Donnelly on brink of Tyrone exit

Peter Donnelly may leave his position as Tyrone’s strength and conditioning coach due to a row over a new contract

PETER Donnelly’s future as Tyrone strength and conditioning coach hangs precariously in the balance.

Gaelic Life understands that serious fracture lines have developed during the negotiations of a new contract for the highly-regarded coach.

His previous contract expired on September 30 and has not yet been renewed for the 2018 season.

Curiously, an independent human resources company has been pulled in to review the situation.

A source close to the county board expressed his fears that the highly regarded coach will be allowed to leave the Tyrone set-up. There is particular concern that he’ll be snapped up by another county, or indeed another sport, as he is viewed as being right at the pinnacle of his profession.

If the Coalisland man isn’t pulled back from the brink, it would represent a significant body blow to the Tyrone cause ahead of the 2018 season.

Disconcertingly, the news is almost an exact replica of the events of March 2016. In that case, Donnelly threatened to resign after attempts to set up a fresh pathway for preparing players from the new academy through to senior level fell on deaf ears.

Subsequent negotiations persuaded Donnelly to hop back onboard the Tyrone expressway but it is by no means a given that he will be cajoled back to the fold on this occasion.