We’re not doing O’Rourke justice: Tyrone’s McElholm

By Barry O’Donnell

ACE attacker Eoin McElholm insists that Tyrone are not doing ‘justice’ to their under-pressure manager Malachy O’Rourke with their league performances to date.

Speaking at the launch of the Dalata Hotel Group All-Ireland Under-20 Championship this week, the Loughmacrory star, who was the 2025 Footballer of the Year as the Red Hands annexed provincial and national honours at that grade for the second year running, acknowledged that at senior level the county had got off to a sluggish start this season.

A shock loss to Louth last weekend was greeted with alarm and dismay by supporters as the setback all but ruled out any hopes of promotion out of Division Two, with still three games remaining.

McElholm however maintained that the focus should be primarily on the players failing to reach their potential right now on the field, rather than everyone shining a spotlight on the manager off it.

“Obviously he is a really experienced manager and coach. He has won nearly everywhere he has went to so to get the opportunity to play under him is unreal.

“We are probably not doing him justice with our performances at the minute.

“That’s on us and we take full responsibility for that. He’s trying to set down a game plan which we are learning. Hopefully we can put it into practice in these upcoming games.”

With just one victory so far from their four league outings Tyrone are falling way below expectations right now, bearing in mind they were tipped as hot favourites in advance of the campaign to top the standings in Division Two.

Eoin appreciates that given the lofty demands that supporters and the players place on themselves, it would understandable to expect better.

“We know Tyrone is such a big footballing county and has been successful over the last twenty years. We know there is a standard that we have to get to. We are working hard and pushing each other just to reach the maximum performance level that we know we can.”

Meanwhile a double quick return to Division Three football awaits Mickey Harte’s Offaly unless there is a dramatic turnaround in their fortunes as they get set to make the journey north to Dungannon this Saturday night.

The Faithful County enjoyed an excellent first league season under the joint stewardship of Harte and Declan Kelly, crowning it with victory over Kildare in the Division Three Final at Croke Park, but twelve months on they appear destined to fall through the relegation trap door.

Offaly’s hopes were dealt a blow prior to the season with confirmation that one of their top young stars Cillian Burke was heading to Australia having been snapped up by AFL side Essendon. And since then, as Harte explained they have had to make do without a number of key men, as injuries have taken their toll.

“Paddy Donegen in goals who is good at coming out with the ball and being an extra man because of his height, John Furlong at centre half back, Cathal Flynn at centre forward and Dylan Hyland. The spine of our team who were on last year are not there right now.

“But that’s life, we have to deal with that. We are also in a higher division, so when that all combines it is a tall order.”

Offaly have lost all four of their opening league matches, and have now conceded eight goals in their three most recent outings.

All the while they have also failed to breach the net at the other end of the field, hardly the recipe for a successful run.

Last weekend’s 2-25 to 0-8 hammering at Celtic Park against Derry will have been especially galling for Harte, who has previously managed the Oak Leafers.

He will hope for better fortunes against his native County at O’Neill Park and in the process heap more pressure on Malachy O’Rourke’s camp who will themselves be wounded at the flak aimed in their direction following the insipid second half showing against Louth.

The two Errigal Ciaran club colleagues operating along the line in Dungannon are each desperate for a positive result this weekend.