Enda McGinley: Tyrone can prosper in new football landscape

The new football rules are very much in their infancy, so drawing too many definitive conclusions at this early stage is something of a fool's errand.

The opening round of fixtures of the Allianz Football League has at least allowed us get a better handle on the new football landscape, with Niall McCoy running through some early observations.

Courtesy of a seven-point winning margin over Ulster rivals Derry in Omagh, the Red Hand County are the early pace setters in Division 1.

The Malachy O’Rourke era is up and running and speaking on the RTÉ GAA podcast, former Tyrone midfielder Enda McGinley believes his county have all the tools to prosper with the raft of rule changes.

"A footballing goalkeeper (Niall Morgan) is bonus points," he said. "Big midfielders are key to win that primary possession because there are going to be more contested kickouts and I thought Brian Kennedy was immense on Saturday night.

"Man-marking defenders are going to be key because there are going to be more one-on-one battles and then sharp-shooters up front (the likes of the Canavan brothers and Darren McCurry).

"Tyrone has a panel that ticks all those boxes."

Next up for Tyrone is another Ulster derby on Saturday night when the RTÉ cameras will be at the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds for their clash with the All-Ireland champions.

McGinley feels that all the Division 1 sides have personnel to utilise the new rules, but only time will tell who adapts to the greatest effect.

"All the teams are well set-up for it, but it is the craft in the inside line to create goal chances," he said.

"That ability to go from a two-point attack to suddenly going for goal, those changes are going to be massive.

"These games are chaotic at the minute. The teams that best manage