Ardboe’s O’Neill aware of poignant backdrop to campaign

By Barry O’Donnell
ARDBOE captain Michael O’Neill admits that the passing of the club’s greatest ever footballer Frank McGuigan earlier this year provides a poignant backdrop to their upcoming Championship campaign.
The death of the 71 year old back in May sparked widespread sorrow across the country but that sense of loss was especially acute around the lough shore, from where Frank hailed.
During a stellar playing career with both club and county he played a central role in the famous Ardboe teams which secured three consecutive Tyrone Senior Championships between 1971 and 1973.
The present team begin their O’Neill Cup assault against Edendork at the start of September, with two of Frank’s sons still directly involved. Tommy forms part of the management team alongside John McConville, while Shay lines out on the pitch in the forward sector.

Current skipper Michael O’Neill acknowledges that it has been a tough time for the family, club and community coming to terms with the death of such an iconic figure.
“ Words probably don’t do it justice. It was a huge hit for the McGuigan family and the likes of Shay and Tommy who are still involved with the team as well as a shock for the entire Ardboe community. It has been an emotional roller coaster this happening during the season but that’s the backdrop now to our year.
“ It will always be a burden for the family to carry but hopefully one we can help them with. It’s a heavy weight on their shoulders but if we can perform week in week out it makes things a bit easier for them.”
Ardboe tackle Edendork with O’Neill warning that an upgrade in performance levels is required if they are to make an impact in the O’Neill Cup race. He feels however that the gruelling league schedule has been a factor in their up and down displays.

Energy levels

“We have been quite inconsistent. You have a decent performance and then go out a few days later and hit a bit of a lull. So it’s about trying to get your energy levels up week on week especially in those double rounds over some weekends.
“When the turnaround is quick it’s about how we can get boys recovered and back out onto the field and up to the same intensity as there was three or four days earlier. It’s just about knuckling down and trying to learn from each game.”
On the plus side O’Neill, a member of Tyrone’s All-Ireland winning squad in 2021, believes the emergence of an exciting flux of young talent has provided a timely boost for Ardboe, citing the Devlin boys among others.
“We have some really good young players who have come through with those successful Tyrone U20s in that spell- Cormac, Conor and Conan, while Davin (McKeown) was a part of the minors too at one stage and the Academy (St Patrick’s Dungannon) MacRory Cup team so we have those lads who have picked up plenty of experience.
“But they are still young cubs and it’s still a learning curve for them. Coming through another hard league campaign will do them no harm.”
Looking at their upcoming Championship opponents Michael is well aware of the dangers a star-studded Edendork outfit will represent.
“There is no qualms about it. They are a very good side with some very talented footballers. Once they got their Tyrone men back after the county season you seen the difference they made straight away so we are under no illusions how hard a task it is going to be.”