THE last time Tyrone Ladies met Sligo Chloe McCaffrey broke Yeats hearts with a last minute winning goal at Ballyshannon in the 2018 All-Ireland semi-final on their way to eventually clinching the title.

Much has changed in terms of personnel in both camps in the intervening period (though McCaffrey is among a handful still involved) as they get set to meet again in the Championship this Sunday afternoon in Killyclogher (2pm)

The scheduling of the match has left a sour taste in the O’Neill county, doing nothing to market the ladies game.

It goes head to head with the Mens All-Ireland qualifier clash featuring Tyrone and Armagh at the Athletic Grounds. Despite appeals to Sligo for a later start time, it was an emphatic no in response from the Yeats County. Some of that fixture responsibility does lie with the LGFA though and the lack of co-operation between the codes once again highlights the need for integration at all levels.

Whatever about the time and date however Tyrone come into the match in fine fettle having overcome Down in the Ulster Final, to put some silverware in the cabinet.

However captain Niamh O’Neill admits there’s still room for improvement.

“It was definitely great to start the championship campaign in winning ways and get our hands on silverware but we know that the performance against Down will have to improve if we want to progress in the Intermediate competition.”

Tyrone had dominated the Mourne girls but allowed them back into the contest at one stage and O’Neill is well aware of just what that could mean against Sligo.

“ Sligo will have all our respect but we won’t be looking past that first game.

“They had a solid league and competed well in their games in the Connacht Championship as well.

“ They will be looking to push on and make a statement themselves and they also will have a game under their belt when they face us, which could stand to them with that added bit of match sharpness. So we know it will be a tough game and we will have to hit the ground running if we want a good result.”

That first outing for the Yeats side did not go to script as they suffered a mauling last weekend, losing heavily to Laois 6-23 to 0-8. The Connacht side were well off the mark and another loss will make it impossible for them to get out of the group.

Injuries remain an issue for Tyrone manager Sean O’Kane who will have learnt plenty from Sligo’s opener but the Strabane man hopes to have everyone available for the Ballinamullan outing.

Niamh O’Neill reveals that there is a good buzz within the camp on the back of their provincial triumph.

“ There’s great positivity in the group and there’s competition for places which is what you want to see. We all know ourselves we have a lot we can do better in regard to how we performed against Down”

Game management proved to be an issue but the mangaement will have worked on that, mindful too of keeping the ball when they do have it.

While it is very much the old adage of one game at a time progress to the knock out stages is the target and on the back of last week’s heavy defeat for Slido an improving Tyrone will start as favourites in this home opener.

The skipper added: “ Every game is a massive game for us now and nothing is going to be handed to us just because we’re the team down from senior.

“ If anything the target is on our backs a bit as one of the teams to beat. We have a lot to prove and know we have a lot of work to do but we’re looking forward to the challenge and we know what we can achieve.”