By Alan Rodgers

A BIG reward of a top three finish is providing the ideal incentive for the Tyrone hurlers as their National League Division 2B campaign reaches a critical stage with what promises to be a fairly difficult away trip against London in Ruislip this weekend.

Last year, the first-round victory over the Exiles gave the Red Hands the perfect start to their first season in the higher ranks. Now, after two matches already in 2024, they have been enjoying reasonable fortunes with challenges ahead.

Three points from the three games to date is a good platform. But victory over London is going to be absolutely vital and the prospect of gaining the win at McGovern Park is one that is certainly set to bring out the best in the team, now managed by Stephen McGarry.

Dungannon, Eoghan Ruadh dual star Tiarnan Morgan has been producing some outstanding performances in the defence. He’s well aware of what’s at stake and confident of the Red Hands being capable of making their mark.

“A point the last day against Donegal was better than nothing and this is a good tight league,” he said.

“We’re taking the point from the Donegal game. It sets us up nicely for going to London and hopefully pressing for a top three finish in Division 2B. We gave away too many frees in that game but the lads battled back well at the finish.

“It has always been tight between us and Donegal at underage but those types of matches are really going to stand to us going into the London game this weekend.”

Ulster teams currently dominate the Division 2B table. Derry are top after defeating both Tyrone and Donegal, who are now in joint second place alongside Roscommon. However, London are on two points and anxious to boost that total on their home patch this weekend.

Tyrone welcomed back Sean Óg Grogan to the ranks in the Donegal game and travel to London with a lot of hope this weekend. Nevertheless, nobody is going to be under any illusions about the task facing them against opponents well established at this level.

“I’m pretty confident that we can finish in the top three. We’re away to London and that’s a different challenge what with the travelling. They’re going well, although they lost out to Derry the last day,” added the Eoghan Ruadh player.

“We’re used to travelling having been away to Warwickshire before. It’s about getting the legs fresh the next day. It will be interesting to see what London bring to the table.

“Our training is flying and the best we’ve seen for a while. There’s a couple of young boys who have come into the panel and are doing well. The physicality is good and Stephen McGarry is doing well since he came in as manager.

“He’s putting a lot of confidence into the players. We had to do a bit of extra work before the star, but the training is going well and we’ll be trying to maintain that now.”

Tyrone’s game against London is their penultimate tie, and is followed by Wicklow in the final round later this month.