Attacking ace Darragh Canavan has given Tyrone a huge boost by declaring himself fit to play in Saturday’s All-Ireland U20 Football Championship semi-final against Dublin.
Canavan missed the entire club season after suffering a broken wrist, but the injury has healed and he’s set to start at Kingspan Breffni Park.
Manager Paul Devlin confirmed that the centre forward, son of All-Ireland winning captain Peter, has fully recovered, and has demonstrated his readiness with impressive form in training.
“He’s in good shape and going well. He has put a lot of work in, even when he had the bit of a knock,” he said.
Canavan has not played a game since March, but the Red Hand boss has no concerns over the rustiness that may result from his lack of competitive action.
“You see a boy like that, it’s in him to go and play, and he’s raring to go.
“We have been doing a lot of work ourselves, and everything has been going according to plan with him.”
A further boost could see skipper Antoin Fox lead the team against the Leinster champions.
The centre back had been expected to miss out due to a shoulder injury, but he has made significant progress in recent weeks.
“Antoin got a knock to the shoulder, but he’s coming on and doing well. It’s a decision we’ll have to make nearer the time, but he’ll not be far away.
“He has been getting the right treatment and he’s making progress.”
Midfielder Joe Oguz is definitely ruled out by a knee injury, while Caolan Slevin (shoulder) and Eunan Devlin (Achilles) are also unavailable. But seven newcomers to the squad, called up on the strength of their club form in recent weeks, have bolstered the playing resources.
Manager Devlin, a former Tyrone defender, is happy with preparations and with the way his players have dealt with restrictions placed on their activities during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Everybody is in the same boat, it’s just how you make the best of the conditions you have to push forward and work with, to keep the lads in the right frame of mind.”
A degree of uncertainty hangs over both squads in terms of the way they have handled a lengthy delay to a game which was originally scheduled for St Patrick’s Day.
But Devlin is confident his side will be ready to meet the challenge a talented Dublin side will bring.
“Dublin have some great talent, but this is a Tyrone team that won the U17 All-Ireland three years ago, and there’s a lot of lads still there from that.
“These boys are hungry and I would like to think they’ll be as stiff an opposition to Dublin as Dublin will be to ourselves.
“I think you’ll find see two teams that will really go at it. It will be about limiting the mistakes.”
Switched from Croke Park to the Cavan town venue, the location will ask additional questions of the Dubs as they wave goodbye to the home comforts of Jones’ Road.
“Dublin will have to come up to Breffni, and that will be a big outing for them, coming that far up the country.
“It will be interesting to take them out into the country and see how they react to it. We’ll be ready for them.
“It would have been nice for the lads to be playing in Croke Park, but once that ball is thrown in, it’s irrelevant where you’re at, because all fields out there are great facilities.”
