Aodhan keen to learn from Tyrone’s midfield supremos

AODHAN Donaghy’s willingness to learn and improve was very much evident in an eye-catching personal performance against Cavan nearly a fortnight ago.

The 25-year-old Loughmacrory lad made what was his second championship start at senior intercounty level against the Breffni County, and he rewarded the faith of manager Malachy O’Rourke with an influential showing, involving himself in a number of scores and helping to ensure Tyrone’s supremacy in the middle sector.

He doesn’t have to look far for advice on midfield play – seasoned campaigners Brian Kennedy and Conn Kilpatrick were central figures in Tyrone’s All-Ireland winning run of 2021 and their importance to the team was very much in evidence against Cavan, Kilpatrick bagging a late goal while captain Kennedy was his usual imperious self.

It’ll be no place for the faint-hearted this Saturday as Tyrone lock swords with All-Ireland champions Armagh in Saturday’s Ulster Championship clash against semi-final, but the Red Hands are in a rich vein of form and Donaghy is content with his own progress heading into the block-buster clash at Clones.

Donaghy said: “The boys did well, big Conn came strong and saw the game out for us with a goal. but we’ve plenty to work on and we’ll get our heads down for the Armagh game.

“Those boys like Conn and Brian have been there and they’ve done it before. It’s always good to have boys with that level of experience. I take plenty from them, and there’s loads of other boys in the panel that I take learnings from as well.”

He added: “The main thing is just working hard. I’ve done alright and it’s good to get through the first round.”

Donaghy comes from a football-mad household. Elder brother Cathal has been drafted into the senior team by Malachy O’Rourke, Eoin is presently part of the Tyrone U20 set-up, Gareth is another important player for Loughmacrory while the youngest brother Enda is also coming through the ranks.

On Cathal’s recent recruitment to the Tyrone ranks, Aodhan said: “He’s there as well, it’s good to have him on board. It’s also helping push the thing along and he’s been going well.”

Donaghy is comfortably over six feet tall and he acknowledges that the new rules, which have seen a return to old-style midfield battles, are suited to the likes of himself.

“There’s a lot of kick-outs, it’s just getting in around breaks and contesting, there’s a lot more of that this year. It’s good, you just have to fight it out in the middle.”

Tyrone had 13 different scorers on their first day out against Cavan, including Donaghy himself, who traded passes with Darren McCurry before splitting the posts. On another occasion in the first-half he assisted the ‘Dazzler’ for a score.

“It’s always a positive too, everyone chipping in. I suppose it’s about playing the unselfish pass, working hard and taking your score when the opportunity is on.”

Aodhan recognises that it won’t necessarily be easy to maintain his grip on a starting jersey as there’s considerable strength-in-depth on the panel.

“There’s loads of boys there who are capable of doing a job, everyone’s just pushing each other on and working hard but that’s what you need, competition for places.”

Standing in Tyrone’s way of a place in next month’s Ulster final is All-Ireland champions Armagh, who were full value for their seven-point win over the Red Hands in a round two Division Two encounter earlier in the year. Kieran McGeeney’s side have had more than their fair share of injury problems this year, but they still ran out 11-point victors against Antrim in their Ulster Championship opener at Corrigan Park. Donaghy recognises that it will take a massive performance from Tyrone to book their spot in the Ulster final for the first time since 2021.

“Yeah, big time, we know what they’re capable of, they’re a mighty team, we’ll just get the heads down and work hard.”

“We know what they’re capable of and we know what they’re about. All we can control is working hard this week and preparing ourselves best for a good battle.”