Tyrone GT news

Congrats BOC. Hope all is well. We'll expect to see you posting at all hours now. Baby and bottle in one arm. Laptop on the other.

Great news indeed - well done Boc

Mugsy said that this thread would be a slow burner, and yet now look at the news flow - most exciting thread on the forum!

Thomas Clarke wrote:

mullins wrote: I seen enough of Down to see that they will win Ulster if they want..

Oh they'll want to, as they haven't won anything of any consequence in 17 years. I can assure you that James McCartan, Brian McIvor and Paddy Tally are not hoping for an early introduction to the qualifiers.

Down are a good side, but they have some major problems, namely a liability at full-back, no subs for defence or midfield, and a small, light forward line. Their games last summer against Cork and Tyrone, and again against Cork this year in the league, showed that they can trouble anyone early on with their skill and pace, but they can be ground down by a bigger, stronger side. Again, lack of good enough subs is big part of this problem.

See TC the jury is still out on which route is the best to win Sam... Winning A Provincial Championship is hardly a notch on your belt anymore..

You should understand that more than any..

mullins wrote:
See TC the jury is still out on which route is the best to win Sam... Winning A Provincial Championship is hardly a notch on your belt anymore....

It is, especially if you haven't won one in 17 years. Down will want to win Ulster. If they don't, I really can't see them coming back to win an all-ireland.

So, only a week until Tyrone kick off their bid for a hat-trick of Ulster titles. Hard to know what Mickey will go for in the way of team selection. He usually likes to spring a surprise in the 1st round, although his hand may be forced somewhat this year with so many players carrying knocks.

Joe McMahon, Enda McGinley and Ronan McNabb are all definitely out. It's a shame in particular that McNabb isn't available, as I'd like to have seen him get a chance at wing half back. McMahon, of course, is a huge loss, while McGinley would have seen 20 minutes as a replacement for Hughes. Then you have Sean Cavanagh, Penrose, Swift, Jordan and McConnell all struggling, although I'm guessing most of those will be ok for Sunday.

So, what side will Mickey go for? Boc, Mugsy, RHM - any ideas?

TC, I don't expect any real surprises to be honest but you never know, There are some debatable calls for Mickey to stew over on whether to go with Aidan Cassidy and Damien McCaul in the starting 15, Is Packie fit to start, The likes of Mark Donnelly may be in if Penrose isn't fit, Will Tommy McGuigan start instead of Stevy O'Neill, Will Dooher be in from the start

For what its worth I'll go for a safe prediction -

Devine
D Carlin
Justin McMahon
Ryan McMenamin
Phillip Jordan
Conor Gormley
Davy Harte
Kevin Hughes
Colm Cavanagh
Peter Harte
Brian McGuigan
Sean Cavanagh
Eoin Mulligan
Steven O'Neill
Martin Penrose

mugsys_barber wrote:TC, I don't expect any real surprises to be honest but you never know, There are some debatable calls for Mickey to stew over on whether to go with Aidan Cassidy and Damien McCaul in the starting 15, Is Packie fit to start, The likes of Mark Donnelly may be in if Penrose isn't fit, Will Tommy McGuigan start instead of Stevy O'Neill, Will Dooher be in from the start

For what its worth I'll go for a safe prediction -

Devine
D Carlin
Justin McMahon
Ryan McMenamin
Phillip Jordan
Conor Gormley
Davy Harte
Kevin Hughes
Colm Cavanagh
Peter Harte
Brian McGuigan
Sean Cavanagh
Eoin Mulligan
Steven O'Neill
Martin Penrose

mugsy is Tommy McGuigan fit to play, i heard he needed a bit of dentistry work after getting a slap rom a Moortown lad last weekend, was in a pub somewhere as far as i know and not on the field of play.

I wouldnt argue with too many of your team Mugsy but i would have thought Cassidy will start.

bocerty wrote:

mugsys_barber wrote:TC, I don't expect any real surprises to be honest but you never know, There are some debatable calls for Mickey to stew over on whether to go with Aidan Cassidy and Damien McCaul in the starting 15, Is Packie fit to start, The likes of Mark Donnelly may be in if Penrose isn't fit, Will Tommy McGuigan start instead of Stevy O'Neill, Will Dooher be in from the start

For what its worth I'll go for a safe prediction -

Devine
D Carlin
Justin McMahon
Ryan McMenamin
Phillip Jordan
Conor Gormley
Davy Harte
Kevin Hughes
Colm Cavanagh
Peter Harte
Brian McGuigan
Sean Cavanagh
Eoin Mulligan
Steven O'Neill
Martin Penrose

mugsy is Tommy McGuigan fit to play, i heard he needed a bit of dentistry work after getting a slap rom a Moortown lad last weekend, was in a pub somewhere as far as i know and not on the field of play.

I wouldnt argue with too many of your team Mugsy but i would have thought Cassidy will start.

Never heard anything Boc, maybe RHM or TC might have something on it. I think Cassidy grew in confidence as the league wore on and personally would like to see him in but I'm not sure if He will start unless Mickey decides to play either Penrose and Mugsy or O'Neill and Mugsy as a two man FF line with Cassidy or Colm Cavanagh wearing number 13 and playing deep.

I see KC got a draw this evening with a late free. - I honestly thought you's would have taken the island tonight as theyre missing alot of players at present. We'd a good victory over Derrylaughan last night. Cookstown for the drop it would seem, they couldn't even beat Omagh.....

mugsys_barber wrote:

bocerty wrote:

mugsys_barber wrote:TC, I don't expect any real surprises to be honest but you never know, There are some debatable calls for Mickey to stew over on whether to go with Aidan Cassidy and Damien McCaul in the starting 15, Is Packie fit to start, The likes of Mark Donnelly may be in if Penrose isn't fit, Will Tommy McGuigan start instead of Stevy O'Neill, Will Dooher be in from the start

For what its worth I'll go for a safe prediction -

Devine
D Carlin
Justin McMahon
Ryan McMenamin
Phillip Jordan
Conor Gormley
Davy Harte
Kevin Hughes
Colm Cavanagh
Peter Harte
Brian McGuigan
Sean Cavanagh
Eoin Mulligan
Steven O'Neill
Martin Penrose

mugsy is Tommy McGuigan fit to play, i heard he needed a bit of dentistry work after getting a slap rom a Moortown lad last weekend, was in a pub somewhere as far as i know and not on the field of play.

I wouldnt argue with too many of your team Mugsy but i would have thought Cassidy will start.

Never heard anything Boc, maybe RHM or TC might have something on it. I think Cassidy grew in confidence as the league wore on and personally would like to see him in but I'm not sure if He will start unless Mickey decides to play either Penrose and Mugsy or O'Neill and Mugsy as a two man FF line with Cassidy or Colm Cavanagh wearing number 13 and playing deep.

I see KC got a draw this evening with a late free. - I honestly thought you's would have taken the island tonight as theyre missing alot of players at present. We'd a good victory over Derrylaughan last night. Cookstown for the drop it would seem, they couldn't even beat Omagh.....

it was some guy Quinn who hit him apparently, i think this guy played on the Moortown team of the early 90s which won a few championships.

We scraped a draw alright Mugsy - played some great football in first half and were 7-4 up at half time, we lost one of better players just on the stroke of half time with concussion. That coupled with the fact that the wind ppicked up in the second half and we were playing against it didnt help our cause. That said we could still have won it and were lucky not to lose it at the same time. Things not going well in Cookstown at all.

That was a good victory over Derrylaughan - they looked a decent side against us, those Gervin lads are tidy footballers

There were a couple of Quinns on that '92 panel - Brew and Cokey are two guys I'd know from the past.
Ciaran Girvan didn't play against us last night as it was a starred game but likewise our county minor and probably second best forward wasn't allowed to play either - Great result for us alright - Heading in the right direction.

mugsys_barber wrote:There were a couple of Quinns on that '92 panel - Brew and Cokey are two guys I'd know from the past.
Ciaran Girvan didn't play against us last night as it was a starred game but likewise our county minor and probably second best forward wasn't allowed to play either - Great result for us alright - Heading in the right direction.

Cokey was the culprit

bocerty wrote:

mugsys_barber wrote:There were a couple of Quinns on that '92 panel - Brew and Cokey are two guys I'd know from the past.
Ciaran Girvan didn't play against us last night as it was a starred game but likewise our county minor and probably second best forward wasn't allowed to play either - Great result for us alright - Heading in the right direction.

Cokey was the culprit

Jasus, I'm kind of shocked at that news, I always thought that both Tommy and Cokey were civil enough dudes but I suppose the closer you are to the lough the less wise one is.......

mugsys_barber wrote:

Devine
D Carlin
Justin McMahon
Ryan McMenamin
Phillip Jordan
Conor Gormley
Davy Harte
Kevin Hughes
Colm Cavanagh
Peter Harte
Brian McGuigan
Sean Cavanagh
Eoin Mulligan
Steven O'Neill
Martin Penrose

I'd guess most of that will be right Mugsy, although I don't see O'Neill starting. Mark Donnelly did enough in the league to deserve a crack at it, and O'Neill has been really awful this year. I just can't see him starting.

Other than that, Pascal, if fit, will start, and Curran may get the nod if he isn't. Jordan could miss out, as Mickey might fancy giving someone a chance at wing back. As I said earlier, Mickey likes to spring a surprise or 2 in the first round, and Jordan's lack of fitness and late return to the panel gives him the excuse to try something new. Might even be that Peter Harte plays there, and someone else slots into the attack.

But yeah, I'd agree with at least 12 of that side as being almost certainties.

TC, Am I right in saying that Johnny Curran is also on the injury list, I know he wasn't able to play against us a couple of weeks ago, That's sort of why i went for Devine but that of course is assuming that Packie is not fit. i think most would agree that he should be number 1 anyway.

Tyrone team V Monaghan

Pascal McConnell
Martin Swift
Cathal McCarron
Ryan McMenamin
Davy Harte
Conor Gormley
Philip Jordan
Sean Cavanagh
Aidan Cassidy
Brian Dooher
Brian McGuigan
Peter Harte
Martin Penrose
Stephen O’Neill
Mark Donnelly

A few surprises, happy for swift and Donnelly but again I'll say I don't have much faith in McCarron. Obvious omissions are Mugsy Colm Cavanagh and Kevin Hughes. Justin McMahon probably is not being risked.
Dooher leads the charges out again

mugsys_barber wrote:Tyrone team V Monaghan

Pascal McConnell
Martin Swift
Cathal McCarron
Ryan McMenamin
Davy Harte
Conor Gormley
Philip Jordan
Sean Cavanagh
Aidan Cassidy
Brian Dooher
Brian McGuigan
Peter Harte
Martin Penrose
Stephen O’Neill
Mark Donnelly

A few surprises, happy for swift and Donnelly but again I'll say I don't have much faith in McCarron. Obvious omissions are Mugsy Colm Cavanagh and Kevin Hughes. Justin McMahon probably is not being risked.
Dooher leads the charges out again

Good decision to change the midfield of..Hughes/C Cavanagh.

Drop another 4 players and Tyrone might just have turned the corner..

You just might get a game against the Dubs if he has the neck to do it..

mugsys_barber wrote:Tyrone team V Monaghan

Pascal McConnell
Martin Swift
Cathal McCarron
Ryan McMenamin
Davy Harte
Conor Gormley
Philip Jordan
Sean Cavanagh
Aidan Cassidy
Brian Dooher
Brian McGuigan
Peter Harte
Martin Penrose
Stephen O’Neill
Mark Donnelly

A few surprises, happy for swift and Donnelly but again I'll say I don't have much faith in McCarron. Obvious omissions are Mugsy Colm Cavanagh and Kevin Hughes. Justin McMahon probably is not being risked.
Dooher leads the charges out again

surprised at the team given the fact that Swift has been struggling with a hamstring injury for a while now and every time he tries to make a comeback it goes again, also surprised that Carlin is not named in starting 15 as he has been playing some decent stuff lately.

Cant see that 15 taking to the field for the start of the game. Though i only learned yesterday that for every change in starting personnel from the team named in the official match program results in a £200 fine.

Tyrones record at Healy park is not great so this one could be a potential banana skin. On a more sombre note it is 14 years since the death of Paul McGirr at the same venue during a minor game versus Armagh.

Saw a lot of this game on Beeb. **** conditions and commentary! Have to say Tyrone remind me of Dad's Army at this stage. Some can still do it - some can't. I cannot believe that a lot more underage lads have not been phased into the set-up by now. Brian Mc was v good as was Stephen O'Neill but Dooher starting to look like an old player now. Can't see this Tyrone team - if backboned as today - gettinng to the serious end. Ricey, D Harte and a couple of others looking long in the tooth by now.

Oh btw Conor Gormley was massive - a great game. I think his (lack of) pace may catch him later but he was great today.

Jayo Cluxton wrote:Saw a lot of this game on Beeb. **** conditions and commentary! Have to say Tyrone remind me of Dad's Army at this stage. Some can still do it - some can't. I cannot believe that a lot more underage lads have not been phased into the set-up by now. Brian Mc was v good as was Stephen O'Neill but Dooher starting to look like an old player now. Can't see this Tyrone team - if backboned as today - gettinng to the serious end. Ricey, D Harte and a couple of others looking long in the tooth by now.

That about sums it up Jayo. I say this without any doubt whatsoever: Tyrone will not win an all-ireland with Brian Dooher still playing an important role. He can't even hang onto a ball anymore, and the few that he did get, he gave away again. Whatever about Davy (definitely not good enough) and Ricey (poor today, but has a role to play), Dooher is the one that is miles off the standard. However, the fear is that Mickey plays him again against Donegal, in the logic that this was his first game back and, if even marginally improved, he keeps playing him until we are finally beaten.

The 2 McMahons for Dooher & Davy Harte would make a huge difference, and then we could start to worry about McCarron and Mark Donnelly. But, wonderful servant though he has been, Dooher has to go now. Mickey, of course, won't drop him, so most people I know in Tyrone are praying for a hamstring tear.

Mc Mahons sorely missed alright and I never saw Dooher waste so much ball as today. Mugsy also looks a little beefy and I am getting more unconvinced about Penrose every time I see him. I don't think Colm Kavanagh is Sam winning quality either. When you look at where Tyrone have come up short since 2008 its hard to see where there are any improvements in 2011 to be honest.

Penrose is worth his place, and not a bad player. He was poor today, but his work-rate and speed are important to the balance of the side. Similarly Peter Harte, who will never be as bad again.

The improvements on 2009/10 are in attack, where Sean Cavanagh has come back to a bit of form, and Brian McGuigan is playing as well as he has since 2005. His role, just off the front two, is ideal for him at this stage in his career, and I hope he doesn't get forced too far back like he did in the 2nd half today. Stevie O'Neill, a man who I doubted, was very good today, and scored 3 sublime points. O'Neill is the ultimate confidence player, and today will have done him a world of good.

Cassidy and Sean Cavanagh are both too similar to play in midfield together (neither contest nor defend), so either Colm Cavanagh or Hub will have to come in there, purely for strength under the high ball, possibly with Big Sean being shifted to No.10 (I hope!!!).

Thomas Clarke wrote:
That about sums it up Jayo. I say this without any doubt whatsoever: Tyrone will not win an all-ireland with Brian Dooher still playing an important role. He can't even hang onto a ball anymore, and the few that he did get, he gave away again. Whatever about Davy (definitely not good enough) and Ricey (poor today, but has a role to play), Dooher is the one that is miles off the standard. However, the fear is that Mickey plays him again against Donegal, in the logic that this was his first game back and, if even marginally improved, he keeps playing him until we are finally beaten.

The 2 McMahons for Dooher & Davy Harte would make a huge difference, and then we could start to worry about McCarron and Mark Donnelly. But, wonderful servant though he has been, Dooher has to go now. Mickey, of course, won't drop him, so most people I know in Tyrone are praying for a hamstring tear.

Sorry JS, a typo! And I hope I am wrong (although maybe that just sounds worse)

Thomas Clarke wrote:Sorry JS, a typo! And I hope I am wrong (although maybe that just sounds worse)

You want to face a side that doesn't play such defensive football so it will be a better quality game.. Understandable...