Tierney takes confidence from Omagh’s recent run

SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP FIRST ROUND

HAVING flirted with relegation for spells this season, Omagh eventually hit their straps in the latter stages of their league campaign, which Barry Tierney believes gives them a boost heading into the Senior Championship.

St Enda’s tackle Derrylaughan in the first round on Sunday in Pomeroy, looking to put behind them a fairly inauspicious year in Division One which they spent in the lower half of the table.

Seasoned campaigner Tierney though feels their form lines are quite positive as they begin their O’Neill Cup quest.

“We weren’t in a good position for a few weeks there. Luckily we had a couple of good results and a couple of good performances late on to get the points we needed to secure safety.

“There was a couple of tight games where we were on the wrong side of a narrow loss but that turned around in more recent games where we won the tight ones which was good to see.

“So we were happy enough with how it finished up but we know ourselves it will take better performances for the Championship.”

The likes of Tierney, Conor Meyler, Ronan O’Neill, Conan Grugan and Jason McAnulla were mainstays of the last St Enda’s side to win the Championship in 2017, and 33 year old Barry admits it would be nice to add another medal to his collection before father time eventually catches up with him.

“Every year you go out you want to win a Championship. But with the strength of the Tyrone Championship it’s never going to be easy. It would be great before I finish my career to get another one but it won’t be handed to you.

“In Tyrone football you have to be on top form every time you go out there. We went through a patch with boys away and a few injuries which probably didn’t help in the league. But at the same time things clicked into place a bit better for us in the last few games.

“We got boys back and just knuckled down a bit more. We got ourselves right again and it showed in our performances.”

While it could be argued that the first round draw has been kind to Omagh, in being paired with Derrylaughan, who finished bottom of the table, Tierney warned that the Kevin Barrys exploits in the Intermediate series a year ago marks them out as a dangerous threat come the Championship.

“They have quality players. Just twelve months ago they showed they could win Championship games and showed that fighting quality in their opening match in Ulster too at Healy Park when they fought back. So they do know how to turn matches around.

“They are led too by the Tyrone captain Brian Kennedy whose quality we all know about so it will be a tough ask even though they have had their difficulties in the league.”