Brian Dooher: "Donegal's record in Ballybofey speaks for itself"

Tyrone joint-manager Brian Dooher during the Ulster GAA Football Senior Championship semi-final match between Donegal and Tyrone

Brian Dooher says it must be a priority to top the group – and that means victory over Donegal is essential for his Tyrone team in Saturday’s All-Ireland round robin opener.

The winner of the Ballybofey derby will be in pole position to claim a quarter-final spot and avoid the fixtures congestion facing preliminary quarter-finalists.

Last year all but one of the counties that went straight to the last eight as table-toppers succeeded in progressing to the All-Ireland semi-finals.

“It has to be a priority, but every team is the same. It gives you that recovery week that you wouldn’t have. We saw last year the impact that had on teams,” said Dooher.

“Definitely, everybody will be out to win their group, and we’re no different. Donegal will be the same, they will be out to win the group.

“It is the aspiration, there’s no doubt about that. I suppose Donegal are the favourites to come top of the group, and rightly so.

“They’re Ulster champions and Division Two League champions, so they’re favourites.

“You’re going to have to beat them to get to the top of the group, for starters.” 

But Dooher was at pains to stress that he is by no means dismissing the threat coming from the other teams in the group – Cork and Clare.

“Maybe Cork and Clare might have something to say about that.” Tyrone have not played since losing to Donegal in the provincial semi-final four weeks ago. The Ulster champions have momentum, while it remains to be seen how a lengthy lay-off will affect the Red Hands.

“I suppose you would like to get something in between, but it is what it is.

“We missed our opportunity to be in an Ulster final – Donegal didn’t, and went on and won it. The hand we were dealt is what we have to deal with.

“You wouldn’t know. Some people say it’s a great thing to get a rest, some people say you want another game.

“But I’m not complaining about it, it’s just the way it happened.

“We had four weeks, we got a good bit of training done, so we look at it from that point of view too, we got some more stuff done together.” Last season Tyrone defeated a disjointed Donegal side at Ballybofey, but the return of Jim McGuinness as manager has reinvigorated a team now transformed and performing with a familiar style and swagger.

“Last year they had players who had left, you had one thing or another, you had a different panel of players, never mind the management that changed,” said Dooher.

“You had players who had left the panel, who are back now.

“If you look at the fifteen or twenty players that were used that day, they’re different from the fifteen or twenty that will be used this weekend.

“Their record in Ballybofey speaks for itself. There are very few teams that win championship matches in it.

“We were lucky enough to do it last year, but I think it’s a different team that we’re playing now from the one we played last year. Circumstances are completely different as well.” Tyrone’s injury situation is steadily improving, and while they remain some way off full strength, there are improving prospects for a first appearance of the season for Conor Meyler and Frank Burns.

“They’re getting there, they’re moving up the ladder, put it like that. Every week is progress for them.

“Every week you move on, you’re in an improving situation.

“You might have some boys shaping their way back and getting back to training, but they need to get the football, and that’s the thing at this time of year.

“We have men only starting to come back here, but they need to get their football, and that’s the other challenge. How do you get a man up to speed quick enough?

“But things are improving week on week in general. We have a bit to go yet, we still have men to get back, but that will come on in due course too, hopefully.” 

And there are imminent call-ups for a handful of the U20 side that claimed an All-Ireland title with a stylish victory over Kerry last Sunday.

“They definitely were impressive on the weekend past, and they’ll definitely add a bit of energy and value to the whole set-up.

“We’ll look at that, but we’ll give them a wee bit of breathing space, a bit of time, and get them in.

“A lot of them acquitted themselves very well during the U20 Championship, and they’re ready for the next step up.”

In the meantime, five members of Tyrone’s All-Ireland U20 winning team have been invited to join the senior squad ahead of this weekend’s All-Ireland SFC round robin clash with Donegal.

Goalkeeper Conor McAneney, defenders Michael Rafferty and Shea O’Hare, along with attackers Eoin McElholm and Ronan Cassidy, are all set to make an immediate step up to the senior ranks.

It’s understood McElholm, who scored seven points from play in the victory over Kerry at Portlaoise, and U20 team captain Rafferty have accepted the invitation, and the others are currently considering the offer.

The Red Hand U20s claimed a second U20 title in three seasons with a scintillating display of attacking football last weekend, defeating Kerry by 1-20 to 1-14 at O’Moore Park.