IT’S the year of the derby in the Tyrone championship, and GAA fans will be spoilt for choice when the 2024 series gets under way next week.
With Coalisland taking on Clonoe and Dungannon facing Donaghmore in clashes rich in eastern promise, there’s also an intriguing battle of western neighbours Omagh and Killyclogher.
Omagh defender Barry Tierney hasn’t been able to get this one out of his mind since the draw was made back in June, and it’s been an obsession at both Ballinamullan and Healy Park throughout the summer.
“It’s a big game, local rivals against each other, and both teams will be looking forward to it, it was a big draw when it came out,” said Tierney.
“We haven’t often played each other in the championship, so I’d say it will be a special game and a tight game. I’d say it will go right down to the wire.
“We have grown up with each other, we went to school together, played on school teams together, so we know each other well.
“But once you cross the white line, friendships will go to the side for that 60 or 70 minutes, and once it’s over, we’ll be friends again.
“Both of us have respect for each other, we know what to expect on the pitch for each other, and we know it’s going to be a tight game.”
Omagh’s early-season efforts were dogged by a rash of injuries which were reflected in league results as they slipped into the lower reaches of the Division One table.
But with a virtually clean bill of health, they’ll go into the Pairc Colmcille clash on Sunday week in a much stronger state.
“We had a bad patch during the league when we just couldn’t pick up a win.
“But we got a few boys back and got a good result against Carrickmore in the league. That brought up the momentum, and we got a good run of results on board, and basically it saved us.
“To play Tyrone football, you need everybody fit and available, and thankfully we have everybody fit and available for the championship at the right time.”
When the sides met in the league, it was Killyclogher who left Healy Park with a convincing win.
“Killyclogher were the better team that night, there’s no hiding from that.
“They probably have been one of the most consistent teams in Tyrone over the last couple of years, they’re always around the top of the league.
“They probably have been unlucky this last couple of years with the championship draw, but we know that we’re in for a battle, we know that we have to improve on our league performance, because if we go out the way the we did that night and Killyclogher play the way they did, they’ll run away with it.
“They have quality players all over the place, they’re well organised and hard to beat, so we know what we’re in for.”
Former Tyrone player Tierney (32) is one of a clutch of vastly experienced members of the Omagh team, but there’s a fresh swathe of young talents making their mark.
“A few of us have been around a right few years now, but the big thing this year is that a lot of the youth players have started to step up.
“Some of them would have made their debut when they were 18 and have been around a couple of years now, and they have really started to step up, especially the last couple of games.
“The position we were in probably helped them get that experience, because we were in a battle every game.
“And the way we finished well in the league will do those boys good, not just for this year but for the next couple of years.”
Ronan O’Neill continues to shine as one of the finest attackers in the county, his eye for the posts as keen as ever.
Often in the past, the St Enda’s have been overly dependent on the ex-county star up front, but others have emerged to show their worth as accomplished finishers.
“Rony has been doing it for years, and everybody know that he’s a quality footballer.
“He’s a great man to have in you’re team, and we’re lucky to be playing with him rather than against him.
“On the pitch and off the pitch, the experience he brings, the communication he brings from coaching Fermanagh is very useful.
“For the older players and the younger players, he’s a great leader.
“In the last couple of games, our scores have been spread out, some of the younger boys have stepped up, the likes of Oisin Miller and Fionbharr Taggart, coming up with scores, and Connor O’Donnell is still producing the goods, and Jason McAnulla is getting scores, which helps to ease the burden on Rony.”
