Losing to Armagh in this summer's All-Ireland SF qualifier hurt Sean Cavanagh - and the former Footballer of the Year is determined to make up for that disappointment in 2015.

The Red Hands finished on the wrong end of the 0-13 to 0-10 scoreline in Omagh and the team captain took the defeat personally.

"As you get older you become a worse loser," he told The Irish Independent. "I've heard people say it before and I've no doubt about it.

"The defeat this year to Armagh was probably as tough as I've ever seen because I was captain of the team.

"You have that responsibility to lead the team and to lose in that manner, unexpectedly and particularly at home against our biggest rivals, was gutting for me.

"You can ask my wife, when I went home after the game I was in tears for hours. I couldn't comprehend it. I've lost All-Ireland semi-finals, I've been lucky enough I haven't lost too many finals, but I've lost big games."

The 31-year-old expects the addition of former player Peter Donnelly as a strength and conditioning coach to Mickey Harte's backroom team to have a positive effect on the team in the new year.

"He's only been in the position for four or five weeks and you can already see the difference. The guys want to work for him, guys are doing extra sessions on their own.

"There's just an awful lot more energy and feel-good factor, and I have no doubt that people will see a more physical Tyrone in 2015 because of that."

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