Tyrone clubs to get their first taste of new rules

ELEVEN Tyrone clubs will have a first hand opportunity to familiarise themselves with football’s new rules, in a competitive environment, when Ulster GAA’s pre-season Club Leagues throw-in this weekend in three seperate grades- Senior, Intermediate and Junior.

Donaghmore has its two adult teams both competing, with the Firsts hosting Bredagh of Down on Saturday afternoon in the Senior League, and the club Thirds heading to Belfast to meet Cardinal O’Donnells in the Junior League on Sunday.

North Tyrone neighbours Strabane and Owen Roes are also in action on Sunday, with Derry’s O’Briens Foreglen making the short trip to Glenmornan in the Intermediate League, and the Sigersons also facing Derry opposition when they travel to Sean Dolan’s in the Junior League.

Donaghmore and Ardboe are the only Senior sides from the O’Neill County participating this year, with Owen Roes joined by Eglish and Killeeshil in the Intermediate League.

Half-a-dozen Tyrone team will compete in the Junior League-Strabane, Cookstown, Brocagh, Donaghmore IIIs, Derrytresk and Brackaville.

Every club that fields an adult senior football team in Tyrone will have the opportunity to partake in a pre-season competition in the coming months.

Last year saw the welcome return of the Jim Devlin Cup which was acclaimed as a success. Now the pre-season format has been expanded to cater for all clubs, with a view to letting players, managers and officials acclimatise to the batch of new rules which were approved at a Special Congress before Christmas.

The Tyrone pre-season competitions will commence on Saturday, March 15. Division One and Two teams will combined for the group stages, which will consist of eight groups of four teams. The top eight teams will move to the last-eight for the Jim Devlin Cup, while the bottom eight will participate in the Frank O’Neill Club.

Division Three teams, meanwhile, will come together to play for the McGarrity Cup. The finals of all three competitions have been scheduled for the weekend of April 26/27.

Pre-season competitions are especially vital this year given the radical changes to the game already introduced at inter-county level, and set to be rolled out on the club front too. Many clubs have arranged their own in-house new ‘Playing Rules Presentation and Q&A’ events to allow its players and members to gain clarity and confidence in the latest alterations.

Meanwhile, the All County Leagues will get underway on the weekend of May 9-11. The CCC has set down that there will be no July break this year.

FIXTURES

SATURDAY FEB 8TH

Ulster Minor Hurling Shield

At Convoy, 12 noon

Donegal vs Tyrone

Ulster Senior League

Donaghmore vs Bredagh (3pm)

Ulster Junior League

Killeevan vs Cookstown (1pm)

Moneymore vs Brocagh (3pm)

SUNDAY FEB 9TH

Ulster Schools MacLarnon Cup Final

At Celtic Park, 1pm

Dean Maguirc Carrickmore vs Patrician HS Carrickmacross

Ulster Club Leagues at 12 noon

Senior

Granemore vs Ardboe

Intermediate

Keady vs Killeeshil

Naomh Tresa, Belfast vs Eglish

Owen Roes vs O’Briens, Foreglen

Junior

Sean Dolans, Derry vs Strabane

St Michael’s Lissan vs Derrytresk

Aghabog vs Brackaville

Cardinal O’Donnells vs Donaghmore III

Ladies National League Div One

At Swinford, 2pm

Mayo vs Tyrone

National Hurling League Div Two

At Garvaghey, 2pm

Tyrone vs Meath

Camogie-All-Ireland C U16 Championship

At Ballinagh, 2pm

Cavan vs Tyrone