Ladies ACL gets underway on Thursday night

THE new Tyrone Ladies All County League gets underway tonight (Thursday), with a new sponsor on board for the competition, Canavans.

Defending champions Errigal Ciaran, who edged out holders St Macartan’s in last year’s final, have had a change in management with Darren Swift replaced by Eoin Quinn. Several players have been on inter- county duty which will certainly have hampered their preparation although Maria Canavan will now be on hand to focus on the club scene.

They travel to a new look Omagh who have a new management too, Tony and Barry McGinn joining Vinny McCullagh on the sideline this season. It’s a youthful St Enda’s panel though they boast several players on the County senior and minor squads, with Cara Mc Crossan’s return to the club for the first time in almost a decade a plus.

St Macartan’s claimed the County Championship title again in 2024 despite that league loss and once again the tireless Ryan Mc Menamin is at the helm eager to guide them back to the top, as well as doubling up with his duties as Aghyaran men’s manager.

The Macs play host to the David Chisum managed Cappagh and Mc Menamin, a seasoned veteran in the dugout in ladies football, appreciates that it will be another tough season.

“ As things are the season doesn’t really start until July/August so we’ll look at it then if we are to set targets. But definitely it’s going to be a tough year as a lot of teams have stepped up like Trillick and Moortown.”

We could expect to see a lot of new faces with Macartan’s this term with almost a dozen players gone from last year.

There should be a buzz too in the air around Fr Campbell Park as the Fianna step into senior football after promotion although the loss of Emma Jane Gervin through long term injury is a set back. As far as the Fianna are concerned they can’t wait to get started, according to Paul Lennon.

“ It’s a big year for the club, a big step up but one we are all looking forward to and can’t wait to get it going.

“ We have been training hard over the past few months and the girls have taken to it well and we are more than capable of competing in this league.”

Lennon will be joined by Brendan Fee on the sidelines and while injuries will rule several players out this will allow the younger players an opportunity to make a name for themselves.

The name Thomas Clarkes will enter into ladies adult football for the first time at Killeeshil after the amalgamation of the Dunganon Clarkes and Aodh Ruadh clubs, while the now firmly established Moortown host newly promoted Fr Rocks,

Relegated Dromore will be focused on a swift return to senior from Division Two this season as they open at home to Badoney, and elsewhere Kildress host Clonoe and Aghyaran head to Ardboe.

In Divisions Three and Four the games of note are Drumragh (led by Neamh Cleary), who will be one of the fancied sides this year, heading to Clann na nGael, and Sperrin Og, with Niamh O’Neill back, targeting promotion with a start at Rock. There is also a cracking opener between Castlderg and Tattyreagh.

While the league first round gets underway tonight there is some frustration that following the opening round games the next action won’t take place until June 19th.

While there was an early season competition that saw the bulk of the clubs participate there has been a break since its completion. Trillick emerged as the Senior winners in that and while manager Iggy Gallagher was naturally delighted to get off the mark with silverware he thinks the itinerary needs revamped.

“The fixtures provided for the club players do absolutely nothing to promote the game or encourage young players to invest their time and effort in the sport as there is month break to next round of fixtures,” affirmed the Reds boss whose side start at home to senior football first timers Coalisland.

“ In prime holiday season through August we have six matches in 25 days. Club players should have at least two league fixtures per month from end of the April to August. It’s not as if the county team have had a run of fixtures.”

Tyrone lost to Down in the Ulster Championship on May 4th and are not back in All-Ireland action until the start of June, leaving a gap of a month where some clubs felt there could have been potentially three rounds of league played, easing the pressure for those batch of games through August.