By 
ACTION in the Dr McKenna Cup this or any other year usually sees a strong mixture of new players hoping to make their mark alongside some of those who have previously led the way for Tyrone at the highest level of inter-county competitions.
2026 is no different as the Red Hands aim to make their mark in the pre-season title-race. Victory over Armagh on Friday night got them off to the perfect start, and they will be aiming to keep the winning ways going against Down this Sunday in Pomeroy.
Team manager, Malachy O’Rourke, is well accustomed to the challenges of January football at club and county level. He has drafted in a host of newcomers all anxious to prove their worth and gain panel and starting places for the National League and Championship to come.
But the presence of one particular player is also immensely encouraging ahead challenges beckoning in the coming months. Friday night last at the Athletic Grounds saw Mattie Donnelly back in action, and the grand tally of 1-2 from play emphasised his continuing importance.
The Trillick man of course, has long been a Tyrone stalwart. He first lined out at senior level in 2010, having been a key part of the county’s All-Ireland Minor success just 15 months previously. Career-threatening injuries have failed to stop him from continuing into 2026, his seventeenth in the jersey.
He is committed to the rigours of inter-county action again this year, and his experience is sure to make a big difference, as was highlighted in last weekend’s tie.
“It was good to get the win over Armagh. I suppose any day you get any sort of result here at the Athletic Grounds is big, especially during the past couple of years. We’ll definitely take it and there’s a lot of green shoots as well,” he said following the 2-13 to 0-17 win over the Orchard county.
“But there’s still a lot for us to work on, which is only to be expected especially as it’s only January 2. There was a big crowd which is understandable because Armagh have a massive following and Tyrone as well. It’s always keenly anticipated when the two teams meet.
“The other factor is that people are mad to get back and see how their teams are doing after the winter. So it’s always going to be well watched, and obviously there’s a bigger game here coming down the track later this year.”
The weather will certainly be warmer when the teams meet in the first round of the Ulster Championship in April. It is also certain that, just as on Friday night, both counties will be anxious to make their mark with an important victory.
Tyrone’s All-Ireland success in 2021, and Armagh’s three years later has certainly renewed the rivalry between them for a whole new generation of players and supporters. The way Friday night’s game went showed how close the exchanges between them continue to prove.
“The game was in the balance for a while and probably if we had finished our good work then there might have been a few more points on the board. Thankfully, we used the ball well and just about got over the line,” he added.
“Down in Pomeroy is going to be an interesting one. They are on an upward trajectory again, they’ve a young team that will be looking to put a strong foot forward. It’s going to be another good test for our squad and the young players in it.
“That’s what we want. You can’t put the feet up for too long at this stage of my career. I’m just taking things week by week at this stage, training hard and helping out where I can. It’s about seeing what happens week by week as the season goes on.”
Just how 2026 pans out remains to be seen. For now, though, the Tyrone management team, the other players and supporters are no doubt delighted to see Mattie Donnelly back in the jersey producing performances which have become his trademark over a long and distinguished career.
With Peter Harte unlikely to commit according to Malachy O’Rourke, the task of moulding a team capable of building on last year’s progress to the All-Ireland semi-final remains a firm focus.
One or two more matches in the McKenna Cup will work wonders for the confidence of the new players aiming to reach the status of those more experienced stalwarts such as Mattie Donnelly whose consistency over a long number of years has been exemplary.
