Tyrone GT news

champers wrote:Gormley has being finished for years,mayo will be happy to see him line out

Gormley has been Tyrone's second best player this year. Whatever about Mayo, everyone in Tyrone is delighted that he is available.

Reports coming in of a very tipsy TC spotted dancing in the streets of Dungannon celebrating their 22nd Tyrone SHC title, we all know he is a massive hurling fan so no doubt these reports are 100% true!

bald eagle wrote:Reports coming in of a very tipsy TC spotted dancing in the streets of Dungannon celebrating their 22nd Tyrone SHC title, we all know he is a massive hurling fan so no doubt these reports are 100% true!

Indeed Beagle. He strikes me that way too I must confess. I can visualise him in the chipper, with a flagon of cider under his oxter, angrily condemning the size of the portions of chips and the meagre amount of horsemeat in his half-eaten quarter pounder.  

The footballers won this weekend, their 2nd win on the trot.  We've jumped to 9th from 15th (out of 16) in the intermediate league, with 4 matches remaining.  I'd say we'd need 2 more wins to be absolutely certain of avoiding a quick return to junior football, especially as all 4 games are against sides within 1 point of us.

Oh yes, and well done to the hurlers - just a shame the 4 clubs in Dungannon (football, hurling and 2 x womens' pursuits) are all completely separate from one another.  Makes no sense to me.

Tyrone welcomed the press to Garvaghey last week...

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Thomas Clarke wrote:Tyrone welcomed the press to Garvaghey last week...

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Just a pity one of the Tyrone MHC Semi-finals played there a few weeks ago was over an hour late due to both teams being locked out, then when they got in the game was played on a pitch that wasn't lined out! A monument to footballing ambition perhaps?

Got to say, i'm staggered that a town like Dungannon has a football team yo-yoing between inter & junior, the Prince of Clonoe has a lot to answer to eh? Interesting that all 4 teams are independant, is there an underlying reason for this? I take it they all share the same ground?

bald eagle wrote:

Thomas Clarke wrote:Tyrone welcomed the press to Garvaghey last week...

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Just a pity one of the Tyrone MHC Semi-finals played there a few weeks ago was over an hour late due to both teams being locked out, then when they got in the game was played on a pitch that wasn't lined out! A monument to footballing ambition perhaps?

Got to say, i'm staggered that a town like Dungannon has a football team yo-yoing between inter & junior, the Prince of Clonoe has a lot to answer to eh? Interesting that all 4 teams are independant, is there an underlying reason for this? I take it they all share the same ground?

Not sure what happened re. the Minor hurling game, but I'm sure it wasn't a deliberate snub on hurling. Sounds more like a logistical/admin error somewhere along the chain.

Ah, the Prince, what a legend - the housewives' favourite, and the greatest moustache this side of Tom Selleck! To be fair to Kevin McCabe, the problem with our footballers was there before his arrival, and continued for many years after his departure. There was a major split in the club 20 years ago, and there are still lingering effects. Also, youth football was neglected for years, and all momentum was lost. Basically, the club lost its identity and connection with the community.

As regards the 4 teams, it is mainly due to none of them being able to agree with each other. They share many facilities, and also share a potential fundraising market. It's a real shame, as the potential for synergy is obvious.

Clonoe are Tyrone champions again, Damian Cassidy proving himself again as a good club manager, could Derry come calling again when BMcI steps down in the far future?

bald eagle wrote:Clonoe are Tyrone champions again, Damian Cassidy proving himself again as a good club manager, could Derry come calling again when BMcI steps down in the far future?

He has done very well with Clonoe in both stints there. Derry could well come back again. I thought he was too defensive in his first tenure with the county, but he is more experienced now and perhaps has a better idea of what is required. For the minute though, McIvor is doing the good job we all expected him to do.

No point asking TC as he possibly wasn't at the final, but were there any highlights?

big Packie retires

big Sean takes over the captaincy - are we to read into this that Stevie has to commit to another year.

and Mugsy writes his autobiography (or someone wrote it for him more like) he gives Mickey a bit of a dig in it and i cant say i blame him. He makes the valid point that the other veterans were allowed to go at a time of their own choosing and yet his decision was made for him without so much as a phone call to explain why. That said i am sure Mickey has his own version of that same story which would make different reading.

bocerty wrote:big Packie retires

big Sean takes over the captaincy  - are we to read into this that Stevie has to commit to another year.

and Mugsy writes his autobiography (or someone wrote it for him more like)  he gives Mickey a bit of a dig in it and i cant say i blame him.  He makes the valid point that the other veterans were allowed to go at a time of their own choosing and yet his decision was made for him without so much as a phone call to explain why.  That said i am sure Mickey has his own version of that same story which would make different reading.

Thoughts on each point:

Packie - a gentleman.  Seems to have been a great fella to have in the camp, and a good goalkeeper too.  He was chancey at times, but never let us down on the big day.

Sean - Deservedly the captain.  I would guess that Stevie will be back, but he is 34 next year and very injury prone.  Stevie should have been dropped this summer as he just wasn't fit to play.  Sean is in great form and deserves the honour - he's assured of his place on the side, and that is important too.

Mugsy - Mugsy's version tallies with what I heard at the time.  He played in 2 challenge matches, and then heard nothing from Mickey.  For a lad who had given him 15 years, I agree that a phone call would have been in order.  

Mickey is perceived around the country as a type of father figure to his players, but he isn't really.  As far as I know, he doesn't have a lot of contact with most of them away from the Tyrone set up - that just isn't his style.  I get the impression that Mickey is more like a Kevin Heffernan (in that he is respected rather than loved), as opposed to maybe a Sean Boylan or Mick O'Dwyer.

Just saw on Twitter that Conor Gormley has won the Tyrone Club Player of the Year award tonight at the annual all-stars dinner. Fair play to the man, well into his 30s and still a mighty servant for both club & county.

Already a father, his wife is pregnant with twins but, although he hasn't yet committed to another season with Tyrone, I'd be optimistic that we'll wring one more year out of Conor in a Red Hand jersey.

Thomas Clarke wrote:Just saw on Twitter that Conor Gormley has won the Tyrone Club Player of the Year award tonight at the annual all-stars dinner.  Fair play to the man, well into his 30s and still a mighty servant for both club & county.  

Already a father, his wife is pregnant with twins but, although he hasn't yet committed to another season with Tyrone, I'd be optimistic that we'll wring one more year out of Conor in a Red Hand jersey.

In all fairness to him TC, he's run his race. An absolutely tremendous servant, his oul' legs, not that they were ever fast, have slowed and that old malaise, that creeps into all but the very top defenders, may be creeping in - the sly block, the drag-back, the bit of mouthing and arm-throwing, you know yourself.

He's given Tyrone his all, his awards, medals and memories stand the test. Aspirinational days/leadership when required, I doubt, given what he's given to the Red Hand, that we'll/we've seen the last of him.

I agree with all that Boxty, and our defensive tactics this year were party to protect him and Joe McMahon.

I'd be worried if we didn't unearth someone better suited to August football during the league but, especially with McCarron already gone, he could well be starting against Down in the Preliminary Round.

Ideal scenario for me would be having Gormley play the last 10-15 minutes of games, not unlike what Chris Lawn was able to do to fine effect in 2005.

Tyrone have listed a number of players who will miss the McKenna Cup due to injury:

Stevie O'Neill
Kyle Coney
Joe McMahon
Justin McMahon
Aidan Cassidy
Dermot Carlin
Ronan McNabb
PJ Quinn

Talk about the usual suspects! Seriously, if you had asked me to guess which 8 were out, I would have had all those named within the first 8-9 guesses. I suppose there really are just some players who susceptible to injury after injury.

Conor McAliskey also had surgery recently, so I'd say he will be out too. With O'Neill, Coney and possibly McAliskey gone, and with Darren McCurry still U21, we could well be short of inside forwards in the early rounds of the league. Great opportunity for Ronan O'Neill and perhaps a couple of newcomers to make an impact.

Surely a 'must have' on every Christmas list - I'd say Boxty has a copy for each of the grandchildren…

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Thomas Clarke wrote:Surely a 'must have' on every Christmas list - I'd say Boxty has a copy for each of the grandchildren…

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Not yet exactly TC, but I'm sure I'll be reading it over the Christmas, courtesy of the eldest son who, despite Boxty's move to the Kindle system, continues in the time honoured fashion of buying sporting biographies for all occasions that involve me.
Being somewhat canny like his mentor, many of these come under the "Buy 2 get 3rd. free" banner, hence I have 3 copies of Dessie Farrell's tome Rhapsody in Blue or whatever it's called.

I always liked Mulligan and hope it goes well for him in the years ahead. That said, he mightn't be my ideal son-in-law.....

I'd be a fan of hardcover books myself, and my Amazon Christmas Wishlist is made up predominantly of such things (not sports autobiographies, I should add).  

Tyrone people liked Mugsy too - wild and rarely 100% committed to training, but gave what he had on the field, and carried himself with a charismatic swagger.  He would've been the Yang to Stevie O'Neill's Yin in just about every way imaginable.

I'm not a huge Amazon fan myself TC, preferring The Book Depository (not the building). They have every available book I'd imagine and offer a free delivery service.
We give our children money to buy Christmas toys for the small ones that they will appreciate and then I tend to buy educational type books (such as you can for their ages) from TBD. They have a great selection/menu system and I find them top notch.

Boxtyeater wrote:I'm not a huge Amazon fan myself TC, preferring The Book Depository (not the building). They have every available book I'd imagine and offer a free delivery service.
We give our children money to buy Christmas toys for the small ones that they will appreciate and then I tend to buy educational type books (such as you can for their ages) from TBD. They have a great selection/menu system and I find them top notch.

You know, I priced them both on about 10 books yesterday, and found the Book Depository cheaper on only one of them (several the same price, and amazon cheaper on several). All free delivery.

Ah here Grandad, at that age, all books are educational. Still hard to beat something like this new release for children: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

We're still paying for the "Tales of the Brian's Grim" for God's sake.

Tyrone panel for the McKenna Cup announced.  26 in the panel, including 9 newcomers (*), and several squad members from last year.  

*Kevin Campbell – Doire Treasc
Conor Clarke – An Omaigh
Mathew Donnelly – Trí Leac
*Hugh Gallagher – An Omaigh
Kevin Gallagher – An Baile Nua
Conan Grugan – An Omaigh
Peter Harte – Aireagal Chiaráin
*Peter Hughes – Eiscreach
Plunkett Kane – Oileán a’Ghuail
*PJ Lavery – Cluain Eo
Connor McAliskey – Cluain Eo
Danny McBride – An Srath Ban
Tiernan McCann – Coill an Chlochair
Ciaran McGinley – Aireagal Chiaráin
*Shea McGuigan – Ard Bó
*Emmett McKenna – Eaglais
*Niall McKenna – An Domhnach Mór
Ryan McKenna – Eaglais
Ronan McNamee – Achadh Uí Aráin
Patrick McNiece – Oileán a’Ghuail
*Daniel McNulty – Cluain Eo
Niall Morgan – Éadan na dTorc
Michael O’Neill – Cluain Eo
Ronan O’Neill – An Omaigh
*Patrick Quinn – Dún Geanainn
Barry Tierney – An Omaigh

The bigger names not playing are Cavanaghs (x2), McMahons (x2), Mark Donnelly, Martin Penrose, Dermie Carlin, Ronan McNabb, Kyle Coney, Stevie O'Neill, Conor Gormley, Darren McCurry and Cathal McCarron.

Very inexperienced squad, and I'd expect a tougher passage to the semi-finals that we normally get.  Still, should be plenty of opportunity for the new lads to impress.

Tyrone team to play Donegal in this afternoon's McKenna Cup opener. First time since 28th September 2003 that a Tyrone have picked a side without any AI senior medal winners.

Won't be at the game, so will be expecting a report from our Donegal correspondents:

1 Niall Morgan
2 Aidan McCrory
3 Conor Clarke
4 Barry Tierney
5 Ciaran McGinley
6 Danny McBride
7 Tiernan McCann
8 Plunkett Kane
9 Conan Grugan
10 Niall McKenna
11 Shay McGuigan
12 Emmett McKenna
13 Patrick McNeice
14 Matthew Donnelly
15 Ronan O’Neill

16 Michael O’Neill
17 Kevin Campbell
18 Hugh Gallagher
19 Kevin Gallagher
20 Peter Hughes
21 PJ Lavery
22 Ronan McNamee
23 Daniel McNulty
24 Patrick Quinn

Very pleased with Tyrone's result today in what was, by all accounts, a good game for the time of year, played out in front of nearly 4,000 hardy fans. 0-13 to 1-7 away to Donegal is a good result with a very inexperienced side. Tyrone seem to have been worthy winners, adding 13 wides to their points total, while Donegal just had 4.

Despite winning the AI as recently as 2008, not one of the 24 players in today's Tyrone squad has a senior AI medal, which gives an idea of the overhaul that they have undergone over the last couple of years.

Although it is very early days, Donegal may be a bit concerned by a few things, mainly because they are problems of old. Murphy & McFadden accounted for all bar one of their scores, while midfield seems to have been quite poor. Despite being much more experienced, they apparently lost a bit of discipline as the game got away from them. On the positive side, Brick Molloy and young O'Connor seem to have gone quite well.

My thoughts have been gleaned from reports and listening to the game on Highland radio, but would be good to hear from any of our posters who actually attended the game?