Fianna’s Herron hunting a derby boost

RELEGATION threatened Coalisland must park their league woes and concentrate now fully on the first of two potentially decisive derby clashes with Clonoe, Fianna skipper Peter Herron insists.

The two sides endured miserable campaigns in Division One, with only Eglish standing between them and the foot of the table, and face the prospect of meeting in a crunch playoff to determine who will face the drop unless one can triumph in the O’Neill Cup.

Despite the two clubs illustrious Championship track record, the fierce rivals are long odds to land the Senior title in 2024 but that won’t prevent a bumper crowd attending their first round meeting in Dungannon next Monday night.

Peter Herron knows that it is a fixture to whet the appetite of all football fans whatever about the struggles each team has endured of late.

“ Anyone who knows anything about Tyrone football knows that the Rahillys and the Fianna is always a special occasion. In years gone by Coalisland and Clonoe would have been competing for the Senior Championship so maybe people don’t think that is the case at the minute.

“ But we just have to knuckle down over the next week and give it a good rattle. I would be expecting a big crowd in Dungannon under lights and hopefully it’s a good game.”

The Fianna ended a depressing sequence of losses with a victory over Eglish in their last league game, and while the match itself was academic in terms of standings, Herron admitted it was a relief just to get back to winning ways.

“ We were saying to ourselves after the Eglish match that it was important to win. I know the result didn’t mean much in terms of the league positions as we know we are in a relegation playoff but it gives you a bit of momentum going into the Championship.

“ It shows us that we can win games and compete. It wouldn’t have been nice going into the Championship losing five on the bounce so there will now be a buzz at training in the build-up to the Clonoe game.”

A meeting between these neighbours doesn’t usually require any added sub-plots, but the fact they could meet down the line in a playoff does add an extra layer of intrigue. Herron insists though that the Championship meeting is their sole objective right now, a match which the Fianna have to go into without the services of Tyrone stars, Michael McKernan and Niall Devlin, both suspended.

“ All our focus is now on the Championship though we clearly know if things don’t go to plan in it we have a huge relegation playoff down the line. I know the fact the team we are playing in the Championship is also our likely opponent in the playoff is another element to it

“ But there will probably be another six or seven weeks at least to that playoff if it does take place so there is no point worrying about it at the minute. The Championship is everyone’s priority and especially so I suppose for us and the Rahillys because the league didn’t go to plan. We will both want to go as far as possible in the Championship now.”

Looking back on the league programme Peter admits that frustration is his overriding emotion.

“ We haven’t really got momentum going all season and before we knew it we were down near the bottom. It shows just how competitive Tyrone can be. Yes we have had a lot of injuries but I’m sure that is the same for a lot of teams so it can’t be an excuse. We have to park that playoff and dust ourselves down for the Championship.

“ We know the Championship pedigree the Rahillys bring and the players they have. But we think we have something similar so I think the teams are well matched. You would be silly to try and call a winner because it’s 50/50.”