Peter Canavan is expecting a "great occasion" when Ulster rivals Derry and Tyrone clash this weekend in the Allianz Football League as Mickey Harte goes up against his native county for the first time as Oak Leaf boss.
Both sides enter the round two fixture with wins already under the belt, Derry having left Tralee with the points last Saturday while a Darragh Canavan-inspired performance was too much for Roscommon at Healy Park a day later.
A number of factors are playing into a sense of occasion that is perhaps more fitting of a championship build-up rather than a second league outing at the start of February.
Traditional Ulster rivals, Derry are looking to build on successive provincial finals and subsequent All-Ireland semi-final defeats, in contrast to 2021 Sam Maguire winners Tyrone who continue to rebuild with further turnover in the panel this year.
Off the pitch rivalry will be put to one side for a short time at least when both sets of supporters are expected to unite, with a 'Justice for Sean Brown and Patsy Kelly' pre-match march taking place.
Father of five Kelly was abducted and murdered outside Trillick in 1974, with Northern Ireland's Police Ombudsman concluding "wholly inadequate investigation" took place.
Browne was abducted and murdered by the Loyalist Volunteer Force, a breakaway faction of the UVF, as he locked the gates at Bellaghy Wolfe Tones Club in Co Derry in May 1997. No one has ever been charged with his murder.
The march will start at Free Derry Corner before making its way to Celtic Park for 2.30pm throw-in on Sunday.
On the field the main focus is undoubtedly Harte coming up against the county he led to three All-Ireland titles.
A successful stint at Louth was a buffer, but decision to step into the Derry hotseat late last year has been a huge talking point.
Six-time All-Star Canavan, a key figure during Tyrone’s glory days under Harte, says any criticism will wash over the 72-year-old, especially given the sour taste left in his mouth after his Red Hand exit in 2020.
"When I played for Tyrone, I didn’t play to win any popularity contests," he told the RTÉ GAA podcast.
"You do your best to win. Mickey Harte is no different. The reaction when the news came out that he went to Derry caused rancour.
"There was no place for him in the Tyrone set-up. The way it was managed at the time maybe left a lot to be desired for a man who has given so much to the county, be it club, underage and senior county teams.
"Come Sunday, when he is on that sideline you can guarantee, no matter what is being said, he won’t hear it as he will be totally consumed by what is going on between the white lines on the pitch.
"Whether you like it or not, it’s time to move on."
Tyrone have struggled since lifting Sam Maguire, a dismal title defence in 2022 that ended by the first round of the qualifiers, while last year they fell at the first hurdle in Ulster before a comprehensive All-Ireland quarter-final defeat to Kerry.
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Derry on the other hand have gone from strength to strength in the same period, and for that reason – added to the departure of some key players and influx of fresh faces by Brian Dooher and Fergal Logan, Canavan is more hopeful than confident of an away victory.
"The outcome is not the most important thing from a Tyrone perspective," he says.
"I think most people would agree that Tyrone are a bit behind Derry at the minute. Derry are top two, top three contenders for the All-Ireland title. They are a good bit ahead of Tyrone.
"Tyrone had six debutants last time round. You have a young up and coming Tyrone team up against a very experienced Derry side.
"If it be competitive from start to finish, I'll be happy, even if I don’t get the result I want."
Listen to the RTÉ GAA Podcast on the RTÉ Radio Player, Apple Podcasts , Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts
Watch Mayo v Dublin in the Allianz Football League on Saturday from 7.15pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to updates on Saturday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1
Watch highlights on Allianz League Sunday on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player from 9.30pm, follow a live blog every Sunday afternoon on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to live updates on Sunday Sport
