Tyrone’s Championship prospects have been handed a timely boost with the news that former All-Star forward Cathal McShane has resumed light training.
The Owen Roe’s clubman has been plagued with injuries throughout 2023 and missed the second half of the League campaign.
He was part of the match-day squad for the Ulster SFC quarter-final loss to Monaghan, but didn’t travel to Galway for the Group Two defeat in Pearse Stadium.
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He played no part in the subsequent victory over Armagh, but joint-manager Brian Dooher hopes he’ll be available for selection in the coming weeks should Tyrone avoid a shock early exit this weekend.
“Cathal (McShane) is back doing a bit of light training at the minute,” said Dooher.
“We’ll see how he goes over the next couple of weeks.”
The Tyrone management were in attendance at the Box-It Athletic Grounds as Westmeath almost pulled off the biggest upset of the season when they led Armagh by three points in the final 10 minutes.
However, a late Conor Turbitt goal helped the hosts claim a narrow 1-13 to 1-12 victory.
Dooher feels Dessie Dolan’s side cannot be taken lightly with Tyrone seeking to guarantee their passage to the knock-out stages of the All-Ireland series in Kingspan Breffni on Sunday.
A draw would be enough to ensure they gain at least third, but they will finish second in the group and gain home advantage in the preliminary quarter-final if they beat Westmeath while they have a chance of topping the group if Armagh also beat Galway.
“Westmeath were Tailteann Cup winners last year, they beat Cavan (in the final),” stated Dooher.
“If we were playing Cavan, we’d be saying we’ve a damn tight match ahead of us.
“That’s the standard you are at. We were up at the Armagh game and they were unlucky to get nothing out of that game, only Armagh came back in the last five minutes and got a goal from a speculative enough ball into the box.
“By all accounts, they were well in the game against Galway until the middle of the second half.
“You know what you are dealing with, you are dealing with a quality outfit and some fine footballers. We’ll have to be on top of our game.”
Dooher added that he isn’t sure a repeat of Tyrone’s showing against Armagh would be good enough to see off the Westmeath challenge this weekend, but stressed that he cannot fault the commitment of the Red Hand squad.
“You’d be fearful. We are probably conceding too many opportunities and not taking enough of our own opportunities,” added Dooher.
“You have to admire them for the dedication they put in. The boys give us and dedicate their lives to this. Anything we’ve asked them, they’ve done.
“You don’t understand it until you are in with them boys or you’ve been there what it takes.
“That’s what their life revolves around, everything else is put on hold. That’s the way it has to be, but you have to respect that commitment from them.”
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