Tyrone are set to be without All-Star defender Padraig Hampsey for the opening rounds of their Allianz Football League Division 1 campaign.

The All-Ireland winning captain is recovering from a shoulder operation which is set to see him missing out on the early part of the Red Hands’ season.

Hampsey suffered the injury back in August while on club duty with Coalisland and BelfastLive.co.uk reports that he won’t return to action until later in the league campaign, with Malachy O’Rourke’s men set to open against Derry in Omagh tomorrow fortnight.

There is good news for O’Rourke in the form of veteran Mattie Donnelly’s recent return to training.

The 34-year-old hadn’t played since his native Trillick went down narrowly to Errigal Ciaran in the Tyrone SFC final in late October, but has made a return to action which saw him lining out at full-forward in a challenge match against Meath recently.

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