By Niall Gartland

IT isn’t just the fact that no team has retained the O’Neill Cup title in nigh on 20 years, it’s the sheer spread of winners that makes it such a tantalising prospect.

Eight different clubs have got their hands on the prize in the last 11 years, and statistically the most impressive of the list is reigning champions Trillick, who have won three of them.

They weren’t strongly fancied to go all the way in last year’s competition, and they stuttered past Loughmacrory on penalties on their first day out, but after that they produced a string of formidable displays en route to a thoroughly deserved extra-time win over perennial favourites Errigal Ciaran on county final day.

If they get all their ducks in a row, you couldn’t discount them becoming the first team since the Carrickmore 200405 team to clinch the elusive back-to-back.

They get their championship campaign underway in the first week of September with a first-round clash against an Eglish team yet to win a single match all season.

If anything, Jody Gormley’s side could be even stronger than last year with the return of a certain Mattie Donnelly, but it would still be a seismic achievement if they emerge top of the pile for a second year running.

Errigal Ciaran, managed this season by Enda McGinley and Stevie Quinn, will be determined to make amends for last year’s defeat, and there’s certainly no shortage of attacking talent around Dunmoyle with Darragh and Ruairi Canavan set to lead the way up front. They’ve welcomed back 2021 All-Ireland winner Niall Kelly, who recovered from a serious long-term injury that saw him miss the entirety of last year’s championship, and Tyrone skipper Peter Harte remains central to their efforts. They’re red hot favourites to account for Pomeroy in their championship opener next month.

Coming up the inside are 2020 champions Dungannon Clarkes, who have won their last five league matches as well as the prestigious Kilmacud 7s tournament in late July. They have pace and power to burn while Paul Donaghy has shot the lights out time-and-time again in this year’s Division One campaign.

Dungannon take on their age old rivals Donaghmore in the first round of the championship, and it isn’t the only derby clash on offer.

Omagh take on Killyclogher and while both teams have won senior championships in the last decade, they haven’t fared so well in recent years. After a promising league campaign in 2023, Killyclogher succumbed to a heavy defeat against Errigal in the first round of last year’s championship, while Omagh were knocked out by Ardboe. Omagh are also operating without Tyrone star Conor Meyler, whose only playing appearance all season was in a reserve fixture for his club, and he’s unlikely to make a return in the championship.

A bumper crowd is expected at the meeting of neighbours Coalisland and Clonoe, two teams who are currently fighting for survival at the bottom end of Division One. Coalisland will be favourites but don’t rule out a shock as at least three of their main players will be unavailable. Niall Devlin and Michael McKernan, two starters for Tyrone, will be missing as they have to serve a one-game suspension hanging over from the 2023 championship, while Bailey Leonard suffered a serious ankle injury, ruling him out of contention.

Loughmacrory take on neighbours Galbally in a particularly difficult game to call. Loughmacrory have made considerable strides in recent seasons and their clubman Ciarán Meenagh remains involved in the background (Derry’s Marty Boyle is manager) while the Pearses have had a hugely commendable league campaign and presently sit second in the table to Dungannon.

Dromore had a super pre-season campaign, winning the Jim Devlin Cup, but their league campaign has been less remarkable. Still, you can’t count them out and it’ll be interesting to see whether Emmett McNabb features after spending 2023 on his travels. They face up to Carrickmore in the first round, a team that have been motoring along nicely with Danny Fullerton in brilliant form in front of the posts.

That leaves one more game down for decision. Edendork are a potential dark horse and will be favourites to overcome Ardboe in the first round. Ardboe did of course reach last year’s semi-finals, but they suffered a bruising defeat to Errigal and presently sit third from bottom in Division One. They have some strong players though, including U-20 Footballer of the Year Shea O’Hare, so you can’t rule them out completely from plotting an upset.

Intermediate is a hard call

LAST year’s beaten finalists Moy will hope to go one better this time around when the ball throws in for this year’s Tyrone Intermediate Championship.

The Moy came out second best against an extremely strong Pomeroy side in last year’s final, and they’ve been tipping along nicely in this year’s league, losing only a single game to date after 10 matches.

With Michael Conroy and Ryan Coleman in superb form up front, they’re red hot favourites to book their spot in the quarters at the expense of Naomh Eoghan but these things don’t always go according to script and there are plenty of other contenders for the title.

Gortin have arguably exceeded expectations in this year’s league after a difficult 2023.

They sit second in the table and can call upon All-Ireland U-20 winners Odhran Brolly and Liam Óg Mossey.

They take on familiar foes Owen Roes in the first round, and they’ll get nothing easy there.

Aghyaran have struggled to make their mark in championship football but they have some seriously stellar performers like Ronan McHugh, Benny Gallen and Ronan McNamee.

They should account for Cookstown in the first-round and have the potential to pick up a head of steam.

Greencastle are in their first season back in Division Two after last season’s relegation and can’t be discounted.

They claimed an impressive derby win over Gortin last weekend and can call upon seasoned campaigners like Cahir McCullagh, Sean Warnock and Conor Carson.

They face Kildress in the first round, a team that have fared really well this season after the tragic loss of their star performer Mattie McGuigan.

Elsewhere, Moortown are a dogged, determined team with experience of winning the Intermediate title as recently as a few years ago.

They’ll be favourites to overcome last year’s Junior kingpins Fintona, who to be fair have done well in their first season in the Intermediate ranks.

Derrylaughan are similarly hardy and have some fine players like Tyrone vice-captain Brian Kennedy and Tomás Carney.

Meanwhile, Beragh haven’t fared as well as they’d have liked this season but they should have enough in the locker to overcome Drumragh, while it’s tough to call a winner between Stewartstown and the Rock with both sitting mid-table in the league.

Wolfe Tones are the form team in junior

DRUMQUIN took a massive step towards clinching Division Three honours last weekend with victory over rivals Aghaloo, so it’ll be interesting to see whether they can carry their form into the championship.

The Wolfe Tones have only one a single championship title at adult level in their history, that being the Intermediate Championship back in 1994.

Few would have predicted at the start of the season that they would blaze a trail through the league, however, but they’ve been going extremely well under new management and the addition of former Omagh footballer Ronan Strain has been a huge asset on the field of play.

If they win their final two league games, they’ll take home the league title and with it promotion to Division Two, so confidence would be sky high heading into their first-round clash against whoever emerges from the preliminary meeting of Brackaville and Augher.

Aghaloo will be smarting by their defeat to Drumquin as it now looks like the league title is beyond reach, so they’ll be keen to make amends in the championship.

They’ve had some near misses in recent seasons which could weigh on their minds, and they won’t get anything handed to them in their championship opener against Eskra, who always give a good account of themselves.

Keep an eye out on Killeeshil, who are third in Division Three. They’ve been weakened by emigration in recent years but they still have plenty of good players and should prove too strong for Clann na nGael in the first-round.

Other teams who will hope for a prolonged championship run include Glenelly and Strabane, but there is a considerable enough gap between the top and bottom teams in Junior level in Tyrone with Urney, Killyman and Brocagh all struggling to make any sort of mark.