The runners and riders in the 2024 National Football League Div 1

TYRONE

IT emerged last week that five of Tyrone’s Division One games will be broadcast live by TG4, while their fourth round clash against Mayo will be televised by RTÉ – we’re box office, evidently. The Red Hands staved off relegation last season with an impressive final day victory over Armagh (although as circumstances had it, they would’ve stayed up regardless) and they’re unlikely to get anything handy with Dublin and Derry among the fold this year. Feargal Logan and Brian Dooher’s team get their campaign underway against Roscommon this Sunday in Omagh. By coincidence they played Roscommon in last year’s league opener, falling to defeat on the road, so they’ll be hoping for a very different outcome this time around. Tyrone have a few injury concerns at present and it’ll be interesting to see if any of the new boys have sufficiently impressed during the McKenna Cup to be handed a starting berth this Sunday.

ONE TO WATCH

Seanie O’Donnell was in sensational form as Trillick claimed a league and championship double and it would be no surprise if he features more prominently on his second season on the Tyrone panel. Already made a few eye-catching cameos in the red and white and has the talent and desire to become an established intercounty footballer.

Here’s a rundown on Tyrone’s seven opponents in the coming weeks:

ROSCOMMON (WEEK 1)

A POTENTIAL sticky wicket for Tyrone. Roscommon were one of the big success stories of last year’s league campaign, finishing third in the table. Davy Burke returns as manager but there are a few absentees both on and off the pitch. His right-hand man, Donegal’s Mark McHugh, has moved on while Ciaran Murtagh, Cian McKeon and Conor Daly are unavailable while Niall Kilroy has retired. Those lads are massive losses but they’ve had a productive pre-season nonetheless and have a strong defensive unit. They’re favourites for the drop, but that was the case last year as well and it didn’t do them any harm. That said, Tyrone can be quietly confident of getting the better of them especially as their St Brigid’s contingent are likely to be unavailable for a week or two.

ONE TO WATCH

IF you’re not yet familiar with Ben O’Carroll, you soon will be. He’s one of the finest young talents in the country and shot the lights out for St Brigid’s en route to yesterday’s All-Ireland final.

DERRY (WEEK 2)

IT’S fair to say there’ll be a decent crowd in attendance for Tyrone’s league encounter against Derry in Celtic Park on Sunday, January 4. Given the whole, you know, Mickey Harte thing. That aside it’s a hugely appetising contest anyway given Derry are back-to-back Ulster Champions with pretensions of going all the way in the race for the All-Ireland. Their Glen contingent may or may not be missing for this game – MIckey Harte says he’ll leave it up to them whether they want a break or not – but either way it has the potential to be a cracking contest. Derry have no retirements from last year and the big question is whether or not they truly have what it takes to get their hands on Sam.

ONE TO WATCH

Brendan Rogers has always been a special player but he had the season of his life in 2023 and was deservedly named as one of three nominations for the Footballer of the Year award. A hugely versatile player who is presently lining out in the middle sector.

GALWAY (WEEK 3)

NO trips to Connacht this year. Tyrone’s matches against Roscommon, Galway and Mayo are all scheduled for Omagh and they take on Padraic Joyce’s Tribesmen on Sunday, February 18 after a fortnight’s break. Tyrone have a fairly mixed record against Galway as of late – they came out on the losing side in league and championship meetings last year – while Kieran Molloy, Seán Mulkerrin and Liam Silke are back in contention after lengthy spells on the sidelines. A few young lads did their chances no harm in the pre-season and they’ll be stiff opposition for any team.

ONE TO WATCH

We’ll be predictable here and opt for Shane Walsh, one of the most talented players in the game. He can be marmite (aka that controversial transfer to Kilmacud Crokes) but he seems to be back to his very best after a 2023 season hampered by injury.

MAYO (WEEK 4)

MAYO usually give the All-Ireland a right rattle (until the big day at least) but they limped out of last year’s race of the race for Sam in uncharacteristically limp fashion with a 2-17 to 0-11 defeat over Dublin, only two weeks after dumping rivals Galway out of the championship. They’ve lost plenty of big names in recent years, and not just to retirement with Oisin Mullin opting for a career in the AFL, but they still have some really good players like Paddy Durcan who was newly installed as captain just the other week. And here, we probably should mention this – they are defending Division One champions. You didn’t forget, right?

ONE TO WATCH

Tyrone fans may recall that Ryan O’Donoghue was the lad who missed the penalty in the All-Ireland final of 2021. These things happen and he’s an excellent forward with a very positive mentality.

KERRY (WEEK 5)

THINGS didn’t go according to plan when Tyrone were hit head on by a slick Kerry side in last year’s All-Ireland quarter-final, but they’ll still be quietly confident of bettering the Kingdom when they travel to Killarney on the first weekend of March. Tyrone have won their last two league encounters against Jack O’Connor’s side with Mattie Donnelly winning the man of the match award following last year’s entertaining league encounter in Omagh. Kerry are smarting after losing last year’s All-Ireland final to Dublin but they’re still a strong team and Paddy Tally remains involved in a coaching capacity for another season.

ONE TO WATCH

IT would be a bit of a hipster choice if we went for anyone other than David Clifford, who became the first player to win the Footballer of the Year award in two consecutive years when he was named at last November’s awards ceremony. Padraig Hampsey has done a good job on Clifford in the last couple of years so he’ll probably be assigned the role again.

MONAGHAN (WEEK 6)

MONAGHAN have stayed the course in Division One since 2014, a commendable achievement albeit they do have a tendancy of leaving it until the very last minute. They have a super season in the first year of Vinny Corey’s tutelage, reaching the All-Ireland semi-final where they gave Dublin their fill of it. Will second season syndrome strike? Kieran Hughes has retired and it will be a massive bodyblow to their chances if Rory Beggan sufficiently impresses American Football coaches to achieve a roster spot on one of the 32 teams in the NFL. Time will tell what exactly transpires there, but they’re a gritty outfit with some outstanding players and Conor McManus and Karl O’Connell have committed to another season at the helm. Tyrone will be mindful of losing last year’s championship clash against the Farney and there’s rarely much between the two teams.

ONE TO WATCH

Conor McCarthy’s reinvention as an attack-minded wing-back worked a treat for Monagan last year and he won an All-Star after a string of impressive performances.

DUBLIN (WEEK 7)

IT doesn’t get much bigger as far as a final day league clash is concerned as Tyrone travel to Croke Park to take on the All-Ireland champions. Dessie Farrell’s side looked back to their very best last year and James McCarthy, Michael Fitzsimons and Stephen Cluxton are back to attempt to get their hands on a tenth All-Ireland medal each. Dean Rock announced his retirement last week and he was still a useful man on the bench while Davy Byrne, a very much underrated defender, is taking some time out from the intercounty scene. They’re a fantastic team littered with some of the greatest players of all time.

ONE TO WATCH

Brian  Fenton is one of the best midfielder players of all time and he delivered in spades for the Dubs last year as they made it back to the top of the tree in the All-Ireland. An elegant player who’s hardly lacking in the physicality stakes either.