Kerry present another tough test for Tyrone

TWO teams who have each lost two league matches on the spin clash at O’Neill’s Healy Park this Sunday lunchtime acutely aware that the unforgiving world of Division One is no respector of lofty reputations.

The dreaded ‘R’ word will start to hover ominously over the head of the losing team (bar a draw) when Tyrone and Kerry renew their spiky rivalry in Omagh, given the perilous nature of the remaining three fixtures for the two counties.

However a glass half full kind of guy would also make the point that a victory this Sunday would solidify a mid-table berth for the winners heading into the second half of their league campaign, an indicator of the wafer-thin margins prevalent in the top flight.

Malachy O’Rourke’s troops will be glad to get back on home territory again after enduring two fairly miserable road trips to Armagh and Castlebar in the past few weeks. They have also enjoyed the upper hand on the Kingdom’s previous couple of treks to the O’Neill County, securing wins in Omagh (2023) and Edendork (2020).

The Tyrone manager gave a big hint after the scrappy loss to Mayo last Sunday that it was time to take his Errigal Ciaran contingent back out from cold storage, following their club exertions.

Their return would represent a timely boost, though despite the couple of recent reversals O’Rourke believes that the first few league games have served a more than useful purpose.

“ We always knew it would be a tough league campaign. We’re looking to blood in young fellas and giving them experience which is never going to be easy in this Division. This league is unforgiving. We’ve Kerry next and then Galway. Kerry are obviously very experienced and one of the top teams in the country.

“ It’s going to be a big challenge for us but that is what you want, that’s why you’re in Division One. But we are hoping we are learning lessons which will stand to us later on in the year.”

While defensively the Red Hands appeared much more water-tight and diligent against Mayo (conceding just a single Two Pointer from outside the new 40m arch) unfortunately they were also fairly poverty-stricken as an attacking force themselves at the other end, in a match that failed to spark into life at any stage.

Tyrone fans will hope that the returning Canavan brothers, as well as Peter Harte, can carry their imperious Errigal form over the past four months onto the County stage, though Kerry supporters will likewise be excited to see their golden boy David Clifford make a first start of the season, after his second half cameo against Dublin last weekend.

Whatever about the cast members in each line-up, a positive outcome will be the prime objective.