Kyle Coney making the most of second chance with Tyrone

After four years in the wilderness, Kyle Coney says he has learned what it takes to succeed as an elite Gaelic footballer and is determined to make the most of his second chance with Tyrone.

The Ardboe playmaker feared his inter-county career was over when he was axed by Mickey Harte after the McKenna Cup in 2015, but he marked his return to Tyrone colours with a man-of-the-match display in Thursday night’s McKenna Cup win over Derry at Celtic Park.

“To be honest, back in 2015 I probably wasn’t working hard enough to warrant a place on the team, but as you get older you get a bit wiser,” he revealed.

“Now I know you need to work for 70-odd minutes. Ability alone isn’t going to get you there.

I just got the head down in the off-season and worked hard with the club and Mickey (Harte) must have seen something different in me that he thought he would take another look.

I never thought I’d be back in a Tyrone jersey and it is hard to believe, it’s been a long time and it’s nice to be here.”

Ten years ago Coney was the next big thing in Gaelic football.

Himself and Mayo’s Aidan O’Shea starred in the 2008 All-Ireland minor final. Coney kicked 0-5 from play in the replay win for the Red Hands, in a team which also featured Mattie Donnelly and Peter Harte.

He was courted by Sydney Swans but after a few months Down Under he turned his back on a lucrative AFL contract, and a glittering senior inter-county career beckoned.

Apart from brief flashes, it didn’t really happen. Coney struggled with the transition from teen sensation to senior stardom and was dropped from the Tyrone panel in January 2015. In the last 12 months, Coney tried to make something happen.

“Mickey always said the door was open for anyone who was working hard so I just put my head down and did a wee bit of work.

“Probably I was just working harder in the off-season and maybe I was a bit more conscious of being a team player rather than working for myself.

“It shows, if you bring other people into the game it helps you. “Hopefully, it will be enough to stay there but there’s no guarantees.”

Coney sprayed kick-passes around Celtic Park brilliantly and says he has been “welcomed back with open arms” by his old teammates.

However, Harte has told returning players like Coney and Conan Grugan, back for the first time since 2014, and Darren McCurry – who quit in March – they will have to earn their place in the squad for the league.

“This team got to an All-Ireland final last year, so there’s a lot of work to be done,” Coney accepts.

“I’m not guaranteed no starting place on the panel, never mind the team. The target is to make the panel for the league and take it from there.” Does he feel like he’s a better player now than he was when he last pulled on the Tyrone jersey?

“That’s a tough question. Better? I’m fitter, definitely.

“I don’t know if I’m a better player but I’m fitter than I ever was.

“I just have to keep the head down and keep working hard. There’s three or four McKenna Cup games left and I’ll just see where it takes me.”