Canavan withdraws from Tyrone's NFL squad

Thursday, February 3

Tyrone fears that Peter Canavan may announce his retirement from intercounty football sooner rather than later were increased on Wednesday when the talismanic attacker confirmed he would not feature in the Allianz NFL.

Canavan has had a litany of injury problems in recent years, and the 33-year-old cited his inability to last a full 70 minutes as the reason behind his decision to withdraw from the county squad.

However, while Canavan admitted that it "could be the case" that he has played his last game for his county, he has not ruled out a possible return before the end of the league campaign - but only if he is fully fit.

"At the minute that is definitely not the case," he said. "If all is well in a few months, I'd like to think I could go back but I'd have to be back on merit."

Indeed, manager Mickey Harte is confident that he will have his All-Ireland winning skipper back in time for the start of the Ulster SFC.

"I do think we'll see him back. He's not happy with his level of fitness and I'll take my cue from him on that. If he says he's fit enough for intercounty football again then I'll be happy with that, the football will look after itself," he said.

Canavan, who will now concentrate on club football with Errigal Ciarain, has suffered back and ankle problems in the last couple of years. An operation to repair the ankle ligaments last January ruled him out of the 2004 NFL.

He returned for the All-Ireland qualifier clash with Galway, but clearly struggled in the quarter-final defeat to Mayo.