Hamstring headaches mount for Mickey Harte as Frank Burns added to injury list

Tyrone's Frank Burns. Picture: INPHO/Bryan Keane

Tyrone’s Frank Burns suffered a hamstring injury in a club game on Sunday, handing manager Mickey Harte another setback as he prepares for the resumption of the inter-county season.

Burns was forced off just before half time in Pomeroy’s Division One clash against Dungannon at O’Neill Park.

It is unclear what the extent of the injury is, but the loss of the versatile Burns would be a big blow to the Red Hands’ prospects of defeating Donegal in the Ulster Championship.

A week earlier, Tyrone attacker Ronan O’Neill and defender Padraig Hampsey also suffered hamstring injuries during club game, and a worrying trend has developed — in the Red Hand county at least — as players return to action following a lengthy spell without competitive action and normal training regimes.

Meanwhile, Tyrone GAA has scrapped plans to stage seven double bills during a week-long programme of championship ties.

All but one of the first-round games in the LCC Group Senior Championship had been scheduled to be part of double-headers at six different venues.

But in a major review of the schedule, it has been decided that the first-round ties will now be played as standalone fixtures.

The move was prompted by concerns around crowd restrictions, with just 400 people, including players and officials, permitted to attend sports events in the six counties.

The first Tyrone Championship tie of the season is the JFC preliminary-round meeting of Drumquin and Fintona, which takes place on Wednesday, August 12.

The dates for the first-round games in the senior championship remain the same, with some changes to throw-in times.

The series will get under way on Thursday, August 13, with the tie of the round widely expected to take place between derby rivals Coalisland and Clonoe.