DON’T EXPECT WELCOME MATT NOW

MATTIE DONNELLY wants Tyrone to make an impact on their return to Division One – starting with improving their home form.

Results at Healy Park cost the

Red Hands a place in the top flight in 2015 when they failed to record a win in four NFL games in Omagh.

“It’s something we have to address because a lot of other counties have made their home ground into a fortress,” said the two-time All Star. “That’s what we’ll be aiming to do in this campaign.”

Tyrone lost to Monaghan, drew with Derry, lost to Cork and drew with Kerry in their four home League games two years ago.

This season they again have four home games – against Roscommon, Monaghan, Cavan and Mayo – starting against the Rossies in Omagh on Sunday.

And with a run-out at Croke Park against Dublin to look forward to on Saturday week, Donnelly says they must hit the ground running.

“If you have any ambitions of progressing to the latter stages, you’ve got to get off to a good start.

“It’s not a good place to come in after that mini break if you’ve started off badly in your first two games. So that’s a big thing we’ll be targeting.

“Really, Roscommon next week is as tough as it gets in Omagh where our home record isn’t as great, so we have to be fully focused.”

Donnelly was superb in their final win over Derry (right) and he believes Tyrone six-ina-row of Mckenna Cups is good for confidence after losing to Cavan in week one.

“It does no harm, it’s good for boys’ mindset maybe to start off on a negative footing and then to recover from that.

“That’s good because that can happen in the League as well, you can lose a game and still know you can recover and find your form again, so that’s good for boys’ psyche.”