By Barry O'Donnell

GIVEN the fierce competition for places in the starting fifteen, brotherly love may be in short supply in the McMahon household for a few hours when Mickey Harte names his Tyrone team this evening for the Down tie.

Affable Omagh St Enda's clubmen Joe and Justin McMahon are both eying a spot in the side this weekend and ideally would like to be starting together in the Championship for the first time, particularly with the match being played on their home patch.

However with the siblings each renowned for their versatility, having lined out on occasions either in defence and midfield, it's probably more feasible that each is vying with the other for a spot in the Tyrone side for Sunday's crunch collision with the visiting Mourne men.

Twenty-five year old Joe, the elder of the two, has endured a frustrating time over the last year battling with injuries and during his absence Justin has moved centrestage from the periphery to become a vital member of the Red Hand squad.

Both brothers have undergone operations to overcome niggly groin problems but Joe's slower convalescence meant he missed the entire National League programme. However he has benefited from the busy schedule of activity on the Tyrone league front over the last month to put himself back in the frame for selection for his county.

" I've played in all of Omagh's league matches which helped bring me on. Hopefully that's the injury problems cleared up. They've been a problem not just with myself but the whole Tyrone team in recent seasons and we'd like to see the back of them for a while."

Tyrone approach the advent of a new Championship campaign outside the media gaze with much of the attention now focused on the likes of Derry, who are widely regarded as Ulster's premier force in 2008. However McMahon believes that the mood in the camp is nevertheless relaxed and cautiously optimistic despite the indifferent form of the past couple of seasons.

" Everyone is very upbeat at the moment. We had a good training weekend down in Carlton House in Kildare recently where there was a lot of hard work done and it helped to bond the players. We focused in on the Down match and what our ambitions are for that day, June 8th, as well as for the rest of the year.

" There's a lot of talk about Derry and rightly so the way they are playing. They are going to be tagged as favourites after beating Kerry in the National League. We have plenty of experience and past glories but this is a new team and we no longer have the likes of Stephen O'Neill or Peter Canavan. Maybe that's why we are not being talked up as much but we have new lads coming in who can do a job for us."

Joe acknowledges that aside from the Ulster title success of 2007, Tyrone have done little on the field to answer those detractors who would argue that their stock has fallen considerably since the halcyon days of 2005.

" There is a lot expected of Tyrone every year and I suppose we have underachieved in the league and championship in recent times. With not having the favourites tag this season maybe the pressure is lifted a little but in saying that that will be no excuse for not playing up to our full potential."

Mention of Tyrone's potential Achilles Heel going into the Championship and inevitably the perennial issue of who dons the number three jersey springs up. Both McMahon brothers are among a host of players who have been tried out at full-back before and Joe contends that he won't mind if asked to fill that void again.

" Wherever Mickey is likely to put you, you go out and do your job. If you're starting anywhere for your county it's a privilege and particularly in such a key position as full-back."

Whoever is handed that task may be charged with stymieing the influence of Down dangerman Benny Coulter on Sunday. Yet aside from the Mayobridge marauder the Mourne attack isn't too highly touted when compared to some of the country's other potent forward units. Joe though is quick to dispel such a suggestion."

" Down have a lot to prove themselves especially with the league going so poorly for them. They will be unhappy with some of their recent performances but have the men in attack who can cause problems for any defence and it will be a very tough opener for ourselves. But we also have a point to prove and want to set out our stall for the remainder of the season."

And Joe confesses that it would be a proud moment for the McMahon clan if both himself and Justin are in there from the off, though he jokes:

" It would be a nice touch alright but if we are both fighting for the same position one or the other mightn't see it that way."