Ryan McMenamin: Ulster is a must for Tyrone

Former Tyrone defender Ryan McMenamin believes the current team must follow up their Allianz FL Division 2 success with an Ulster title in order to maintain the momentum of progress and development.

The Red Hands have not won the Anglo-Celt Cup since 2010, two years after the last of their three All-Ireland triumphs.

McMenamin won his fifth provincial championship medal six years ago, and since his retirement in 2012, has watched in frustration as the prize proved elusive, year after year.

“It’s something they need to win, to give them that confidence, if they are to push on for bigger honours further on down the year,” he said.

“They’re going along the right tracks, so you would be hoping on the evidence of Division 2, where it was mostly Ulster teams, Tyrone seemed to be that level above.

“They have got good draw as well, and you would hope that if they can get out of Celtic Park, they would have a good chance.

“The team seems to be coming along well, it’s a good young team, and you saw on Sunday that the boys played well.”

The experience of playing and winning at Croke Park was an added bonus for a group of emerging players.

“A lot of those players haven’t won a lot with Tyrone at senior level, so that gave them a trophy of their own.”