STRAP yourselves in, folks: Derry captain Conor Glass is raring to go - and he also believes the new management team across the Sperrins will bring out “the competitive side of Tyrone.”
The Maghera man knows new Red Hand boss Malachy O’Rourke and his assistant Ryan Porter very well, after they led his club Glen to three consecutive Derry SFC titles, two Ulster crowns, and then an amazing All-Ireland triumph last year.
“I know the person he is, and especially with Ryan [Porter], they just work so well together,” said Glass, at the Allianz League launch. “They’ll have the Tyrone players prepared in every aspect of the game…
“I guess they’ll bring out the competitive side of Tyrone, on Ryan’s front, and then you have the calm side of Malachy. Here, I’m looking forward to coming up against the two boys on the sideline.
“I’ve a lot of good experiences with them, so it’ll be a bit weird to go up against them, but I’m sure it will be a lot of fun.”
Others might choose another f-word about the prospect of Tyrone’s ‘competitive side’, such as ‘frightening’, but this Glass is made of sterner stuff.
The Glen midfielder is raring to go after enjoying his first pre-season with his county since 2021 when he returned from Australian Rules Football.
Glen’s shock loss to Newbridge in the county final was Derry’s gain, he acknowledges: “100 per cent. I haven’t done a pre-season since 2021 and that was shortly after I came home from Australia. So to get a pre-season under my belt was a blessing in disguise, especially with the new rules.
“I’m feeling as fresh as ever, thank God, and I know a lot of the other Glen boys, the likes of Ethan Doherty, he’s been on the go for the last four or five years as well.”
Another club colleague, Jack Doherty, has been persuaded back, and another, Jody McDermott, called up, with Bellaghy’s Charlie Diamond and Newbridge’s Callum McGrogan also added to the mix.
Although they’re the reigning Division One champions, doubts hang over the Oak Leafers after their disappointing Championship campaign and their long search for a managerial successor to Mickey Harte.
Yet they eventually got a good man in Paddy Tally, the former Down boss who has also coached Tyrone, Derry, Galway, and Kerry.
Glass has welcomed the appointment, commenting: “He’s brought a sense of freshness. He has a lot of experience through St Mary’s and various county teams, including Derry going back to 2013, 2014, so he knows what Derry football’s about.
“He’s brought a calmness and authority which is players haven’t had over the last three, four years. Time will tell with the results but we’re all looking forward to it.”
Tally has called himself “lucky” to be able to work with Derry and Glass certainly believes there’s much more to come from this squad:
“It is such a young team – I’m the sixth oldest on the team and I’m 27. We are a young team and we’ve been trying to find new leaders over the past two or three years. It’s a perfect time for some boys to step up.
“The ultimate goal is to get back to the All-Ireland semi-final and give us the best chance to reach the All-Ireland stage.
“The sky’s the limit on this team. We have the depth in the squad. It’s just the new rules making a grey area… There’s going to be a hell of a lot of learning from week to week.
“We’ll focus on the National League and if takes us to the League final, so be it.”
