Nothing beats winning says Tyrone boss McGarry

By Alan Rodgers

VICTORY in their opening game last weekend has left the Tyrone hurlers in buoyant form as they get set for what’s expected to be a much tougher assignment when they meet last year’s Nickey Rackard Finalists, Mayo, in round two this Sunday in Castlebar.

The Red Hands scored a number of impressive wins against the Connacht side in their successful 2024 season. Now it will be a case of aiming to repeat them, while wary of the challenge posed by opponents who have been displaying improvements during the intervening period.

Tyrone’s win over Sligo last Saturday in round one was comprehensive and hard-earned. Stephen McGarry and the players were anxious to make their mark after the National League and strong performances throughout the field indicate that they are building on the springtime efforts of January, February and March.

“We hurled really well throughout the league, barring switching off in ten or 15 minute periods. The training has been good and everything has been really positive in the five weeks that we’ve had since,” said team manager, Stephen McGarry.

“One of the positions has been the young players who are now senior and gaining experience. They are senior hurlers and that’s been part of my tenure in that I wanted to bring these young players through.

“Last year was very tough, we were hurling at the highest level Tyrone has ever hurled at and we had lost a lot of players. But we replaced them with youthful lads through the U-20s structure.

“We’ve been seeing the impact that they have had. Players like Pierce Mullin, Shea Munroe, Aidan Woods and it’s brilliant and positive for the county to see that happening.”

More experienced players have also been making their mark. Dean Rafferty, Oran McKee in the defence, Kiefer Morgan and Aidan Kelly in attack have all provided a strong backbone and provided the space for the younger players to make their mark.

Now more of the same will be needed against Mayo at Castlebar on Sunday according to McGarry.

“Mayo is the next game and it’s going to be a really tough fixture,” he added.

“They’re probably similar to ourselves last year, when they went up into Division Two, found it tough enough.

“That step up is hard to make, but they’re a very good side, and should have won this competition last year, barring eighteen or nineteen wides in the final against Roscommon.

“We’re not looking beyond next weekend, a real tough fixture in Castlebar, but we’ll go down there with confidence. Nothing beats winning, it builds that confidence, and to be fair, the last part of the league, I thought we hurled really well.”

As they prepare for the trip west, then, Stephen McGarry and the players will be taking heart from the manner of their win over Sligo and hoping to once more repeat the strong points from that winning display.

“It was about getting that wee bit of momentum into our attacking play.

“ We know we have serious threats in our inside line, we have shown that throughout the league, but it was about being that wee bit more efficient in front of goal, and when we got our opportunities, we took them really well.

“I had full confidence in anybody that stepped on to the park, and in the leaders that we have in our back line. So I knew rightly that when our backs were against the wall, we had boys that could step up to the plate, and boys that we knew could make a big impact too coming off the bench.

“They’re every bit as important, they’re the boys that came on and got us over the line. So it’s really, really positive.”