Not a bad line-up at all.
Three Tyrone legends have joined the Masters county team, as the Red Hand county look to retain the All-Ireland for the third time in a row.
The Ulster side was already littered with players with prestigious calibre, including Stephen O’Neill, Conor Gormley, and Ciaran Gourley.
Joint-manager Eugene Bradley believes the involvement of big-name players with his county has raised the profile of the Masters game, with a number of additional counties entering the competition this year.
“This year we have 24 teams in, with Derry, Armagh and Limerick coming in as new teams,” he told the Irish News.
“It has got very popular and a lot of counties are showing a lot of interest, and that’s good to see. It will make it very competitive this year.
“More county players are coming in now, the competition has got a higher profile, and I think it’s going to go from strength to strength. It’s a great competition and it’s well run.
“Sean Cavanagh, Martin Penrose, Joe McMahon and Niall Gormley are coming in. But we need to be at full tilt, because other teams will be coming gunning for us.
“They’ll not like to see us winning three in a row.”
Treble All-Ireland winners Gormley, O’Neill and Gourley’s decision to commit to another season, along with other former county players, including Eoghan Bradley, excites the management team.
“They’re all back this year again, and that keeps the interest going. They’re all training hard like everybody else, and that’s great to see.”
Last season’s decider against Dublin went to extra-time, before the Red Hands emerged as narrow winners of a thriller to retain their title.
“As we saw last year, it went down to the last kick of the ball in extra-time for us to win.
“We need those boys on board, and that’s why it’s so competitive.”
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