Strength in depth can prove timely bonus for Red Hands, says Meyler
TYRONE manager Mickey Harte has good reason to be thankful that competition for places within his side is currently razor-sharp.
With the Bank of Ireland Dr McKenna Cup final against Donegal looming on Saturday night ahead of four crucial league matches in rapid succession against Monaghan, Kerry, Mayo and Donegal again, Harte is preparing to exercise his selection options as his team bid to step up on recent performances.
Conor Meyler and Lee Brennan in particular are hoping to stake their claims for regular places in the attack as the Red Hands target what would be a seventh successive McKenna Cup triumph while, at the same time, maintaining a strong focus on retaining their Division One status.
“There is no doubt that the pressure has been stepped up although that win against Kildare on Sunday brought us a wee bit of relief,” reveals Meyler. “Obviously it’s a big blow for us to be losing a player like Tiernan McCann for the next number of weeks but I think this might just help to spur the rest of the boys on even more.
“There is still very fierce competition for places in this Tyrone team and that’s a good thing. Indeed, it’s even difficult to get into the squad never mind the starting fifteen but that’s the way Mickey Harte wants it.
“His reasoning, too, can be appreciated because we had players turning out against Kildare last Sunday, then we had some of them helping UUJ against
Tough road: Conor Meyler believes Tyrone are now facing into a difficult period of the season UCD in the Sigerson Cup semi-final last night and now we have Donegal in the McKenna Cup final
on Saturday. It can be clearly seen that strength in depth is needed when the matches are beginning to come thick and fast.”
With Colm Cavanagh and Harry Loughran having been involved in Moy’s drive to All-Ireland success, Harte has been forced to dig deep into his resources recently but utility forward Meyler is convinced that the Red Hands can now build on that much-needed win over Kildare.
“We had lost to Galway and Dublin before that and the
thought of three successive defeats was frightening but now that we have got back on the rails we want to stay there,” he asserts.
“People will tell you that Donegal have lost their three league games to date but two of those have only been by one-point margins, while they showed great commitment and courage in the second-half of their match against Dublin last Saturday.
“Their manager Declan Bonner has virtually re-built the team and they undoubtedly have the potential to come good. They will see this McKenna Cup final as an opportunity to prove that they are making real progress and we for our part can certainly take nothing for granted.”
Meyler, who won Tyrone club championship medals with Omagh St Enda’s in 2014 and 2017, believes that there is still a lot of “fantastic talent” in Tyrone and insists that players are not prepared to just settle for being squad members.
“There are a lot of boys there who want to be getting a starting jersey and that kind of competition is very healthy,” insists Meyler. “The players are driving each other on, they are not depending on anyone else to do this for them. I think there is a lot of fantastic talent there.
“While Tyrone may have dominated the McKenna Cup in recent years, this guarantees us nothing going into Saturday’s final against what we feel will be a very fit, committed Donegal side. They will see this game as an opportunity to make a big point while for our part we know that if we want to figure in the second-half of the league, then we will have to step up to the plate at the Athletic Grounds.”
Donegal have improved with each outing this year so far but, while they will be under pressure to pocket league points having gone three games without any return, they give every impression of a team that could blossom with more matches.
“I think as time moves on Donegal will get better and when the Ulster Championship comes round they might be a strong force,” adds Meyler.
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