Patience the key with Donaghmore’s young stars-McKenna

TRANSLATING their superb sequence of success at underage level into tangible reward in adult football won’t come overnight, Donaghmore captain Peter McKenna admits.

The spine of the St Patrick’s team contains a whole plethora of youngsters who have collected a litany of honours coming through the ranks with club, school and county, and now the ambition is to do the same as they enter a new chapter in their careers.

Noah Grimes, Conor O’Neill, Joey Clarke and Ronan Molloy are just some of the exciting batch who Donaghmore will be looking to in future seasons to perhaps carry them to O’Neill Cup gory in Tyrone.

However speaking ahead of their SFC derby opener against Dungannon this weekend, Peter McKenna urged a certain degree of patience, adding that there was no guarantee of anything in the dog eat dog world of Tyrone senior football.

“We’re vastly aware of their potential but recognise the need to be patient. The young boys themselves are learning that as well. Playing senior football is just a different kettle of fish.

“It’s not just the same as Minor football or Schools football, you learn as you go along. But the work is definitely being put in and the boys will get there I have no doubt about that.”

St Patrick’s enjoyed a decent league season overall, and while Peter acknowledged that they had fallen short of one or two objectives, overall he felt their trajectory was heading in the right path.

“I would say it is a step in the right direction. We had set targets and some we met and some we didn’t. But I would say we are trending in the right direction but there is still a way to go.

“We have made good strides in the way we play and becoming a more mature team. In terms of points we would have been happier with a few more and pressing for the top four but at the same time it can’t be rushed. Any year you get sixteen points in Division One is a good year.”

And no doubt a victory over the Clarkes would represent further tangible proof of the team’s progress but McKenna knows that they will have their work cut out for them this Sunday against one of the county’s form teams.

“A big derby, that is what you want to create the excitement. Dungannon are the top team in my eyes, along with Trillick and Errigal. They will firmly go in with real ambitions to win it.

“You know what you get with Dungannon. They have a lot of big men, but as well as the size they have skill as well and have the playmakers who can cause you damage. It will be good to see how we match up against a team of that quality, it will show where we stand.”