By Niall Gartland

CONSCIOUS that they’ve only had a month’s preparation time, Brian Dooher is asking his players to give the best possible account of themselves in Saturday evening’s eagerly awaited NFL Division One North opener against Donegal.

The new Tyrone senior intercounty set-up is still in its embryonic stages, and collective training was only permitted to return a month ago, so a little rustiness would be perfectly understandable against a team which is entering its fourth year under Declan Bonner. One thing that can be legislated for is work rate, and Tyrone’s new joint-manager Dooher’s message to his players is that they go out and do themselves justice against one of the top teams in the country.

“Donegal are one of the strongest teams in Ireland, and last year people were talking about them as the team that would potentially put Dublin on the backfoot.

“That obviously didn’t work out for them for one reason or another but you can see the challenge we’re facing. You’re facing one of the top teams around after four weeks’ preparation, but it is what is it and we have to do the best we can.

“All you can ask for is that the boys give the best account of themselves, that they give 70 minutes of hard work. That’s all you can ask for any day, that you go out and give it your best.”

Dooher and fellow joint-manager Feargal Logan had been working with a large extended panel, so they’ve had to release a number of players to their clubs over the course of the last week. The Clann na nGael man is confident that many of them will be back in Tyrone colours at some stage.

“People think they’re being ‘cut’ but there’s another important aspect to it – there’s going to be a lot of club football coming up now, and we’re taking a lot of players away from that, so you have to be very mindful that club football is very important for the development of the younger boys.

“I think they’re going to be better-served playing a lot of club games and then coming back to us at a later date. That door is always open and I guarantee you that some of those boys will be back again.

“We just felt this was better for themselves, for Tyrone and and their clubs, and time will tell whether it was the right decision. You can’t keep everybody, you can’t keep that many players out of club football.”

The former Tyrone captain has also been pleased with the aptitude of his players, though he reiterates his belief that the narrow time-frame to prepare is hardly ideal for anyone, particularly as it makes players more susceptible to injuries.

“The players are working away, but from a player point of view it’s unfair to an extent as they’ve had to come in and hit the ground running very quickly.

“It’s been recited by more than me, that injuries and niggles pop up from getting back into running and playing football, and that’s why we’d have liked a longer lead-in period. But the players are glad to be back and have done everything we’ve asked from them so you can’t ask for any more than that.”

While Tyrone have been handed a home fixture in the first game of Logan and Dooher’s tenure, it’s just a touch unfortunate that the game will be played behind closed doors. It’s still being broadcast live on TG4, and Dooher is cautiously hopeful that some supporters will be allowed through the gates at some point this year.

“That’s the way things are and you accept that, that’s the way it’s been for the last year. It’s just good that the boys will be back playing football for Tyrone and representing Tyrone. People won’t get to it but they’ll be glad to see it on TV.

“You see a sense of optimism again that things are starting to open up and maybe later in the year if things are going well, they might have people back at games.”