Tyrone face Erne in McKenna Cup opener Wednesday night

YES, it’s ‘only’ the McKenna Cup, that much-maligned pre-season competition, but if you cite the example of last year, it’s possibly a fairly good baramoter of things to come.

Tyrone, the All-Ireland champions no less, began their 2022 campaign with a 15-point loss to Cavan in Kingspan Breffni Park. Okay, the Red Hands only had four starters from the team that overcame Mayo in the 2021 All-Ireland final, and they were only back from their trip to Florida, but it was indicative of a team that was already lagging behind in their preparations.

Let’s hope it’s different this time around. Tyrone begin their campaign against Fermanagh at O’Neill’s Healy Park at 7.30pm this Wednesday night, nearly seven months since their qualifier defeat to Armagh that prematurely ended their tilt at retaining the Sam Maguire.

13 of the players who started that day have made themselves available for another season. Conor McKenna has headed back to Australia for another crack at the AFL while Rory Brennan has decided to call it a day and focus on his club commitments with Trillick.

There was also a glimpse of the future on that otherwise forgettable day at the Athletic Grounds. All-Ireland U20 winner, Michael McGleenan, all 6’5” of him, came on in the dying embers of the contest, while the eagle-eyed amongst us will have spotted a number of another U20 stars knocking around during the pre-match warm-up, including Ruairi Canavan, a unique talent and still only a teenager, Niall Devlin and Steve Donaghy. Canavan formed a deadly attacking partnership with elder brother Darragh in Errigal Ciaran’s march to a first O’Neill Cup triumph in a decade, and it’s certain that he’ll get his chance to shine at senior intercounty level – the only question is when.

Managers Feargal Logan and Brian Dooher have scoured the county for talent during the Tyrone Club Championships and have recruited a number of other players to help bolster the panel, including Dungannon duo Ryan and Dalaigh Jones, Dromore’s Nathan McCarron, Omagh’s Aidan Clarke and two young heroes of the aforementioned All-Ireland U20 success, Omagh defender Eoin Corry and Donaghmore’s Conor Cush (another chip of the old block – he’s son of former Tyrone footballer Adrian and seems to be getting better with every game, going by his recent performances with his club).

At the opposite end of the experience spectrum, Mattie Donnelly, Peter Harte and Ronan McNamee have committed for another season. Their leadership and know-how alone are priceless assets. There’s a number of other players who have now crossed the 30-mark but have plenty left to offer, including Darren McCurry and Niall Sludden, while skipper Padraig Hampsey, Conor Meyler, Frank Burns and Kieran McGeary are in the late-20 bracket. They’ll have crucial roles to play, no doubt, and that’s without mentioning midfield duo Brian Kennedy and Conn Kilpatrick, alongside Niall Morgan, comfortably one of the best goalies in the country.

It’s a big season for Cathal McShane, who endured a torrid time with injury before returning to play a crucial part in Tyrone’s All-Ireland success in 2021. How he’d love to get back to the form that saw him win an All-Star in 2019 as a rampaging full-forward. Even with the departure of quite a number of players last year, there’s still stiff competition for starting places with Richard Donnelly, Peter Teague, Ben McDonnell and Emmet McNabb all pushing hard for a place in the first 15 alongside the new faces on the panel.

Expect a bit of experimentation in the upcoming McKenna Cup campaign (Tyrone will have at least two matches – Wednesday evening group stage clashes against Fermanagh and Derry) before travelling to Roscommon on the first day of the league on Sunday, January 29.

The overall outlook when you consider the youthful talent coming through, though time will tell whether we’re in for something special in the third year of the Logan/Dooher partnership. It won’t be easy – the overall standard in Ulster is strong with Derry and Armagh making big improvements, Kerry have sorted out their defensive frailities (in large part thanks to a Galbally man) and Dublin will be as competitive as ever, especially with the return of Jack McCaffrey and Paul Mannion, two generational players, to the fold.

But there is a sense that Tyrone have something to prove this year. The players who traipsed off disappointed at the Athletic Grounds after qualifier defeat to Armagh should return with fire in their belliies, and the management likewise will want to give the people of Tyrone something to row in behind. It’ll be interesting, that’s for sure.