Cathal McShane says he is not closing the door on a potential return to Tyrone in the future, but insists he is enjoying his time with Strabane Athletic after stepping away from inter-county duty.
The All-Ireland winner signed for the Premier Intermediate soccer side last June after exiting the Red Hands panel before the All-Ireland series.
2019 All-Star winner McShane, who scored a goal in Tyrone’s 2021 All-Ireland final victory over Mayo, is preparing to face Irish Premiership heavyweights Glentoran in the Irish Cup fifth round at Melvin Park Arena on Saturday (13:30 GMT).
“I wouldn’t say it’s ever closed,” the three-time Ulster SFC winner told BBC Sport NI when asked about his Tyrone career.
“It [stepping away] is something I had to do at that time just to take a bit of a break for myself, just to get a few things right and basically a reset more than anything.”
He added: “In the off-season I always play a bit of football. Maybe this time there was more made of it or whatever. For me, it’s just about enjoying what I’m doing at the minute and seeing what the future holds.
“I would never say it’s closed. I’ll continue to work hard and make sure of my body and that I’m in the best shape possible. That’s the plan going forward and you never know, we’ll see the story going forward.”
McShane joined Strabane in June after the club earned promotion to the third tier of the Irish League.
They faced Cliftonville in the Bet McLean last-16 in November, losing 5-2 at Solitude, but are hoping to pull off a massive upset when they host 23-time Irish Cup winners Glentoran on Saturday.
“They’re a formidable side and have been doing fantastic,” added McShane, who scored an extra-time winner for Strabane in their BetMcLean Cup win over Loughgall earlier this season.
“I’ve been keeping an eye on the results recently. They’ve a few ex-Derry players and Finn Harps players in there, they’ve a lot of top quality.
“We know we’ll be up against it but our aim is to enjoy the occasion, give it our best shot and see how it pans out.”
