Tyrone's marathon season may have ended with the ultimate prize but there has been a knock-on effect on their club football championship. If the county champions are to reach the Ulster club semi-finals they must win six games in six weeks.

The first round of the local championship took place last weekend with the quarter-finals and semi-finals scheduled over successive weekends before the final on October 23rd.

Then it is straight into the Ulster championship preliminary round against Fermanagh champions Teemore on October 29th with the Antrim champions awaiting the winners eight days later.

The congestion would be less severe if the Ulster Council had not fixed the first instalment of the Tyrone-Armagh trilogy in Croke Park on July 10th.

The provincial final, initially set for July 17th, was changed to avoid a clash with the Leinster showpiece.

"We had a slot that weekend to play the first round of the club championship," said Tyrone secretary Dominick McCaughey.

"It wasn't that the intercounty team took priority after that; it was just there were no more dates available due to the new guidelines that allow seven days for players to recover between games."

Tyrone clubs have agreed to play extra-time in the remaining matches. Owen Mulligan's Cookstown opposed such a suggestion last week and after drawing with Brian Dooher's Clan na nGael last weekend a replay took place last night in Carrickmore.

The Ulster Council has hinted they may reschedule championship matches if the county champions are missing players because of the International Rules tour - a distinct possibility considering Seán Cavanagh, Philip Jordan, Ryan McMenamin and either Mulligan or Dooher are involved.

"The Ulster Council told us that if players going to Australia are in the championship final they would look at the situation," continued McCaughey.

"They are not definitely going to put it back but in the case of, say, the Moy club, who could not be expected to play without Seán Cavanagh and Philip Jordan."

The Rules squad departs the weekend after next but any selected players will have to play their club's semi-final on Saturday, October 15th and depart on the Sunday.

The Tyrone club championship has increased from 16 to 24 clubs in recent years. However, if Errigal Ciarán, Omagh, and Edendork prevail this weekend any potential problem regarding the Rules tour will disappear.