Donnelly 'excited' by prospect of O'Rourke arrival

Mattie Donnelly says the Tyrone squad "would surely look forward" to Malachy O'Rourke taking the Red Hand County job although the 33-year-old says he may not prolong his own inter-county career into 2025

Tyrone footballer Mattie Donnelly says Malachy O'Rourke's expected arrival as manager of the Red Hand County "gets me and the people of Tyrone excited".

O'Rourke, the manager of current All-Ireland club champions Glen, is understood to be the only nominee for the job after being proposed by his club Errigal Ciaran and could be installed in the role at Tuesday's scheduled Tyrone county committee meeting.

"You can’t get too committed to it until it’s done and dusted officially but obviously people of that calibre are few and far between," Donnelly told BBC Sport Northern Ireland after his club Trillick's 1-17 to 1-9 victory over Eglish in the Tyrone Football Championship on Saturday.

"I would be good friends with a lot of people who have played under him and they speak so highly of him.

"If Malachy was to come to Tyrone, the panel of players there next year would surely look forward to it."

However, if O'Rourke is installed in the Tyrone job, he may not have Donnelly at his disposal next year with the 33-year-old Trillick man admitting that he may not prolong his inter-county career into 2025.

"I got married this year and that sort of showed my intentions and where I was veering towards," added Donnelly.

"Really I just plan to get through the next few weeks and see if I’m in a position to offer anything to Tyrone with the family life and how it all balances with here (Trillick). I want to give a lot back to Trillick as well."

Donnelly paid tribute to Feargal Logan and Brian Dooher following their departures from the Tyrone job.

"The service they have given Tyrone throughout their life time…..not just this last four years….has been more than anyone should be able to give Tyrone," said Donnelly of the duo who led the Red Hands to the All-Ireland title in their first year in charge in 2021.

"People in Tyrone should be massively appreciative of that and us as players are obviously forever indebted to them for getting us to the holy grail. They can walk away with their heads held high."

After missing last year's county title-winning run because of injury, Donnelly helped Trillick progress to the Tyrone quarter-finals with the 2023 beaten finalists Errigal Ciaran also progressing to the last eight by beating Pomeroy 0-13 to 2-24.

Carrickmore also edged out Dromore 0-11 to 0-10 with Ardboe defeating Edendork 1-12 to 0-10.