Tyrone V Cork

i have to say I am still at a loss to explain how Tyrone managed to come away with 2 points from this game. We were completely outplayed for much of the game and yet a 4 minute spell just before half time were we scored 2-1 including an absolute gem from Colm Cavanagh brought us back into the game when it looked like Cork were going to run away with it.

The win doesn't disguise the fact that we are struggling, i dont know if its a case of the Tyrone lads being not that bothered with the league - though i doubt they would want to lose their top flight status - but it doesnt look too hot from a supporters point of view.

Only 2 of the starting 6 forwards scored from play and yet 3 half backs contributed scores including two belters from Gormley and O'Neill.

One big plus was the return of McCullagh and Cavanagh and on top of that other results went our way and have kept us in the mix with a fighting chance, that said we have 3 games left and still the big two to play.

I think Colm McCullagh is class. I often get ridiculed for it but I genuinely believe he's one of the best footballers in the country. One of the most intelligent anyway. Great to see him back.

Am I the only cynic on here who thinks Colm Cavanagh looked up, went to hit a point, and then scuffed it but got lucky?

jonsmith, its fair to say that i am col cavanaghs biggest critic. i think generally he is a horrible player when he pulls on a tyrone shirt but i have to give him that goal and put it down as genuis. if you see it from the correct angle the keeper was well off the line and he must of spotted it.

i agree with boccerty though that 2-1 (inspired by an awsome gormley effort) changed the game.

tyrone did their best to throw it away though. surely jonny curran should never play for tyrone again. his kick outs were AGAIN horrible in the first half. for long periods tyrone couldnt get the ball out of their own half. this needs to be sorted as its been a problem for the last number of years.

in other new the versitile marty pen was impressive as was aidy cass with direct running and frees won from possession.

if cork hadnt of lost colm oneill id say they would of won the game

Jonsmith wrote:Am I the only cynic on here who thinks Colm Cavanagh looked up, went to hit a point, and then scuffed it but got lucky?

i wouldnt be his biggest fan either but I'd have to give him that one - he did seem to look up and spot the keeper well of the line. Definitely no sign of a scuff JS i thought it was a delicately placed ball

Penrose was very good especially in the second half at picking up the breaking ball which we were not doing at all in the first half

Cavanagh's goal was a peach. A real Philippe Albert effort if ever I seen one. 100% intentional.

That curran lad had a terrible game in the McKenna cup final if I recall too. Hit a few dreadful kickouts to donegal men. Nice competition for places all the same around midfield. Cassidy, McGinley, Hughes, 2 cavanagh's. Cassidy was very impressive.

i suppose with SON still out sean cavanagh would need to be startin at ff.

one thing tyrone missed especially during the first half on saturday was the scrappin round midfield. very little clean ball was being won but cork were winnin all the scraps. the intelligence and poisitions of players like enda mcgingley, hub and tommy mcguigan was needed but instead you had the likes of ray mulgrew and mark donnelly who just arent as proficient at that aspect of the game.

you cant really judge cavanagh on that one goal. his overall performances are improving but will he still be there around championship time? i dont think ryan mellon is up to intercounty any more. hes a good player and an excellent servent over the years but look at cork, how many young strong hungry fit players do they have around the field. you cant afford to be giving up an advantage before the ball is even thrown in.

In fairness im probably prejudiced because I don't think Colm Cavanagh belongs near the Tyrone team.. But if he did mean it it was a peach of a goal! Cassidy was brillant, there's great drive to him.

Colm is too inconsistent - and has more poor games than good. I often think he may not be there at all were it not for the brother.

Jayo Cluxton wrote:Colm is too inconsistent - and has more poor games than good. I often think he may not be there at all were it not for the brother.

Well it wouldn't be the first time a Tyrone great Plunkett Donaghy from the Moy club also was joined a brother Colm.

Colm Cavanagh has many critics throughout the county but its obvious that Harte has alot of time for him as he's given him numerous oppertunities at this stage. At the time I thought he mis hit the shot but looking at the replay it looks like he actually meant to score a goal.

All that said it ws a great relief to get the two points on saturday night but in fairness cork could have scored 3-16. The defence is still worrying. Gormley was excellent i thought and young McCarron from Dromore didn't look too out of place after only returning to the panel a fortnight ago.

i've heard more than once that the people of Moy reckon Colm is the better footballer of the two - that is some compliment and one he failed to live up.

He is a hugely frustrating player to watch - most of his appearances are from the bench and when he comes on he tends to be either carried off or sent off. Last year in the game against the Dubs he was sent off after a matter of minutes of coming on as a result of a tackle outlawed by the then new rules.

Mickey obviously sees something in him - what it is i am not entirely sure yet, if he doesnt start showing consistency very shortly he is in very grave danger of joining the band of 'nearly men' who played inter county football.

bocerty makes a good point. over the last two or three years most of his appearances have been from the bench so he hasnt really got a chance to relax and play good football.

my lasting memory of the younger brother is that he always ends up on his backside when he goes up for a ball. he seems to have partially got over this problem but his work in broken play and scoring ratio needs to improve if hes to keep a spot in the team from say a joe mcmahon who'll work harder or a kyle coney who may score more.

anybody else concerned about the fullback line? or is it accepted that colm oneill is one of the best ffs in the country at the minute?

O' Neill is definitely a good forward and a real handful - being honest i'd be more concerned with the half back and half forward lines - they won feck all break ball and are leaving wide open spaces you could drive a lorry through - half back line on Saturday were all over the place except for were they should have been

still a lot of work to do.

Can Tyrone maintain there good run in Galway..

bocerty wrote:O' Neill is definitely a good forward and a real handful - being honest i'd be more concerned with the half back and half forward lines - they won feck all break ball and are leaving wide open spaces you could drive a lorry through - half back line on Saturday were all over the place except for were they should have been

Totally agree. The full-back line wasn't bad against Cork, considering the amount of pressure they were under at stages. Justy did very well on O'Neill, although I'd love to be able to release him to Centre-half, where he could drive up the field and use his speed and footballing skills.

Just like last year's semi against Cork, we are winning no broken ball at the moment, which is the biggest difference between Tyrone today and Tyrone 5 years ago. Ricey doesnt look that fit yet, nor does Harte, but I still think we need more pace in the half back line (Sean O'Neill must play).

The half forward line doesn't exist at the minute, nor did it last summer. Sadly, I don't think Brian McGuigan has what it takes at this level anymore, and his brother is a flat-track bully. Raymie Mulgrew has been catapulted into the starting line-up in the last 2 weeks, and lasted anout 50 minutes in both games. I'd like to think we have seen the last of him. Colm Cavanagh, for all his weaknesses, offers more energy than Mulgrew. Joey McMahon will make a welcome addition there, but I'd also like to see a fast ball winner, maybe like McNabb or (more likely) Peter Harte emerge to replace Dooher.

Still, we are improving, and it is impossible to over-estimate the difference a fully fit O'Neill & Sean Cavanagh would make to that side. Progress is being made, but much, much more is needed.

Agree TC - winning breaking all around midfield is absolutely key to winning games. In the QF in 2008 ye hoovered it up against us. The 8 and 9 positions were not important - it was the two half lines that won the game with the broken ball they won. It is an area that Dublin have been very weak in against the top teams. Interesting comments on the McGs and I have to agree. Tommy has not built on the player he looked like he'd be and Brian has been nowhere near the old Brian since his injuries - that is understandable. Add in an ageing Dooher and the apparent retirement of Enda McGinley and yep I can see why you think it may be a tough season.

Yeah Jayo, Tommy is a strange one, as he has good hands, good feet and is a decent size, but so often fails to deliver as much as you'd expect him to.

He doesn't have (a young) Brian's work ethic or engine to play as a half-forward, tending instead to drift in and out of games. I notice Mickey is playing him more often in the corner this year, trying to use his size and fielding ability against corner backs, but I dont think he is a corner forward at this level either (doesnt have that arrogance in his play that all top corner forwards have - last summer he seemed to really struggle with nerves against Kildare & Cork and his game fell apart).

Perhaps Tommy is suffering a bit from the expectation of his name. Personally, I've always rated him as less naturally gifted than his 3 brothers (that is relative, as they are all fine footballers). A good footballer, and a good squad member, but in the absence of O'Neill Tyrone are looking to him as the main scoring threat just now, and he just isnt quite good enough to carry that sort of mantle.