Just over half of Tyrone squad training as Dooher casts doubt over semi-final

August 10, 2021

Tyrone joint-manager Brian Dooher

Tyrone joint-manager Brian Dooher says the Ulster champions “will struggle still to field a team” next Saturday week against Kerry.

The All-Ireland SFC semi-final between the two counties had originally been fixed for this coming Sunday at Croke Park but, following a status report received by the GAA relating to positive Covid-19 cases in the Tyrone panel, the game was pushed back by six days.

It also sees the All-Ireland final, originally scheduled for August 29th, switched to September 4th.

Speaking to BBC Sport NI, Dooher said that while they were grateful for the postponement of the semi-final, he still feels there’s a possibility of the last four clash with the Kingdom not going ahead on August 21st.

"There's a possibility definitely [that the game will be cancelled]. We'd like to be in a position where we can field a team and give it our best, but at the minute I can't say for certain if that's going to happen," said the 2008 All-Ireland winning captain.

"It's not a decision we'll take lightly, we'll base it on all the facts we have. How the players react, how they're training.

"We want to fulfil the fixture and we'll do everything we can to do that, but we'll be guided by the health and wellbeing of our players principally and the advice from our medical team.

"I'm not going to force players out and put their long-term health at risk, nobody in Tyrone football wants that. We're looking at long-term, bigger picture here".


Most Read Stories