Tyrone Ladies coach feels the team are ahead of schedule

TYRONE Ladies coach Fergal Quinn believes that the team are well ahead of schedule in terms of their development and progress as they get geared up for Sunday’s National League Division Two Final at Croke Park against Kildare.

Quinn joined the County set-up under manager Sean O’Kane as defensive coach last year, having helped to steer Moortown to the Tyrone Intermediate League and Championship double in 2002.

It has been six years since Tyrone Seniors last appeared at the Jones Road venue (2018 All-Ireland IFC Final) and Fergal admits that ambitions of a return trip at the outset of this league campaign would have been deemed optimistic.

“ Hand on heart I thought this would take three years but the reality is that we have put ourselves in a great position much sooner in terms of winning promotion. We still have to make the most of the opportunity next Sunday and take these chances when they come around. But we are in a good spot.”

Tyrone went through their seven game Division Two programme unbeaten in the spring time as they sealed a return to the National League top flight in 2025. Those results included a draw with this weekend’s opponents Kildare in Beragh a few weeks ago.

Quinn believes that the influx of a whole litany of exciting young talent into the squad has injected new life into the set-up, with the more seasoned campaigners also galvanised by the overhaul in personnel.

“ At the start of the year we brought in nineteen/ twenty new players. The older players then stepped it up fitness wise and skill wise. The young girls pushed them on and now there is good competition for places.

“ Last year we were going into an Ulster Final and the week before we had twelve girls training because of injuries and what have you. Now we have a panel of 36 and anyone of that 36 is capable of making that 15.

“ Unfortunately there has to be six girls left out of the thirty every week which is probably the biggest decision you have to make.”

Fergal also believes that the side has benefited from a cohesive backroom team which is now in situ with everyone collectively aware of their responsibilities and duties.

“ Sean runs a tight ship. This is my fifth year involved in ladies football. Sean asked me to come in last year and it was probably the success with Moortown (2022) that got me here.

“ Every week since linking up I feel I have been learning something.

“ I would like to think that with the things I have brought to the fold defensively it has signalled a change to things as well hopefully in a positive manner. But everyone involved in the management team knows their own role.

“Communication would be very strong. There is nobody goes on a solo run. We would meet before games and before training sessions and run through things that we are going to do, in terms of setting up the systems and other drills. Sean then has the final call on it.”

No doubt attaining some silverware this Sunday at Croker would represent concrete reward in terms of success and further boost the side’s confidence heading into the Ulster Championship. Quinn states that Kildare’s greater experience probably hands them the edge for the Final but adds that the Red Hands aren’t heading down to Dublin just to make up the numbers.

“ We played Kildare last year in the Championship quarter-finals down in Kildare and we were handed a lesson in physicality, organisation and every facet of the game. They just basically overran us though in fairness we did go into that game with a lot of injuries.

“ In my eyes Tyrone go to Croke Park with nothing to lose. Kildare have it all to lose. While we are an up and coming side Kildare are already playing Senior Championship. But if our girls play the game and not the occasion after sixty minutes we won’t be far away. Whatever happens we are then into the Championship which will obviously then be the big one. You’d like to get to an Ulster Final and then progress from there.”