Armagh clash may come too soon for Dooher

BRIAN DOOHER cannot yet commit to lining out with All-Ireland champions Tyrone against Armagh on May 31, saying at yesterday’s launch of the football championship in Croke Park that while he was ‘not far away’, talk of him having a 50-50 chance of being fit might be optimistic.

Re-appointed Tyrone captain, he has played just one club game since his return to training a few weeks ago. “I have a long way to go to get back up to the pace of championship football,’’ he commented.

Pointing out that he was just one of a number of players around the country fighting injuries – the source of his difficulties is a groin injury which bothered him in last year’s campaign and which required surgery in November.

He hasn’t played any game with Tyrone since the All-Ireland final win over Kerry, when he capped an outstanding display with a memorable point in the second half. Quizzed about that score he dismissed it as ‘just a point,’ adding: “a point is a point at the end of the day. It’s the same as one you might score from ten yards or wherever. That’s gone; it’s in the past.’’

However, he has remained positive: “It’s not nice, but it’s the hand you are dealt and you have to get on with it. There’s no point in feeling sorry for yourself. It does get frustrating, but at the same time your intention is to get back ... You just keep plugging way.

“But it does take a long while to get back to your match fitness and match sharpness. You can only get that by playing matches and training and if you can’t, you won’t get back to that level.’’

Dooher, who will be 34 in August, indicated that he had never considered walking away from football, commenting: “you are always hoping to play as long as you can if have something to offer. You’ll be retired long enough.’’

He also takes the captaincy in his stride: “It is a big honour, but I am no different from anyone. We all work as hard as each other. That’s the way it is in Tyrone, that’s the way we want it. There’s nobody seen as more special or any more valuable in the panel of 35.’’

Dooher argues that while Armagh have lost players like Francie Bellew and Paul McGrane (through retirement), they still represent serious opposition. “We’re definitely not the in-form team. We have lot of work to get ourselves up to the required standard. Armagh are going to be a very stiff challenge, even though it will be a different team in some respects.”

Whatever about a preference for going through the direct route, he says that the bottom line is that they are no different to any other team – they don’t like losing. “We want to do as well as we can. We can look at ourselves afterwards and see where it takes us.’’

And while expressing a preference for Croke Park, he says that the fact of the Ulster Council deciding on Clones for the game hasn’t unduly concerned them. “A pitch is a pitch at the end of the day!’’