Owen Roes ready for Plunketts

OWEN Roes are hopeful that they will be able to unleash the ace from their pack against Pomeroy in Sunday’s Intermediate Championship quarter-final at Healy Park.

Having overcome Naomh Eoghan 2-3 to 0-4 in the first round last weekend, manager Steafan Derry was able to give Tyrone star, Cathal McShane an extra week of rest as he continues his recovery from injury and surgery.

McShane was on the bench for the local derby Championship opener, which was played in difficult, windy conditions at Páirc Mhic Sioghair, but thanks to goals apiece from Seamus and Sean Dooher and points apiece from Michael Dooher, Ryan McShane and Conall McCormack, there was no need to risk him.

“Cathal was probably itching to get on and we probably had the temptation to put him on but another week and he’ll probably be 100 per cent, so we’ll be hoping to unleash him next week if possible,” Deery said with a wry smile.

Thanks to a dominant midfield performance from Tony Devine, who was assisted by the consistent Seamus Dooher, Owen Roes always looked like progressing against Naomh Eoghan and their main ambition for 2023 remains alive and well.

“Tony Devine is an outstanding player, in terms of the standards of performance he puts up every week in the Intermediate League I put him up there as one of the best midfielders in the county and he led by example out there, particularly with his fielding,” Deery beamed.

“This team got to the Championship final two years ago and that’s our ambition this year, that’s what we want to go after. Cathal and a few other leaders in the team, that’s their ambition so it’s just about keeping everything going along.”

While pleased to have progressed, Derry and his players will know that their performance will need to improve when they tackle Pomeroy at Healy Park this Sunday. The Plunketts defeated Beragh 1-14 to 1-7 to reach the last eight and the Owen Roes chief knows that his side will need to up their game to achieve another positive result.

However, he’s hoping that the weather conditions will be more conducive for his preferred style of game this coming weekend after watching his side grind out a result against Naomh Eoghan.

“It was a poor enough game for the spectators, but it’s the first round of the Championship so it was all about getting the result,” he acknowledged.

“We’re glad to be through to the next round and I’m sure the performance will improve the next day.

“Our gameplan changed last minute as a result of the conditions. Ideally, we’d have liked to have played a more expansive game, particularly for the spectators but sometimes you have to do what is necessary to get the result and thankfully we came out on the right side of it.

“It could have been one of those days when it went the other way but that’s Championship football.”