By 
By Barry O’Donnell
TYRONE joint senior manager Feargal Logan feels that a ‘dogfight’ awaits his side in their opening match in defence of the Anglo-Celt Cup next summer, having been handed an away preliminary round clash with Fermanagh in the 2022 Ulster Championship.
The holders face a tricky trip into Enniskillen to face the unfancied Ernesiders who are now managed by Omagh CBS teacher Kieran Donnelly, a former attacker with Fermanagh.
If Tyrone emerge unscathed from that assignment then they will host old adversaries Derry in the first round proper at Healy Park.
A preliminary round fixture ensures that Tyrone will have to go the long road if they are to string together back to back Ulster titles but Logan was looking no futher than the opening engagement as he reflected on the draw.
“ It’s a big big challenge but Ulster is always a dogfight. I presume we will be heading to Brewster Park so that’s a tough place to go and if you went down the line worrying about the road after that, you’d give up altogether. So we’ll go through the league and we’ll take it a small chunk after that. The first chunk will be Fermanagh and that’s the only way to look at it.”
Should the Red Hands see off their first two opponents, the next hurdle to negotiate would be either Monaghan or Down in the semi-finals. It was the Farney men of course who Tyrone edged out by a point to land their 16th Ulster Senior crown at Croke Park this past season.
Feargal Logan and Brian Dooher overseen a maginificent debut season as Tyrone joint managers when sealing not only provincial honours but also subsequently the county’s fourth ever All-Ireland crown with victory over Mayo in the final. Logan said that retaining the Sam Maguire trophy would again be their ultimate objective in 2022.
“ It’s a very attractive notion. Brian, myself and everyone involved with us, we just set out to bring Tyrone back to the top table. If you’re at the top table, you want to be dining at it repeatedly. It’s a big, big challenge for us in Tyrone to try and do that.”
Ulster SFC Draw 2022
Preliminary Round
Fermanagh vs Tyrone
First Round
Derry vs Fermanagh/Tyrone
Monaghan vs Down
Donegal vs Armagh
Antrim vs Cavan
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere
SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT EDITION TODAY
and get access to our archive editions dating back to 2007(CLICK ON THE TITLE BELOW TO SUBSCRIBE)