IN the last five years, Tyrone have reached the Ulster Minor Championship final three times, losing to Monaghan in 2019 before getting their hands on the Fr Murray Cup in 2021 and 2022 and remain one of the big hitters at this age grade.
The Red Hands also reached the All-Ireland final in 2021 but lost out to Meath with the minimum of margins separating the sides at the full-time whistle.
It’s a recent record that a lot of counties would love to experience.
Even last year, having topped their group with three wins from three, Tyrone lost their grip on the Ulster title in dramatic fashion with Monaghan once again edging past them, but this time via a penalty shootout in the provincial semi-final.
Fast forward to the present day and Tyrone kickstart another campaign with a home tie against Down in Errigal Ciaran ahead of upcoming challenges against Monaghan, Fermanagh and Donegal who are also in the group.
“You have all the schools that are doing really well, and the county has had good success at this age group recently as well,” said Tyrone minor boss Gerard Donnelly.
“But at the end of the day, the difference with the minors and the U20s is that it’s year on year.
“You have a completely new group year on year and that’s great too because you get to meet new lads and work with new fellas, and you get to develop new players year on year as well.
“It’s brilliant that you get to see all those different attitudes and personalities coming through so it’s brilliant that way. But do you know what you actually have?
“Probably not until you get out on to the pitch, and you see an actual championship game.”
Tyrone competed in the Ulster Minor Shield final last weekend but lost out to old rivals Armagh by six point at Crossmaglen and that rounded off a league campaign that yielded two wins and two defeats.
But it’s all about championship now and Donnelly says his side can’t wait to get started.
“League is league and it’s great but when you get into the championship,” added Donnelly, now in his fourth season in charge.
“You notice and feel the difference so it’s hard to believe it’s so close and you hope you’re coming into the sunnier evenings, and you very much doubt that at the minute!
“But that’s what you think about when you think about championship, and you want the young lads to remember that training in the sunshine and making friends and getting bonds with boys that maybe you would have been rivals with through clubs and schools.
“It’s all about development for these lads and if we can help that in any small way then that’s really what our roles are, for all the managers at this age grade.
“And you have to give credit to the Ulster Council for the effort they put into this, having a launch night for each competition and everything else, it’s just brilliant.”
Fixtures
Ulster Minor Football Championship
Saturday April 6 (12pm unless stated)
Group A
Tyrone v Down (Errigal Ciaran)
Fermanagh v Donegal (Donagh)
Group B
Armagh v Antrim (Crossmaglen)
Derry v Cavan (Owenbeg)