D'ARCY: HEAL DO FOR HANDS; GAA LATEST SFC DRAW CAUSES VENUE HEADACHE Champions planning to host Ulster blockbuster.

Byline: BY ORLA BANNON

TYRONE want to stage next year's Ulster Championship showdown against Armagh in Omagh.

The larger capacity of Clones, which could cater for an extra 15,000 supporters, would be the preferred choice of the Ulster Council for a game which is the standout fixture of the football Championship draws along with Dublin v Meath.

However, having been drawn out of the hat first, the All-Ireland champions are determined to keep home advantage.

"We have spent a lot of money on Healy Park and it's made to host these type of games," said county chairman Pat D'Arcy.

"As All-Ireland champions it would be nice for the team to run out for their first Championship game at home.

"You can't ignore that it's a very attractive fixture and a lot of people will want to go but Healy Park has been able to take the crowds for all our home games in recent years."

As defending All-Ireland champions in 2006, Tyrone's opening title defence was at home to Derry and although it was a high-profile fixture between the north-west rivals only around 15,000 attended.

This year 18,000 filed into Healy Park for the opening Ulster Championship clash with Down, which was again some 1,500 short of the full capacity.

Tyrone and Armagh haven't met since their memorable All-Ireland semifinal in 2005.

After attracting 67,000 to their drawn Ulster final in Croke Park that year, perhaps the Ulster Council will make an audacious move and bring next year's quarter-final to headquarters.

With the GAA's 125th celebrations already guaranteed a Leinster Championship cracker between Dublin and Meath, perhaps the northern heavyweights could pack Croke Park as well.

However, the likeliest scenario is that it's a straight shoot-out between Omagh and Clones to host the game in late Mayo 2009.

"It is the Ulster Council who will decide but they have acceded to our requests for home games in the last two years," stated D'Arcy.

"With it being Armagh, there will be more people who will want to see it and you have to think of families as well, although we have been able to provide family tickets at Healy Park before." Armagh footballer Charlie Vernon, whose sister Fionnula is engaged to Tyrone star Sean Cavanagh, knows the banter will be good around his house for the next seven months or so.

"I suppose that's the nature of the GAA, rivalries and and banter are all part of it," smiled the Armagh Harps man. "Me and Sean are no different but it's all very friendly." Tyrone midfielder Enda McGinley, a shoo-in to win his first All Star award next week after a terrific year with the Red Hands, would have loved a bit longer to savour the All-Ireland success before being brought back down to earth with this fixture.

"Part of me thinks why don't the authorities leave it for another few weeks to let us enjoy it," he said.

"Armagh are a great side and we're well behind them in terms of Ulster Championships so it will be a huge game and both sets of supporters will really look forward to it." Meanwhile, Davy Fitzgerald is expected to be reappointed as Waterford hurling manager next Monday night and he already has one eye on next year's grudge match against Justin McCarthy's Limerick in the Munster championship.

The former Clare 'keeper replaced McCarthy in the Waterford hot-seat last June after the Cork native was the victim of player-power.

McCarthy was only appointed Limerick manager on Tuesday night and must now face his former charges after last night's championship draw.

A typically cagey Fitzgerald said: "It will be a very hard game for Waterford, whoever is in charge of them".

"Limerick will be unhappy with the way they played last year and with Justin as manager they will have added motivation.

"Justin will certainly want to get a big performance out of them because he left Waterford in controversial circumstances.

"But Waterford lost to Limerick in an All-Ireland semi-final last year, so they have plenty of motivation," added Fitzgerald.

"The Waterford-Limerick match is going to be huge and it will be a sell-out wherever it's played."

As All-Ireland champions it would be nice for the team to run out for their first Championship game at home

CHAIRMAN PAT D'ARCY

CAPTION(S):

TRIP TO HQ Brian Dooher shrugs off Armagh's Aidan O'Rourke during the Ulster final of 2005 staged in Croke Park; OPTION Ulster's provincial home St Tiernach's Park in Clones; REVAMP Tyrone County Board have invested in Healy Park