Top spot at stake for Tyrone ladies

A HOME win on Sunday at the splendid new facilities of Stewartstown Harps will ensure a home clash for the Tyrone ladies in the last-eight of the All Ireland series.

The Red Hands take on Westmeath, who are also vying for top spot, with both teams already qualified for the upcoming All-Ireland quarter-finals.

Tyrone recorded a fine win over Down on Sunday afternoon at Newry, a game that manager Darren McCann said was an “All-Ireland final” for both teams.

“To be honest we never looked past the Down game – for both teams it was an All-Ireland final, we beat them and now they’re out. We will get back to the drawing board, get a recovery session in and then look at Westmeath and see how we can get at them. Ultimately we wanted to get to the quarter final and we are there now,” he said.

McCann was expecting a tough battle against Down and that’s exactly what they got. They lost out in extra-time in a recent Ulster Championship semi-final and on Sunday they set the record straight.

“It was always going to be a battle against a Down side that we have met three times in the past two years. There never has been more than a kick of the ball in it, in the semi-final we left 16 or 17 points behind us and since that game we have worked on that . Our forwards were excellent and our work-rate was great.”

An exceptional work rate was certainly key in the latter stages as Down threw everything at Tyrone in a desperate bid to keep their campaign alive. In the end Tyrone did enough to get the result, which was all the more impressive given their injury problems.

“We have thirty four girls in the squad albeit with a few injuries at the minute but the girls we brought in all stepped up. Ciara Colton, Joanne Barrett came in as a blood sub, Caitlin Campbell came in and did well, we’re blessed with such a strong panel,” McCann added.

Chloe McCaffrey was a late withdrawal on Sunday, while Meabh Corrigan, Emma Conroy and Clara Daly didn’t feature. It’s unclear if the Tyrone boss will risk any of them even if they do get back in time for this week given they’ve already qualified for the quarters.

“Emma Jane Gervin is long term but all the others are key injuries too and we will have to play it by ear and take the situation as it comes. It will be a case of assessing things later in the week, and in terms of Chloe (McCaffrey) she will do all she can to get back.”

Westmeath have been impressive this season winning their first Leinster title since 2011 with Sarah Dillon outstanding in attack. Their manager Frank Browne is no stranger to Tyrone. In a previous role Browne guided Mayo to several wins over the Red Hand County, and after seeing off Down three weeks ago, he firmly has his sights fixed on a win that will ensure that home quarter final tie.

“It’s great to be through to the knockout stages but look we will take nothing for granted this weekend. We are going to Tyrone with the focus on a win as we want to continue our own winning run with the home tie a big prize” explained the Westmeath boss.

“Yes we face a highly organised and experienced Tyrone side but look it will prove a good test for us as they come into the game on the back of a good win. On the plus side we have no injury issues and we have a lot of girls itching for game time . We are coming for the win but we have confidence in our squad and that will allow us to try things out.”

If there is a negative it has to be the actual timing of the game. The Tyrone men’s vitally important All-Ireland group tie at Enniskillen against Cavan with all its permutations will certainly catch the imagination on Sunday at 4pm. The ladies game on the same afternoon has a 2pm start and could suffer as a result.

A potential switch was not brought to the LGFA while Westmeath manager Browne confirmed he may have considered a change if it had been suggested and suited his players.

The draw for the quarter finals go ahead after Sunday’s games and those ties are pencilled in for June 29.