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IT has been a hectic few weeks for the Tyrone Ladies Minor management headed by Fergal Quinn as they eventually closed out on their squad for 2026 with the plan to go one better than last year when the Red Hands lost to Armagh in the Ulster Silver Final.
There is a new management now at the helm with Moortown native Quinn joined by the All- Ireland winning duo of Gerry Moane and Barry Grimes. Grimes spent a year with the Armagh seniors where he helped them to an Ulster title but he’s delighted to back up at Garvaghey.
“ It’s great to be back and I had no hesitation in joining with this management team. I have always said Tyrone have so much quality and it will be a focus for us to help nurture that quality for the twenties and then seniors.”
A new Under 20 team will be the perfect building block for the newest crop of players coming through but for Grimes and co it’s about laying the foundations.
There’s some familiar names returning to the Minor ranks for the campaign ahead with over a dozen players back from last season, while a host of youngsters are taking the step from the county U16s.
“ We have fourteen girls back from last year’s squad. Players like Keeva Owens, Erin and Ellie Daly, Cara McMoran, Isabella Grimes, Mia Muldoon and Erin McGinn bring a wealth of experience to the group which will only benefit the others around them,” explained the Beragh man though he admitted that the selection process presented a tough task.
“The selection started with the clubs nominating 106 players and we used November to run the trials before arriving at the current squad. As you can imagine it has been a very tough process and finding a good balance of players was very important. Having an experienced management team has helped and we are happy with the squad that has been selected, ” Grimes added.
There’s a broad mix too with twenty-two clubs represented across all grades emphasising the spread of talent and the great work going out at club level.
Development will play a massive part going forward for the Minor squad but winning a title is firmly on the agenda and while the more experienced players will play a key role Grimes signalled too that the younger players will also play an important role.
“Younger girls like Dana Coyle, Hannah Donnelly and Liza McDonnell will be wanting to push their way into the starting line up come Championship time. Overall we feel we have a really good balance to the squad, and from what we have seen so far in training, competition for a place on the starting 15 is going to be fiercely contested and that can only be a very good thing for Tyrone.”
Tyrone claimed an Ulster B title in 2024 reaching the All-Ireland final only to miss out to Sligo and they came up short at Crossmaglen last year against Armagh despite a superb fightback that almost rocked the Orchard girls. Barry says that success this year will be gauged via two factors.
“Like any underage county squad, the emphasis is on development and making sure players are in a good position when they leave minor to push onto Under 20 and ultimately play senior with Tyrone. It’s also important that this experience sends everyone involved back to their clubs as better players.”
That said though silverware would be an added boost and that focus will be instilled into the core of this group.
“ We believe that this group can compete at the highest level within Ulster and ultimately give us an opportunity to represent Tyrone on the All-Ireland stage.”
The progress made by the seniors last year has given Tyrone Ladies football a real boost and with big numbers turning out to trial this year it’s clear that younger players want to carry that on.
Plans for the new Under 20s squads have raised interest across Ulster with several counties confirming their management teams. It remains unclear what Tyrone’s final plans will be but they have committed to taking part which Grimes feels is a positive step.
“It’s a great stepping stone, a chance for players to develop and as I said we have so much quality throughout the County, it should be good for football. ”
Tyrone Minor Squad: Kayleigh Concannon, Clara Rose Marley, Grainne Donnelly, Saorla Loughran, Aislinn Robinson, Erin McGinn, Holly McLeod, Keeva Owens, Emma Barr, Erin Daly, Ellie Daly, Clodagh M Canny, Ines Sousa, Rhianna Mullin, Dana Coyle, Caitlin McCarron, Cara McMoran, Emear Sweeney, Isabella Grimes, Liza Mc Donnell, Hannah Donnelly, Catrin Lavery, Ella Rocks, Eimear Kelly, Mia Muldoon, Aine Mc Cullagh, Mya McCullagh, Roisin Horisk, Karla Corcoran, Ella McBride, Aimee Mc Closkey, Leah Craig, Alice McGlinchey, Zara Mc Anespy, Mary Traynor, Calin Rafferty, Ella Duffy, Aimee Leonard.
