Jubilant Minors will now focus on All-Ireland assault

DOUBLE success in Ulster has catapulted the Tyrone Minor team once more onto the All-Ireland stage where they will hope to maintain the momentum of a season that has seen them develop immensely as footballers.

From the hard-fought win over Derry in the Ulster League decider, to the provincial semi-final victory over Donegal following a tension-filled penalty shoot-out, the young Red Hands have been required to show skill, commitment and resilience.

Those qualities are developed over years, but they helped the young players fulfil a second major target in 2022 by capturing the Ulster title. The fact that it was played and won before a capacity attendance at St Tiernach’s Park made the success all the sweeter.

Former Tyrone All-Ireland winner, Conor Gormley, is part of the backroom team and was quick to praise the efforts of the Red Hand boys as they celebrated their 4-8 to 0-16 victory on Sunday in what was a milestone 25th Ulster Minor triumph.

“It was a great experience for the lads to be back playing at Clones before a full house.

“We were relieved to get over the line against an excellent Derry team who will no doubt be back in the All-Ireland,” said the Carrickmore clubman.

“Tyrone can now look forward to the All-Ireland series with a bit of confidence. All of us knew how tough Derry were going to be from the Ulster League final and that they’d come to Clones with a series workrate, running power and coming off the shoulder.

“Any time we got a goal they kept coming back again and again. It was just the fourth goal right at the end which made the difference for us and then Conan Devlin had a mighty block to keep one out as well when Derry were pushing.”

Those final stages were nervewrecking for the supporters and management team. But, as they returned to training at the Tyrone GAA Centre in Garvaghey, the focus is now firmly on the All-Ireland as they await the losing Munster finalists in the quarter final.

Conor Gormley has, of course, been a star and experienced many moments of drama for Tyrone at senior level. But, like so many, the new role on the sideline brings its own nerves and challenges.

“My legs were shaking with the nerves because you were wondering if Derry were going to score a goal every time they attacked,” he added.

“But they are a brilliant group of lads and hopefully they will take this experience into the All-Ireland. We’ll go back to Garvaghey this week and that will be the focus.

“It’s going to be another massive challenge. But this is a great bunch of lads, they’ve worked seriously hard all year and this is the second trophy now that they’ve got. Hopefully, they will be full of confidence and ability that they can go out and do a job again.

“We’ve had good success in Tyrone with the seniors and U-20s. All them lads aspire to be there, and they’ve the ability to reach that stage.

“It’s great to see a few from last year’s minors on the U-20s when they won the All-Ireland.

“The current Minors see that progression and hopefully that is what they will aspire to and keep going.”

Tyrone are now seeking their first Thomas Markham Cup success since away back in 2010 and face Kerry next weekend in the All-Ireland Quarter-Final.

But statistics from the past make no difference to the class of 2022 as they aim to make their own mark as this minor series gathers pace in the next few weeks.