Tough pre-season ahead for Accies

AFTER a massively disappointing season in Energia All-Ireland League 2C last term, Glenn Kyle is going to do his utmost to ensure a much brighter campaign in 2022-23, starting at the beginning of pre-season, which gets underway today (Tuesday).

Left frustrated by a ‘lethargic’ campaign last year, the Augher man has drafted in a new forwards coach in former Omagh Academy pupil Nevin Magee, who has played for over a decade in New Zealand, and a talented batch of teenagers who he believes will ‘lift’ the rest of the squad.

First and foremost, however, Kyle is intent on improving his side’s conditioning ahead of what he wants to be a much better season at the Thomas Mellon Playing Fields.

“The boys know a full year after Covid what the All-Ireland League takes and we definitely fell short last year, which was evident in our results so we’re going to try to right a few wrongs,” he stressed.

“We know we weren’t one of the best conditioned teams last year, but this year we are going to be.

“I’ve spoken to the players collectively and individually because we know mistakes were made and they know what they have to work on. We have plenty of time to do it and we have no excuses.”

With Magee coming in as forwards coach and the addition of young-guns Reece Braden, Joshua Kyle and Jamie Matthews, Kyle believes some much needed enthusiasm and energy will be injected into the Accies ranks. Add into the mix the returning Ali Beckett, who will add strength in depth at outhalf and fullback, as well as the possibility of another former Accie returning to the squad before the season starts, and the Omagh head coach is happy with his lot ahead of the new term.

And while delighted with the playing staff at his disposal, Kyle is adamant that his troops need to be right between the ears as well as fit from the neck down.

“We will have a very young squad next season but that’s positive moving forward,” he added. “You can have all the physical attributes but if you’re not mentally or morally right, one, you’re not going to perform to your optimum level and I’ve spoken to them about that as well.

“Some of them aren’t the most enthusiastic I’ve ever met and they have to improve that.

“But the young guys coming in, those three young fellows and some others as well coming in from Omagh Academy are very enthusiastic and they will lift training, they will make competition for places much harder and that will lift everything. But most importantly, they are three athletes.

“There was too much lethargy last year and that was shown in our results, but these young lads coming in, they may be only 18 or 19, but they are very good rugby players with very good rugby heads on them and they are very enthusiastic, hungry and they are winners, they are really hungry for success and I’m very confident that with all the players I have we will improve on last year.”