Big Enda V Big Justy, Round One!!!!!

Saturday 07.01.2012

Club

Tyrone players have a proud record of success and achievement when representing third level Colleges teams and this year it was believed as many as twenty eight Red Hand Men were named in the original team lists submitted by the universities for The Mc Kenna Cup. County manager Mickey Harte must have looked on enviously as the various Colleges and Universities included many of the players he wanted to have a look at during the competition. Fortunately the Glencull man was able to persuade several of the students to take their opportunities with the county team and as a result there are a number of college players on the Tyrone panel announced for Sunday’s Mc Kenna Cup opener.

The nature of The Mc Kenna Cup is such that we will also see the involvement of several Tyrone players not presently on the county squad as they represent their university sides in the competition. Should any of them impress sufficiently it might give county manager Mickey Harte further options when The National League comes around in February.

Tyrone’s first game of the new year will see them facing QUB in Omagh on Sunday and the students have listed two large figures from the Red Hand County to backbone their side. Sean Warnock and Enda Clarke both play their club football with Greencastle and along with Eglish forward Gregory Jordan they will be hoping to help their university side to victory. Former county minor Warnock is expected to line out at full back while his colleague Clarke is listed to play at full forward for Queens. It should be quite a clash when Clarke and Justin Mc Mahon tussle for the occasional high ball that is sure to be driven into the Tyrone square during the course of the game. Enda Clarke’s height is something that is bound to cause problems for any team and seeing him line out at full forward for the students, if it proves a success, might well give Mickey Harte food for thought. Anyone who has seen “Big Enda” strut his stuff in the middle of the field for his club will know just how difficult it is to get the better of him when competing for a high ball. It has the look of an intriguing battle and one that is sure to stir the passions of all followers of Gaelic football.