Former AFL star Conor McKenna has departed the Tyrone football panel as rumours of a return to Australia gather momentum.
McKenna joined the Tyrone squad in 2020 and subsequently helped the Red Hand to All-Ireland success in 2021 as they defeated Mayo.
A high profile youngster, McKenna was also part of the Tyrone minor team who were defeated in the 2013 All-Ireland final by Mayo. He was then signed by AFL side Essendon Bombers in 2014.
READ MORE: Rory McIlroy ready to party but says prospect of LIV golfers at Wentworth is 'hard to stomach'
He spent five seasons with the Melbourne club and often came back to line out for Eglish in the Tyrone Club Championship.
In 2020, he left the Bombers and was called into the Tyrone panel by the-then Red Hand boss Mickey Harte. Tyrone were eliminated from Ulster and, therefore, the All-Ireland series by Donegal in Ballybofey with a straight-knockout Championship being brought in during the pandemic.
Last season, his two goals helped Tyrone overcome Kerry in the All-Ireland SFC semi-final before they defeated Mayo in the decider last September with McKenna setting up Darren McCurry’s goal.
However, this year was a bitterly disappointing one for Tyrone. Despite retaining their Division One status with a last day win over Kerry in Killarney, Feargal Logan and Brian Dooher’s men fell flat in the Championship.
They stuttered past Fermanagh in the preliminary round with McKenna picking up a controversial red card late on.
He was cleared to play in the Ulster SFC quarter-final, but disaster struck for Tyrone as they were ambushed by Derry in Healy Park with Rory Gallagher’s men claiming a deserved 11-point win.
McKenna was also dismissed late on for a second booking while midfielder Brian Kennedy received a straight red in the first half.
In the Qualifiers, McKenna hit the first goal in the Athletic Grounds, but it was to be a false dawn for the Red Hands as their All-Ireland defence ended with a six-point loss to Armagh.
While Tyrone endured a turbulent Championship campaign, the success of their U20 squad in 2022 means they are unlikely to slip too far down in the pecking order.
Ruairi Canavan, Matthew McGleenan, Niall Devlin and Steve Donaghy were called up to the senior squad ahead of the clash with the Orchard County in the Qualifiers and more look sure to make the step-up in the coming years.
Yet, the loss of McKenna is a body blow to Tyrone, who were without a host of attacking talents this season after the likes of Paul Donaghy, Ronan O’Neill, Lee Brennan and Mark Bradley stepped away from the squad following their All-Ireland success.
Tiernan McCann, Hugh Pat McGeary and Michael Cassidy also quit, meaning Logan and Dooher were without seven All-Ireland winners this term.
READ NEXT:
Max Verstappen wins Belgian GP after starting 14th as Lewis Hamilton suffers nightmare
Conor McGregor fans convinced UFC star posted video of sex act on his yacht
Roy Keane among the favourites to land Sunderland job after Alex Neil departs for Stoke
Allan Saint-Maximin ends remarkable goal drought as wonder-strike saves Newcastle at Wolves
James O'Donoghue scores audacious point from 'impossible' angle in Kerry club match
Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts
