Donegal All-Ireland winning manager Brian McEniff described his late friend Art McRory as “a quality man” that put Tyrone on the pinnace that they never came off.

McRory, who died yesterday at the age of 82, had three different spells over Tyrone’s senior footballers and he was also part of a hugely successful Ulster management team with McEniff that won several Railway Cup titles.

Speaking to BBC Sport NI yesterday, McEniff revealed that he had met with the Tyrone great in his own native Bundoran just a fortnight ago.

"I am broken hearted - you can't be involved with such a quality man like that for so long and not feel it. I have lost a very good friend and very loyal friend. Long after our days with Ulster were over, we always phoned each other,” said the 1992 All-Ireland winning manager.

"Just two weeks ago he came to Bundoran with his grandchildren. He wanted to take them to Waterworld and the amusement park. We walked around the sea front and as the Americans would say, we shot the breeze. It was mostly football of course.

"He talked a lot about his wife, Helen, and her passing earlier this year. He never really got over it. They were very close. He was a great man and a great character.

"When selecting teams Arthur always said it as it was. If I put forward a Donegal player that he didn't think should be on the team he wasn't behind the ditch telling me.

"His days with Tyrone were great. He brought them from obscurity really to become one of the best teams in the country. Himself and Eugene (McKenna) won a Division One league title with Tyrone in 2002. It was sad they never won the All-Ireland, but Art put the Tyrone football team on a pinnacle that they never came off."

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