Mulligan eyes return after successful appeal

OWEN MULLIGAN is not alone confident of lining out with Tyrone in their May 20 Ulster football opener against Fermanagh, but has hopes of playing a part in his club’s championship game next weekend.

This followed the successful appeal put forward last week by manager Mickey Harte against an eight-week ban. This had been imposed after he was red-carded in the League game against Mayo in Omagh (having suffered a similar fate in the opening round against Cork).

Said Mulligan: “Definitely I was concerned about missing the game. It’s not nice to get a suspension at any time, especially around the start of the championship and Fermanagh will be a big derby game.

“(At the time), I didn’t think it was a sending-off offence against Mayo. The boy got past me and I made a lazy lunge.

“If it was August time maybe I would have caught him. But, it’s a bit early in the season for me yet!’’

While his manager had privately expressed confidence of a successful outcome in advance of the appeal, Mulligan admitted that he had been ‘a bit scared’ that he wouldn’t get off.

“Thankfully things went my way,” he added.

Only a few days later there were reports of him being a doubtful starter for the championship, but he dismissed this speculation yesterday. He felt ‘a bit of a twinge’ in his hamstring after getting a knock playing in a league game with Cookstown on Sunday — lasting only 40 minutes.

However, the decision to come off was merely a precaution.

“We are playing Pomeroy in the championship next Sunday and that will be a big derby game.

“I mightn’t start, but I might come on,’’ he revealed.

Meanwhile he insists that there is no lack of appetite in the camp, that the players are even more determined to do well after a bad run last year, when they were hit badly by the loss of Brian McGuigan and subsequent injuries to Stephen O’Neill and Brian Dooher.

“After being put out so early last year by Laois meant you were sitting back and watching the All-Ireland semi-finals and finals and wishing we could be there.

“The lads have got the hunger back. They have proved that in training. Apart from that, the new players coming in have given the squad a big lift. They’re pushing all the boys who have been there for the last five years.

“I think it’s a big year to come from Tyrone. Hopefully we can get a good run.’’

His dynamic partnership with Peter Canavan was key to the team’s win over Kerry in the 2005 All-Ireland final, but he feels that they can’t keep looking back.

“You just can’t a replace a player of his genius. But, he’s gone now. Tyrone have to move on.’’