 Mickey Harte is manager of the current NFL champions Tyrone |
Tyrone manager Mickey Harte has several injury worries ahead of Sunday's Allianz National Football League semi-final against Fermanagh.Kevin Hughes picked up a groin injury while playing for his club Killeeshil on Sunday and is rated doubtful for the Croke Park encounter.
Cormac McAnallen is definitely out of the game because of suspension while Owen Mulligan, Mickey McGee and Brian McGuigan all picked up knocks in club games over the weekend.
In addition, Ryan Mellon is extremely doubtful because of a virus.
Unlike in Fermanagh and Armagh, Tyrone's county players largely lined out for the clubs are the weekend.
The Fermanagh club programme was postponed while Armagh's players were still in England at a training camp over the weekend.
Despite the likelihood of losing some of his stars for this weekend, Tyrone boss Harte has defended the playing of club matches a week ahead of the NFL semi-final.
"I have always advocated that club football should go ahead as far as possible," Harte told the Irish News.
 Mickey Linden will soon turn 40 |
"You can't have hundreds of club footballers waiting all the time.
"You have to strike a balance within reason".
Fermanagh, meanwhile, reported no major injury worries ahead of the semi-final.
Ryan McCloskey should be in contention for the team again after being out injured for a couple of weeks.
Fermanagh go into the game boosted by captain's Raymond Gallagher selection as the Bass Ulster GAA Writers merit award winner for March.
Armagh, meanwhile, will still be without Ronan Clarke for their semi-final against Laois.
However manager Joe Kernan has no other injury worries.
Meanwhile, veteran forward Mickey Linden has returned to the Down football squad.
McDonald quits Mayo
The 39-year-old Mayobridge man trained with the Down panel at the weekend and seems set to play a part in the Ulster Championship opener against Monaghan or Armagh on 8 June.
Meanwhile, Mayo forward Kieran McDonald has quit intercounty football.
McDonald's intercounty future has been the subject of much speculation in recent weeks and the Mayo county board confirmed on Monday that he had left the panel.
Reports have suggested that the abuse that he and his family received after the county's recent NFL defeat by Fermanagh was the last straw for the Crossmolina man.
MMIX
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