do something in the gym most days and I try to get in a bit of general running. That’s progress, but it’s very sore afterwards. You can’t push it too much.’’

Dooher wasn’t too surprised at the way Tyrone turned the game around against Dublin last Saturday night, after trailing by five points at half-time.

“When they looked at themselves, they knew they hadn’t done themselves justice in the first half. Dublin had outworked and outfought them.

“Our boys lifted their heads and a few changes were made. Conor Gormley made a massive difference at centre-back and no one else passed him for the rest of the game. Kevin Hughes did a brilliant job in the middle of the field and Colm McCullagh likewise. The boys upped their work rate, things turned around gradually and they chipped away at the scoring.’’

Dooher admits that it won’t be easy for Tyrone to get back to where they were two years ago, especially after the happenings last year when a succession of injuries resulted in an early exit from the Championship.

“Every team starts out the year with ambition and we’re no different,” says Dooher.

“We know we have a long way to go. Last year we ended up pretty low down in the rankings. There’s a big panel — over 40 — and so there is a lot of competition for places.

“That will be cut down in about a month, so the boys are really pushing themselves hard in training. It showed in the second half on Saturday night.’’