2019 season review – Tyrone club players’ vox pop

Tiarnan Quinn

Coalisland

What was your biggest frustration playing club football this year?

Playing with my older brother as he would never pass me the ball.

What club story in your county caught your eye this year?

Twin Brothers Diarmuid and Ultan McKee holding the fort in Grade 3 for Derrytresk. Just goes to show you what a family can achieve with a bit of heart. They’re two great lads with a lot of potential.

What would you like to see changed in Tyrone next year?

League System in Grade One. I think whoever tops the league should win the league, just like they do in Grade Two and Three.

What was the best club game you watched in Tyrone this year, excluding your own?

Errigal Ciaran v Clonoe Seniors. Peter Og McCartan ripping the net in the last kick to win the game, great to see.

Ruairi Keenan

Gortin

What was your biggest frustration playing club football this year?

The uncertainty surrounding club fixtures. I appreciate it is a difficult task. A reduction in county fixtures would be an ideal solution but unlikely to happen. County boards must bring a concrete plan that allows games to play over the summer (weighted rewards for games with and without intercounty players) and affords club players the luxury of being able to plan lives outside of football. If not addressed we could see trends that have started in reserve football leak into senior fixtures.

What club story in your county caught your eye this year?

Loughmacrory was a story that I admired and respected. A young talented squad that I felt were good enough for Division 1 absorbed two huge body blows this year. Pomeroy in the championship and Beragh in final league game. They regrouped and got over the line for promotion. Combined with their recent investment in facilities they are a template for progression for other smaller rural clubs.

What would you like to see changed in Tyrone next year?

A. Play-offs scrapped B. League football finished before championship C. De-coupling of reserve and senior teams to allow reserves a clear run and shorter season. D. Midweek/ Saturday evening league games in July and August.

What was the best club game you watched in Tyrone this year, excluding your own?

Galbally versus Greencastle in the IFC semi-final. It was fast paced, exciting and went right to the wire. The neighbours put in a huge effort and looked like they were going to pull it off. Galbally showed great patience at the end to work a fisted score to win by the minimum.

Niall Keyes

Tattyreagh

What was your biggest frustration playing club football this year?

Biggest frustration is fixture scheduling for sure. Between having no games for nine weeks and then games at the end being dead rubbers resulting in teams picking up points they normally wouldn’t was very frustrating.

What club story in your county caught your eye this year?

Club story would have to be the folding of Dregish and amalgamating with Newtownstewart. Great to see them joining up with Newtown but really sad to see a great club with great history being forced to fold. All the club members are a credit to what the GAA is all about, keeping the club going for as long as they could when others would have given up

What would you like to see changed in Tyrone next year?

A change to how the league and championship are played off. I think it would be a good idea if the league was finished before the championship was drawn. First round of the championship should be based on league position, 1st plays 16th, 2nd plays 15th and vice versa. This means that every league game matters and you won’t see teams throwing games when they can’t win league. Next round of championship can then be an open draw as normal

What was the best club game you watched in Tyrone this year, excluding your own?

Best game I saw was Carrickmore against Edendork in Championship at Healy Park. It was end-to-end football and both teams died in their boots for a Championship win that night!