MICKEY HARTE HAS called upon nine of his starting side from last year’s All-Ireland final as they commence their 2019 league campaign against Kerry on Sunday.
Harte takes his side to Fitzgerald Stadium for Sunday afternoon’s Division 1 tie against a Kerry team who have a new manager in Peter Keane.
Defenders Liam Rafferty and Hugh Pat McGeary, the midfield duo of Brian Kennedy and Declan McClure, and the attacking pair of Darren McCurry and David Mulgrew are the additions to the Tyrone setup from the team that started against Dublin last September.
McClure came on as a substitute in that Croke Park decider while McGeary saw action in last summer’s championship. Both McCurry and Mulgrew featured when Tyrone lost out to Dublin in the 2017 All-Ireland semi-final.
Newcomer Darragh Canavan and the returning Kyle Coney are interesting additions to the substitute list.
Tyrone
1. Niall Morgan (Edendork)
2. Liam Rafferty (Galbally)
3. Ronan McNamee (Aghyaran)
4. Hugh Pat McGeary (Pomeroy)
5. Tiernan McCann (Killyclogher)
6. Rory Brennan (Trillick)
7. Michael McKernan (Coalisland)
8. Brian Kennedy (Derrylaughan)
9. Declan McClure (Clonoe)
10. Mattie Donnelly (Trillick)
11. Peter Harte (Errigal Ciaran)
12. Niall Sludden (Dromore)
13. Darren McCurry (Edendork)
14. David Mulgrew (Ardboe)
15. Cathal McShane (Eoghan Ruadh)
Subs
16. Benny Gallen (Aghyaran)
17. Lee Brennan (Trillick)
18. Darragh Canavan (Errigal Ciaran)
19. Kyle Coney (Ardboe)
20. Conan Grugan (Omagh)
21. Conal McCann (Killyclogher)
22. Aidan McCrory (Errigal Ciaran)
23. Ben McDonnell (Errigal Ciaran)
24. Kieran McGeary (Pomeroy)
25. Ciaran McLaughlin (Omagh)
26. Conor Meyler (Omagh)
Meanwhile last year’s Division 4 league champions Laois will make their bow in the third tier tomorrow night with a trip to Newry to face Down.
Laois enjoyed a progressive 2018 under manager John Sugrue as they contested the Leinster final before losing out to Monaghan in Round 4 of the qualifiers.
Seven of the team that started in that game against Monaghan are named to start with captain Stephen Attride back in action after fracturing his skull in last year’s Leinster semi-final against Carlow.
Just over a week out from the 2019 Six Nations openers, Murray Kinsella and Gavan Casey are joined by Bernard Jackman to look at Ireland’s bid for another Grand Slam:
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