Tyrone prepare for All Ireland Final

Tyrone Aim to Make Masters’ History
Tyrone Masters will travel to Drumlish, County Longford, on Saturday to meet Galway in the All Ireland Gaelic Masters Cup Final. Tyrone are under no illusions of the task in hand with giants of the masters’ concept, Galway, going for their fourth masters’ title in a row. There is recent history between them having met in the 2013 final a game which could have went either way. Tyrone go into the game following a semi-final victory over Cavan at Truagh last weekend. Galway advanced due to a win over old adversaries Mayo. Tyrone’s victory over Galway in the league phase of the competition will mean little when the sides clash in this years’ final with Galway hoping to tighten their grip on the Masters Cup and Tyrone anxious to make history by getting their hands on it for the first time. Their cause has been bolstered this year by the inclusion of Fintona sharp shooter, Mark Donnelly who accounted for 1-7 in the Cavan Game. He joins a forward line that is full of guile and which is even at this level very mobile. Captain Damien Gormley, Stephen Lawn, Mark Darcy, Conor Daly, Mark Gallagher and Mickey Mc Conomy are a handful for any defence. Brendan Sheehy and Kevin Gormley have added extra strength at the back alongside regulars Gary Mc Kenna, Paul Sweeney, Stephen Dooher, John Fee, Gerard Mc Williams and Gavan Mc Elroy. Strabane trio Sean Barkley, Richard O’Neill and Dean Molloy have provided new impetus to the master’s drive for the title. Kieran Leonard, an outfield player in previous years, has found himself a new role between the posts and to date has been very solid. Tyrone’s bench has been the key to their success this year and with unlimited subs they have used fresh legs to good effect in many of their tight games most notably in the wins over Mayo and Cavan. To this end Brain Mc Elroy, Barry Porter, John Mc Kenna, Barry O’Neill, Andy Mc Sorley, Donal Mc Crossan, Peter Loughran and Raymond Gormley have been key to Tyrone’s path through the competition. The only negative aspect to this years’ campaign has been the recurrence of an old injury to Tyrone’s Vice Captain, Conrad Quinn who will undergo knee surgery the day before the final. His performances in the earlier games were instrumental in the teams’ progress and he will be in the thoughts of the players on the day of the final.
Once again this years’ final will be televised live on Irish TV on Sky 191, Freesat 400, Eircom eVision 191 and online at irishtv.ie. Broadcast begins at 3.15pm and will be preceded by the Master Shield Final.
Tyrone Panel: Tyrone: Kieran Leonard( Castlederg), Gary Mc Kenna (Killyclogher), Gavan Mc Elroy (Carrickmore), John Fee (Coalisland),Stephen Dooher(Owen Roes)Paul Sweeney (Killyclogher),Sean Barkley(Strabane), Mark Gallagher (Eglish), Richard O’Neill (Strabane), Conor Daly (Trillick), Damien Gormley (Trillick), Mickey McConomy (Newtownstewart) Mark Darcy (Tattyreagh), Stephen Lawn(Moortown), Mark Donnelly (Fintona), Gerard Mc Williams(Fintona),Dean Molloy (Strabane),John Mc Kenna (Donaghmore), Brian Mc Elroy(Killyclogher),Barry Porter (Owen Roes), Kevin Gormley (Carrickmore), Brendan Sheehy(Cookstown),Conrad Quinn(Moortown), BarryO’Neill (Killyclogher) Donal Mc Crossan (Dregish), Andy Mc Sorley(Newtownstewart), Raymond Gormley (Dromore), Peter Loughran (Errigal Ciaran)
Management: Eugene Bradley, Joe Leonard
 
Tyrones’s Masters Trail Blazers
In 1990 Tyrone Masters reached their first All Ireland Final. They lost out to a strong Kildare team that day and twenty five years later Tyrone still have not managed to land the Masters title despite appearances in 2009 and 2013. The 1990 panel contained a host of ex Tyrone inter-county players and Tyrone Championship winners from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. Joe Leonard the current joint manager with Eugene Bradley was a player on this team and his contribution to the masters has endured with this year marking his 25th year of commitment to it. Bradley was under age that year but was to become a key player in the masters from 1992 on as player and then manager.

Back Row L-R. Frank Martin(Carrickmore), Sean Canavan(Ardboe), Sean O Kane(Drumquin), Seamus Mc Quaid(Dromore), Pat King(Trillick),John Donnelly(Trillick),Aidan Mc Mahon(Coalisland),Jim Fay(Eglish), Dessie Campbell(Fintona),Peter Tracey(Greencastle), Brain Kelly(Eskra), Dessie Ryan(Ardboe),Pat Tierney(Clogher),Joe Leonard(Castlederg),Sean Harvey(Aghyaran), Colm Devlin(Greencastle), Brian Kelly(Eskra), Sean Mc Ginn(Killyclogher), Seamus Woods(Carrickmore).
Middle Row L-R: Tom Mc Keagney(Selector), Jim Joe Campbell(Brockagh), Jimmy Mc Carron((Fintona), P.J. Fox(Eglish), Kieran Mc Elduff(Dromore), Patsy Forbes(Ardboe), John Keenan(Carrickmore), Benny Haughey(Carrickmore),Kevin Teague(Ardboe),Paddy Parke(Stewartstown), John Mc Carroll(Eskra), Frank Daly(Carrickmore), Paddy Devlin(Omagh, Selector).
Fronk Row L-R: Jim Gallagher(Beragh), Seamus Mc Girr(Clogher), Donal ONeill(Derrylaughlin), Eugene Mc Cann(Dromore), John L. Corr(Clonoe).