Tyrone GT news

From today's Herald!!!!

Red Hand can rise again
Longford ’keeper Sheridan sure he saw vintage Tyrone emerge in qualifier defeat

IT'S customary for a losing manager to pay homage to the strength of his team's executioners. If nothing else, it makes him and his team look a little better in defeat.


But still, there was something ominous about Paddy O'Rourke's words last Saturday. “I believe that they have a panel of players who can go on and win the All-Ireland,” said the Armagh chief.

“There is no doubt that they are serious title contenders and they are going to be extremely difficult to beat.” Tyrone – dividing opinion since 2003.

See, many hold the opinion that the Red Hands are a beaten docket, a pale shadow of their formers selves and an ageing force still reliant on men who were over the hill when it was still just a mound. Mickey Harte rails against those contentions, decrying the ageist argument and defending their form over the past two Sam Maguire-less seasons.

Plenty forcefully agree, maintaining that any team with three All-Irelands in the last eight years deserve far greater respect and represent a much more foreboding force than the one which is widely being painted. There are a large body of football people who wouldn't be remotely surprised if Tyrone came back and won a fourth All-Ireland in the incredible shelf-life of Harte's reign.

On Saturday, they take their experience, their stack of motivations and their momentum to Croke Park to engage Roscommon. And while they might not be publicly contemplating it, in their mind's eye they must see the beaten Connacht finalists as a sort of stop sign en route to the All-Ireland quarter-final and, yes, a shot at revenge against Dublin. What sort of shape are the Red Hands really in, though?

“They're on a roll,” says Damien Sheridan, who stood in goals for Longford when they were knocked out by Tyrone three weeks back. WANTED “They don't seem to have any injury problems and the week break before the Armagh match will have suited them too. They will be thinking, ‘one more win and we're back where we wanted to be' – an All-Ireland quarter-final and back in Croke Park.”

Going into that match in Pearse Stadium, there was a plump body of evidence to suggest that Longford might have a decent crack off a Tyrone team just beaten by the emerging force of Donegal in the Ulster semi-final. And for much of the first-half, it looked like they might have point.

“We really fancied our chances,” admits Sheridan, citing the home draw and the blow of losing to Donegal as two primary factors in this belief.

“We had a right good first half but in the space of seven or eight minutes at the start of the second-half they scored 1-3 and after that we could never close the gap.

“It was the experience, I suppose, and the way they used the ball. Like, we did a lot of things right from a defensive point of view. We kept (Seaán) Cavanagh very quiet, we kept Martin Penrose very quiet too. But Peter Harte just killed us on the day.”

What struck Sheridan was the economy of movement and the assurance in possession, traits which at their peak, Tyrone mastered. Every time Philip Jordan or Ryan McMenamin came up the pitch, they got something off it.

“They don't waste the ball. They're so methodical in what they do with it. Even when Jordan and McMenamin came up with it, you knew they were never going to shoot. They just recycled it, threw it around and waited for the 100 per cent scoring opportunity. “McMenamin came up and won a couple of frees. Jordan set up the goal when seconds before, he could have taken an easy enough point.”

Sheridan has also played against Roscommon this year, twice in fact. The first day out was literally that – the opening round of the league; a lowscoring match, a draw and “typical winter football.”

The Division 4 league final was different but in hindsight, Sheridan admits that the Rossies probably had one eye on their looming stateside date with New York.

He does admit, however: “I thought they would win Connacht. “I thought they would put them back-toback because the only way I saw Mayo win was if they scored two goals against them but I suppose nobody could have predicted the weather on the day.” No one would he necessarily rule out the possibility of an upset on Saturday either. “Definitely they have a chance,” Sheridan stresses.

“They're very pacey, they have a couple of good corner-backs and physically, they're very strong. Ok, in midfield they can have very good days and very bad days but if they can break the first Tyrone tackler and get ball into (Donie) Shine and (Senan) Kilbride, they can rack up a decent score.”

Come what may, Saturday should be a decent test of whether Tyrone's recent results have been the last whimper of a team chugging to a halt or the genuine resurgence of a great one. And if it proves to be the latter, Dublin will have been truly warned.

It was good to get past Armagh and we can now look forward to the challenge of Roscommon at the weekend.
I have been dissappointed with the walk-outs that have happened within the panel over the last number of weeks - The latest being young Niall McKenna. I know this doesn't make Mickey Hartes job any easier given the year he has had but I have to say that the major thing that dissappointed me and many in the crowd on Saturday evening was the switches that were made.

Justin in for Ricey was 100% as Ricey was on a yellow and could quite easily have picked up another one, but after that we saw McGinley, Davy, Dooher and Penrose all come on as subs. I have said this time and time again that we will not challenge for the All ireland by reverting back to what worked in '05 or just about in '08 and with players who have been brillliant in the past but are all past their sell-by date . With the game basically over with 15 minutes to play I would have much preferred to see Niall McKenna, Paddy McNeice, Ronan McNabb, Stevy McNally being given their chance to impress but sadly not to be. I hope this is not our downfall when we do hit croker!

I think you are being a wee bit harsh Mugsy. Tyrone were very good against Armagh. In fact, I'd rate it as our most encouraging performance in a long time. The side looked fast and we moved the ball very quickly. The pace added by the likes of Sean O'Neill, Peter Harte, Swift and Mark Donnelly really has made us a different looking side.

I'm loathe to get too carried away, especially as Armagh (or any Paddy O'Rouke side for that matter) are very weak defensively, but Tyrone did create a huge amount of goal chances, and should have won by 10+ points.

Against Roscomon, Justy McMahon will probably come in for Ricey, who looked well off the pace, although it is a shame that Aidan Cassidy doesn't look like being available. A fit Penrose would also be an asset and probably better than any of our full-forward line, but I don't see a change there, as all of them played reasonably well against Armagh, and all of them need more game time.

Still a long way to go, but Tyrone are finally heading in the right direction.

Thomas Clarke wrote:Still a long way to go, but Tyrone are finally heading in the right direction.

It's encouraging to see, that as many follwers start putting on the "poor mouth" about their chances, Thomas Clarke, normally boxing cautiously and steadily, is prepared to utter some positive, nay, sturdy words of optimism....... Not quite bullish (yet) but gathering momentum......**

**Fógra....The Primrose and Blue won't be as bad as they were the last day, but Tyrone should have enough, just.

Rhm has heeded boxty warning x the sheepstealers are even plus 7 nailed on imho !

The latest squad news from the hokey pokey in-out, in out, shake it all about....

Niall McKenna is in and returns to the squad

No change from the team that started against Armagh at this stage.

TC, I'll take back what I said about Penrose as there is still room for him on the first 15 but I will stick by my guns when stating that when we hit Croke Park with Old man Dooher, Davy or high knees McGinley we will fail probably in similar fashion to '07, '09 and 10. If they can prove doubters like myself wrong, well then I'll take my hat off to them and heap loads of well deserved praise on them...

oh hokey hokey cokey - who is gonna do it next week?

john devine ? davy harte? cathal mccarron? pj quinn?

yes my bet is PJ quinn ! any takers we could run a sweepstake for gaa tipster glory!

redhandman wrote:oh hokey hokey cokey - who is gonna do it next week?

john devine ? davy harte? cathal mccarron? pj quinn?

yes my bet is PJ quinn ! any takers we could run a sweepstake for gaa tipster glory!

Maybe they'll all be gone next week RHM??? Hmmm are you dangerously dismissing the Rossies too!

not dismissing them JC just optimistic!

but it tis true this jump of the ship and then back on is getting tiresome.

redhandman wrote:not dismissing them JC just optimistic!

but it tis true this jump of the ship and then back on is getting tiresome.

My theory on this is that lads are sick of the monastic life. So they throw the toys out of the pram, go on the lash for a few days cos they can, get a few hangovers, are sated and then head back to the panel .... I'm serious here!

mugsys_barber wrote:
TC, I'll take back what I said about Penrose as there is still room for him on the first 15 but I will stick by my guns when stating that when we hit Croke Park with Old man Dooher, Davy or high knees McGinley we will fail probably in similar fashion to '07, '09 and 10. If they can prove doubters like myself wrong, well then I'll take my hat off to them and heap loads of well deserved praise on them...

Yes, Penrose, if fit, is worth a place on the first 15, but it is a shame to see that he is still not able to make the bench. Cassidy also is a loss, especially considering his performance against Longford, although Stevie O'Neill less so.

As you know, I too have advocated bringing in pace to replace the likes of Davy, Dooher and a few others, but you have to say that Mickey has done that (although I would still like to see Justy in for Ricey).

Personally, I don't think that Dooher should be coming on at any stage, but some of the others I don't mind. For instance, after 55-60 minutes of a tight game, with the pace long out of the game, I have no problem with Davy Harte coming in. He won't give the ball away, and doesn't make many mistakes. Similarly when Hub tires, McGinley is a better option than taking a punt on Niall McKenna. Or Mugsy ahead of McNeice. Put yourself in that position, tight game in Croke Pk, 10 minutes left, Sean O'Neill goes down injured. Do you put on Davy Harte or Ronan McNabb? I wouldn't start him, but for the last 10 minutes, I can see why Mickey would introduce Davy, McGinley or Mugsy. Not Dooher though.

Jayo Cluxton wrote:

redhandman wrote:not dismissing them JC just optimistic!

but it tis true this jump of the ship and then back on is getting tiresome.

My theory on this is that lads are sick of the monastic life. So they throw the toys out of the pram, go on the lash for a few days cos they can, get a few hangovers, are sated and then head back to the panel .... I'm serious here!

We know no smiley face -good theory though

talking to a friend whos friend is on the tyrone panel he said they are flying and gaining confidence by the day they will be hard to stop this year , great seeing how mickey can just blend in the young players with no hassle at all

[quote="Jayo CluxtonMy theory on this is that lads are sick of the monastic life. So they throw the toys out of the pram, go on the lash for a few days cos they can, get a few hangovers, are sated and then head back to the panel .... I'm serious here![/quote]

I'm with Jayo here - in the broad sense - It is fundamentally a sport, all this monastic lifestyle cock, is in fact, cock!!!!
The game/sport is being denigrated by the desire for success...Success my arxe.....RKF can have his silent chuckles, as proud as any Armagh follower is allowed his, but the core/spirit of football is gone and lost forever..Success/Winning/P&l accts are the guidelines....Fook that..

I'm on record here about success/winning teams...Bullsh1t...The lads from your own club, or our main adversaries them years, that we only meet and mingle with at weddings, wakes and funerals, who you hated/could beat/loathed are just like you....

It's a sport, parochial as it seems, but at the end of the day, parochial..

Well good to see you have reached your Goal

when is Micky Harte going to give over his tantrum and give RTE interviews again. Starting to look a bot of a **** these days

The Puke wrote:when is Micky Harte going to give over his tantrum and give RTE interviews again.

Probably around the time he stops giving Brian Dooher a game.

Thomas Clarke wrote:

The Puke wrote:when is Micky Harte going to give over his tantrum and give RTE interviews again.

Probably around the time he stops giving Brian Dooher a game.

it is all a bit silly at this stage, but Mickey is a stubborn man so you probably wont see another interview on RTE given by him again, at least not a sports one anyway.

I thought the whole issue regarding Brian Carty had been resolved anyway.

bocerty wrote:

Thomas Clarke wrote:

The Puke wrote:when is Micky Harte going to give over his tantrum and give RTE interviews again.

Probably around the time he stops giving Brian Dooher a game.

it is all a bit silly at this stage, but Mickey is a stubborn man so you probably wont see another interview on RTE given by him again, at least not a sports one anyway.

I thought the whole issue regarding Brian Carty had been resolved anyway.

Has he stopped the players giving interviews as well?

The Puke wrote: Has he stopped the players giving interviews as well?

No, but they are showing unity with him.

Thomas Clarke wrote:

The Puke wrote: Has he stopped the players giving interviews as well?

No, but they are showing unity with him.

afraid if him more like

Looking forward to The Sunday Game on all-ireland final night, to see how RTE fill in the time when they have no-one to interview!

Thomas Clarke wrote:Looking forward to The Sunday Game on all-ireland final night, to see how RTE fill in the time when they have no-one to interview!

Is Gilroy in the boycott now too?

Thomas Clarke wrote:Looking forward to The Sunday Game on all-ireland final night, to see how RTE fill in the time when they have no-one to interview!

thats an interesting point TC - if we did make it to the final and did go onto win it just how would RTE deal with that potentially tricky situation?????

bocerty wrote:

Thomas Clarke wrote:Looking forward to The Sunday Game on all-ireland final night, to see how RTE fill in the time when they have no-one to interview!

thats an interesting point TC - if we did make it to the final and did go onto win it just how would RTE deal with that potentially tricky situation?????

I'd imagine that there would be some last minute negotiations, but Tyrone would be unlikely to back down when in a position of power. In many ways, it would be the perfect pulpit for Mickey to make his (silent) statement. In saying that, I don't agree with the stance, as it really is none of Mickey's business who RTE employ as commentators.