Roes have sights on top flight football

AMBITIOUS Owen Roes have their sight set on reaching the top flight of Tyrone football sooner rather than later, manager Paddy Campbell insists.

The former Donegal defender leads his charges into battle with Gortin at O’Neill’s Healy Park in the semi-final of the Intermediate Championship this Saturday, hoping to take another mammoth step towards achieving their ultimate objective.

Victories over Aghyaran and Clogher have propelled the O’Neills to the cusp of a County Final appearance, but in near neighbours Gortin they tackle another side with equally lofty ambitions.

While expecting another huge battle at the weekend, Paddy Campbell is bullish about Owen Roes prospects in the long term.

“ They (Owen Roes) played Dungannon two or three years ago and were very competitive. You seen where Dungannon ended up last season.

“ Are they ready? Maybe there isn’t as big a gap when you are up. The top three or four Intermediate teams can probably hold their own against some of the Division One teams if you can get up.

“ But the only way for us to get up this year is through the Championship. The squad is small, we don’t have huge numbers out at Glenmornan, but the fellas want to go up and have a football career in Division One so that is the aim long term.”

Owen Roes have adopted a solid and reliable tactical template in the previous rounds, funnelling men back when not in possession and then looking to break at speed when turning the ball over.

While their system of play has worked the oracle up till now, Campbell maintains that they can be versatile if need be.

“ It’s effective for us but that doesn’t mean it’s the right approach for the next game against Gortin. The boys believe in what we are doing. There was times against Clogher we gave the ball away too much, particularly in the first five minutes. We gave it way three times and Clogher got three scores off that.

“ It’s Championship football so you have to adapt but the system is going okay for us for now.”