Antrim V Tyrone USFC **Final**

Jeeze the nerves where getting me even writing in the topic title, im not as old as patrique but i have been there for the heart aches during my time, Nicky English demolition job in 89, Tohill saving a 45 from going over the bar in 2000 and Wicklows last minute extra time goal in the TMC Final in 2007.

These moments all seem like a life time away now, where in an ulster final with a team thats young and energetic with a management team with bags of passion to lead them.

Now ive all the respect in the world for Tyrone but we have to go out there to win regardless who is in front of us, wheather its the all ireland champs or not. Tyrone have proved in recent years what a young energetic team with a good manager can actually do, we want to now take down the team that we've watched and learnt from over the past 7 years.

I was in omagh when tyrone won their first all ireland in 2003 i walked out on the streets after the final whistle to see the joy, people dancing and singing on the streets (and car roof tops), but this year im sure we can win an ulster, I know what the experts have said but this Antrim team have the scent of victory in them and they will move the biggest obstacles to ensure they feel the silverware for we are the saffrons and 2009 will be our year, saffrons abu.

We must believe if we are to achieve!!

Aontroim Abu

Fair play NSG, i would really love to see Antrim the Ulster this Sunday, for 2 reasons really but the main one being it would be really refreshing to see a different name on the Anglo Celt for the first time in what, 11 years?

The fact that you have Derryman Baker Bradley and in my eyes the best young coach in Ireland, Niall Conway at the helm mean that i have an extra reason to support Antrim this weekend.

I really hope all the Antrim fans have a great day at the Ulster Final and that the result goes your way.

Loyal, what price would Antrim have been for an Ulster double at the start of the year?

like sligo, antrim have nothing to prove they can go out on the pitch knowing that they have no pressure whereas tyrone will nervous about a possible slip up.
2 tales
1. antrim win the whole county gets a giddy feeling thinking that some day there county could be win silverwear, and of course be in an all ireland quater final
2. tyrone win nobody bats an eye lid and antrim are still in the championship at the end of july/start of august.

I really hope antrim win they really need this.

My heart says antrim, my head and probably the rest of the country says tyrone. First 10/15 minutes critical i think and will make or break them, I expect tyrone to hit them hard will be interesting to see if we stand up to them, certainly will do in the stands.Speaking to county secretary(not name dropping honest!) last nite. He said casement alone had sold 11,000 tickets, which doesnt take into account ticketmaster and the rest of the county. The interest generated is phenomenal, as i said before the sleeping giant has indeed awakened!!
Lets hope the rollercoaster ride continues as long as possible!!

Bumpernut - i think the last 15 mins will be more critical than the first 15. Tyrone have shown int he past that they don't panic when things are not going their way they stick to the game plan and keep the work rate up no body loses the head and panics and starts hitting 40 - 50 yard hopeful punts at goal.

I dont think it will matter what sort of start Antrim get off to to be honest - unless they put us out of sight that is - it will boil down to the last 10-15 minutes - if Antrim are still there or thereabouts it could be interesting if not then if could be all over with plenty to spare.

Tyrone will be well ready for an onslaught - i just think Antrim are going to meet alevel of intensity that will be foreign to them and it could upset their game plan. And no matter how many times Liam Bradley denies it nerves will be a factor - it the number of Antrim gans you are talking about do attend then it could make it worse for these guys to settle and keep themselves grounded.

Scoreline Tyrone 2-13 Antrim 0-12 first goal scorer Stephen O' Neill MOTM Kevin Hughes

Im not doubting tyrones ability or composure bocerty, however, your point about the intensity is in a round about way the point i was making. Antrim hurlers were found wanting a few years ago against Cork(after the infamous Corcoran rant) and I hope the footballers can cope, not sure about nerves to be honest. I think the management team have taken all the pressure off with the statement that their target is the last 12. In all honesty that probably is their target but i still think tyrone will be complacent after all nobody in the country is taking us serious. Dont get me wrong, plenty of well-wishers etc but everyone outside antrim sees this a fairytale story which will come to a shuddering halt on sunday. So i think mickey harte will have a serious job trying to keep the tyrone boys focussed, they could probably still win playing in second gear but if they slip to third gear they might just be in trouble!! Anyway i've never been in this position before so roll on sunday and we'll take what comes to us. We're used to losing so either way we'll have good craic, we cant lose, can tyrone though??

Have to say i am a bit afraid for Antrim. I think the winning margin could be well into double figures. I really hope im wrong and really want Antrim to win. Just cant see it happening. Good luck all the same to Antrim.

bumpernut wrote:Im not doubting tyrones ability or composure bocerty, however, your point about the intensity is in a round about way the point i was making. Antrim hurlers were found wanting a few years ago against Cork(after the infamous Corcoran rant) and I hope the footballers can cope, not sure about nerves to be honest. I think the management team have taken all the pressure off with the statement that their target is the last 12. In all honesty that probably is their target but i still think tyrone will be complacent after all nobody in the country is taking us serious. Dont get me wrong, plenty of well-wishers etc but everyone outside antrim sees this a fairytale story which will come to a shuddering halt on sunday. So i think mickey harte will have a serious job trying to keep the tyrone boys focussed, they could probably still win playing in second gear but if they slip to third gear they might just be in trouble!! Anyway i've never been in this position before so roll on sunday and we'll take what comes to us. We're used to losing so either way we'll have good craic, we cant lose, can tyrone though??

i agree - i think Tyrone's biggest opponent on Sunday will be complacency - it will be intersting to see Tyrone's starting 15 - if Mickey and the boys are really focused the starting 15 will not be too far off the team that started against Derry and Armagh - should he make a number of personnel changes then it could give us an in-sight into the frame of mind Tyrone are in. I know they were in City West last week (some shower of over paid gobshites had already booked their base in Kildare that they normally use) for a training weekend - i cant see mickey falling into the trap of under estimating Antrim but time will tell.

Boc, I appreciate what you are saying about Tyrone needing a tough game to prepare them for a quarter-final, but the reality is that I'd be even more worried about the quarter-final if Antrim run us close on Sunday.

Antrim are a young team, who play good football, and are high in confidence right now, but this is a huge step up for them. People seem to be saying that Antrim have nothing to lose, but that isn't the case. At the moment they are all that people in the county are talking about, and that puts real pressure on a side. I think there is a real danger that nerves will get to Antrim, and this game could be over in 20 minutes.

Aside from McGinley, who I can't see him risking, Harte will pick his strongest side, hoping that he can bring on a few subs very early in the 2nd half. The likes of Hughes, Mulligan, Quinn, Penrose, Tommy McGuigan know that complacency could see them lose their place in the side for the all-ireland series, so I can't see that being an issue.

Antrim will come with real enthusiasm, but they are playing a very experienced side, and I can't see anything but a comfortable Tyrone win.

Thats the way I kind of see it too TC. With all due respect to Antrim I am expecting them to get the run around.

very valid argument there TC - but all you have to do is look at last years Ulster Final and how clsoe Fermanagh came to beating overwhelming favourites Armagh. Granted we all know what happened Armagh after that - i know as a footballer/hurler i always found it hard to raise my game against so-called weaker opposition. You only have to look at other sports to see how 'weaker' teams can often drag their opponents down to their level very easily (and thats no slight on Antrim at all)

i think the best point you made though and it will be a big factor is that if guys hold back on Sunday they'll be on the bench the next day - reading an interview by PJ Quinn yesterday and h talked about last year how me broke into the team and then got injured and he never kicked a ball in anger after that such was the competition for places.

Our last final was in 1970. We beat triple all Ireland winners Down to get there.

Down had Sean O'Neill and Colm McAlarney, Tyrone have no-one of that ilk, although Cavanagh may match McAlarney in the end.

In short, I would be mad to say that Antrim will win.

I would also be mad to say they have no chance.

Let's face it, last Sunday in the Lory Meagher final Tyrone had absolutely no chance against a Donegal team who beat them by 19 points in the league.

Tyrone won.

Strange things can happen, unlikely yes, but.......

as a matter of interest folks - it appears unlikely to happen at this stage but if Enda Mc Ginley plays on Sunday he will be lining out against 2 brother-in-laws of his. Does this put extra pressure on him and the in-laws, does he take it all in his stride as just another game. If he does play and he goes for a 50/50 ball with one of the in-laws what thoughts would be going through his head - does he think I'm gonna bust this c**t and show him the boss is or does he ease of a little.

Has it ever happened any of you and how did it all end up are you still on speaking terms or did it all go t*ts up after the game.

I played against my mother in law once. It took the ambulance nearly an hour to get to the ground. I did my best to make her feel comfortable following the unfortunate collision and she was very appreciative when I lifted my size 13 off her shin ......

bocerty, mcginley will tear through both mccanns if he has to and id imagine the same would apply the other way round, if he didnt he'd be in the stands for the rest of the year!!
Of course what youse are all saying makes sense, however, as the oul hand says you never know in sport, it only takes a player to get sent off to change the complexion of a game. I still think its complacency thats the key in conjunction with no fear from antrim. The difference between this antrim and those of previous years is a lack of fear of their opponent, a hunger and passion i havent seen in the team previously and they look extremely fit. So, yes they have a chance but we all probably believe the key is how tyrone approach the game. If they are complacent and antrim are fired up we might get a good game and dare I say it a surprising result. At the minute, it seems a bit like fermanagh's run to the semis a few years ago when everyone thought it was only a matter of time before their bubble burst, particularly armagh!!

bocerty wrote:as a matter of interest folks - it appears unlikely to happen at this stage but if Enda Mc Ginley plays on Sunday he will be lining out against 2 brother-in-laws of his. Does this put extra pressure on him and the in-laws, does he take it all in his stride as just another game. If he does play and he goes for a 50/50 ball with one of the in-laws what thoughts would be going through his head - does he think I'm gonna bust this c**t and show him the boss is or does he ease of a little.

Has it ever happened any of you and how did it all end up are you still on speaking terms or did it all go t*ts up after the game.

I thought you had never heard of the famous McGinley who played for Tyrone?

To write antrim off before a ball is kicked is madness. Would they write off Down tyrones ulster loss last year? No they wouldnt and they where on Antrims side of the draw as where donegal and fermanagh another two teams they would not have wrote off.

Antrim play an excellent brand of football yes but whats more important is the hunger theyve shown to shut down attacks and turn them into attacks of their own, if they can convert some of their wides into scores and still with Tyrone in the last ten minutes id say Antrim will have it.

Cant see Us getting the run around as many have predicted, I suppose now that Derry beat monaghan and monaghan beat Armagh this means Donegal are screwed does it not? No it doesnt people this is championship its not about how good or bad your last game was its about the 70 minutes of football on sunday.

NSG - whilst you make very valid points you must also realise that come Sunday Antrim will meet a very different proposition to the ones they have met so far. In all fairness Donegal and Cavan are two counties on a downward spiral now for a few years. Tyrone on the other hand are a very experienced and very talented side and they have the capacity to rip Antrim to shreds if they click - something neither Donegal nor Cavan could have done.

That said Bradley has worked wonders for Antrim football and he has transformed them completely into a team with a lot of confidence and a lot of good ball players and the biggest factor for me has been their fitness. In Conway they have a coach who knows what he is about and his record speaks for itself.

Tactically Antrim wont be found wanting on Sunday but pound for pound Tyrone have a much better team who can move the ball very quickly from one end of the field to the other and the fact that Tyrone attack and defend in droves could be the single biggest factor on Sunday - the attacking prowess and the fact that so many men can score will be somewhat 'alien' to Antrim and how they cope with that will be crucial.

I hope its a great game and the best team will win.

Tyrone have named a formidable side for the match on Sunday - Sean Cavanagh moves to midfield to replace Enda Mc Ginley. Perhaps this could see an upturn in Seans fortunes on the field as he has been relatively quiet thus far. Brian Dooher starts the game and we can expect Brian to have a big say in proceedings, and Joe Mc Mahon appears to have made a full recovery from the rib injury sustained in the previous game.

J Devine
PJ Quinn
Justin McMahon
R McMenamin
D Harte
C Gormley
P Jordan
K Hughes
S Cavanagh
B Dooher
T McGuigan
Joe McMahon
M Penrose
S O'Neill
O Mulligan

full steam ahead for Tyrone in search of only their 12th Ulster title, and its going to be a busy day for the Antrim defence me thinks

Antrim by 12 points, having had two players sent off in the first ten minutes.

patrique wrote:Antrim by 12 points, having had two players sent off in the first ten minutes.

Patrique - i know when an Antrim supporter hears their team is in an Ulster final they automatically think HURLING - but just so you know this is Gaelic Football -big white ball with O' Neill's on the front - and whilst you might beat Derry or Down (or both together) by 12 points after being reduced to 13 men, let me tell you my friend it is not going to happen on Sunday unless of course you were trying to tell us that Antrim will be beat by 12!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There is a good chance that Antrim will win it in the middle, however Tyrone being Tyrone they will always find a way. I don't see this as one sided in the slightest, I think it will unravel much like the Cork and Limerick game but Tyrone's experience will show through in the end.

I think Tyrone don't actually play a conventional midfield at all. Sean C is prob the nearest thing to a 'conventional midfielder' they have yet he has not played much in that position over the last couple of years. Yet despite this Tyrone are never overran at MF. Its all about fluidity and getting men around the sector to hoover up the breaking ball - of which there is a huge amount.

I have just exposed the Tyrone secret .......

thanks for that Jayo - i told you not to tell anyone

in fairness we don't see midfield as crucial to winning games - in the past we have been over run at midfield and still won games - as you say we tend to work harder on picking up the breaks. One of the Antrim midfielders is 6"6 so we have a job on our hands to stop him getting clean possession.

I think its going to be a fascinating game to watch a team on the up pit their wits against the old hands. I am still confident of a Tyrone win though.

Winning possession against Tyrone has never been the problem for sides. The problem is keeping the ball under the huge pressure put on them by Tyrone.

On Sunday, Antrim footballers are going to be put under more pressure than they have ever been on a football field, and any limitations in technique will be highlighted. That is where teams struggle - they are under so much pressure they can't find their own men, and end up giving a bad pass straight to a Tyrone man. Then, before they have time to re-organise, Tyrone attack, turning defence into attack by moving the ball faster than any other side in Ireland. That is where most Tyrone scores come from.