Tyrone GT news

The team I picked was an alternative team to the one that started against Cavan - all different players to those who started last night. I wasn't suggesting that it was our best 15, as I'm pretty sure I'd have Sean Cavanagh in there!

Gormley will be useful for 15 minutes. He has enough smarts and fitness to do a job around the middle of the field late in a game. He'd also be useful for playing more against certain opponents (yes, I'm thinking of Colm McFadden).

Unless we go off the rails in the next 5 league games, Tyrone are going to try and outscore teams this year, similar to the Dubs last year. There will be a lot of pace in our defence, and a very mobile and skilful attack. The 2 big questions are whether or not Conor Gormley and Joe McMahon do in fact nudge back into consideration. Personally, I think Joe McMahon still has enough left to improve any side (at 9 or 12), but I'd hold Gormley back for the last 10 minutes, if needed.

Thomas Clarke wrote:Good stuff, Boc.  Yeah, I also heard that Cavan were extremely defensive, as they were in a lot of games last summer.  It would be a worry I'd have about Hyland.  I know that he is trying to make them tough to beat and hope that Dunne/Keating can nick games for him, but I think he'll soon have to start letting his side play a bit more.

As for Tyrone, I'm not sure I'd agree with you on Lavery, but I totally agree on Grugan.  He is developing quickly.  Still only 21, and not only will he be our midfielder of the future, but he could also play a big role this year (wing forward?).  Good to see PJ Quinn back playing well again, and your own clubman had a good game at No.7.  At the minute, I'd say that Tiernan is in pole position to stake a claim for that jersey.

I wasn't at the game myself, but from what I saw and have been told it seems that the wind was very strong.  With that in mind, I wouldn't worry too much about Tyrone's first half performance.  I'd also cut them some slack for rustiness, with so many new players drafted in, and so many lads making their first start of the year.

Let's hope the injury to Colm Cavanagh isn't serious.  

The wind wasn't too bad TC we played against it in the first half and Morgan was taking frees from 45-50 metres out and was making the distance with ease.

I wouldn't say Cavan are ultra defensive I think their game plan was spot on in the first half they defended well but they weren't afraid to commit men forward when they won the ball.

Lavery still has a lot to learn TC but I think he is one for the future, he is lightning quick not afraid of work and what I like about him is the intelligent runs he makes, in the McKenna cup against Derry he made several great runs which had he got the ball he would have goal end each time, unfortunately on each occasion our guys couldn't pick him out. It's interesting though that we is a wing half back for his club, he could do the same for the county.

bocerty wrote: Lavery still has a lot to learn TC but I think he is one for the future, he is lightning quick not afraid of work and what I like about him is the intelligent runs he makes, in the McKenna cup against Derry he made several great runs which had he got the ball he would have goal end each time, unfortunately on each occasion our guys couldn't pick him out.  It's interesting though that we is a wing half back for his club, he could do the same for the county.

I can see the attraction, and perhaps he might be useful in the last 10-15 minutes of games as a runner, but my problem with Lavery is his size - he's very small and light.  Perhaps I'm just a sucker for athletes, and I know I go on about them all the time, but I love players who are tall, strong, balanced and fast.  Top athletes + top coaching = success!

Thomas Clarke wrote:

bocerty wrote: Lavery still has a lot to learn TC but I think he is one for the future, he is lightning quick not afraid of work and what I like about him is the intelligent runs he makes, in the McKenna cup against Derry he made several great runs which had he got the ball he would have goal end each time, unfortunately on each occasion our guys couldn't pick him out.  It's interesting though that we is a wing half back for his club, he could do the same for the county.

I can see the attraction, and perhaps he might be useful in the last 10-15 minutes of games as a runner, but my problem with Lavery is his size - he's very small and light.  Perhaps I'm just a sucker for athletes, and I know I go on about them all the time, but I love players who are tall, strong, balanced and fast.  Top athletes + top coaching = success!

There are always exceptions TC look at the Gooch, how many of your criteria would he meet, the same for Canavan???????

bocerty wrote:

Thomas Clarke wrote:

bocerty wrote: Lavery still has a lot to learn TC but I think he is one for the future, he is lightning quick not afraid of work and what I like about him is the intelligent runs he makes, in the McKenna cup against Derry he made several great runs which had he got the ball he would have goal end each time, unfortunately on each occasion our guys couldn't pick him out.  It's interesting though that we is a wing half back for his club, he could do the same for the county.

I can see the attraction, and perhaps he might be useful in the last 10-15 minutes of games as a runner, but my problem with Lavery is his size - he's very small and light.  Perhaps I'm just a sucker for athletes, and I know I go on about them all the time, but I love players who are tall, strong, balanced and fast.  Top athletes + top coaching = success!

There are always exceptions TC look at the Gooch, how many of your criteria would he meet, the same for Canavan???????  

Both Canavan and Cooper are stronger and better balanced than Lavery and had far better feet, but yes, there are obviously exceptions, particularly in the inside forward positions.  I just don't think that Lavery is an exceptional talent, and is too small to make a major impact in the middle third of the field.  We already have Mark Donnelly out there - that is enough.

Could you see him marking James McCarthy, Paul Flynn, Diarmuid Connelly or Cian O'Sullivan?  To pinch the old heavyweight boxing adage, a good big 'un will always beat a good little 'un.

Tyrone have now played 7 games this season, and will have anywhere between 5 and 7 more before the championship opener against Down on May 18th.  Tyrone are unbeaten, and some players have already staked claims to starting jerseys, while others due to form or injury are falling down the pecking order at this point.  Here is my take on who is hot and who is not:

Flying High

Conan Grugan - Still only 21, Grugan the 2010 Ai minor winning midfielder has had a great start to the year.  Grugan was a spectator on the panel last year, but seems much more ready this season.  Tall, mobile and with excellent feet, Grugan is a cultured footballer who looks like he could become the best natural midfielder that Tyrone have produced in a long time.  He is still a bit light, and perhaps next year will see him properly emerge, but he looks to be improving all the time and could yet play a big role for Tyrone this summer, possibly even at wing forward.

Darren McCurry - McCurry is still U21, but is playing with much more confidence than in either of his previous 2 seasons.  Well-balanced and very accurate off either side, he has been thriving in Tyrone's more attacking formation.  His two main weaknesses remain his reluctance to take on a man and also his tendency to sometimes spill the ball when tightly marked, but he would be a certain starter if the Down game was tomorrow.

Mattie Donnelly - Powerful and full of running, Donnelly has been an excellent wing forward over the last couple of years, but Mickey has restationed him at the edge of the square, hoping that his power and movement will create more chances for the smaller corner men.  Donnelly can score off either side and put on an exhibition against Kevin Keane in the Mayo game.

Ciaran McGinley - A debutant on the panel last year, McGinley's size and pace saw him become a regular by the end of the year.  He seems to have pushed on again this season, particularly when going forward, and is now our first established RHB since the retirement of his clubman, Davy Harte.

Barry Tierney - Like his fellow Omagh man Grugan, Tierney spent all of last season sitting on the bench.  He got his chance early this year, and has turned in two good league performances at corner back.  Tierney needs more games to continue developing, but at the minute he has as good a chance as any to replace Cathal McCarron at No.4.

Colm Cavanagh - Much maligned last season until the AI semi-final, Cavanagh missed the McKenna Cup through injury, but roared back into form with 2 great performances against Mayo & Derry in the league.  Most Tyrone fans would now concede that we need his willingness and strength in the middle third.


Under Pressure

Niall McKenna - Son of one of Ulster's greatest ever footballers, McKenna came straight into the senior panel after starring at midfield for the 2008 AI minor team.  He sat out the last couple of years, but has returned a bit bigger and, supposedly, ready to make an impact.  Unfortunately, I just don't see any improvement.  He is fast, is a good fielder and has good feet, but he just drops the ball far too often in contact.  McKenna has not had a good start to the season, and I'm now doubting as to whether or not he will ever fulfil his underage potential.

Ronan McNabb - A favourite of Mickey's due to his rare defensive instincts and ball winning ability, McNabb has had a career plagued with injuries and they seem to be affecting him again.  He has started a few games at wing half back, but has been taken off in most of them, perhaps struggling a little bit for pace.  Fully fit, he may be a better option that Tiernan McCann or Ryan McKenna, but he is behind both of those at this stage.

Connor McAliskey - Through no fault of his own, McAliskey is probably behind McCurry, Ronan O'Neill and Kyle Coney in the race for the 2 corner forward slots.  However, the Clonoe player was injured over the winter and hasn't yet regained full fitness, and I'd expect him to improve as the year goes on, so long as he gets the opportunity to shine in what is a fairly competitive inside forward line.  I'm a big fan of McAliskey, but I get the impression that Mickey prefers some of the others.

Stevie O'Neill - Injuries again are keeping SON out of action.  There are rumours that he is still a long way from fitness and, with the competition in the full forward line, the chances of seeing a lot of O'Neill this year are looking slim.

Tyrone team to play Kildare on Sunday. The are 3 changes from the side that beat Mayo, with Ryan McKenna, Sean Cavanagh & Connor McAliskey replacing Tiernan McCann, Shay McGuigan & Peter Hughes:

1 – Niall Morgan
2 – Aidan McCrory
3 – Conor Clarke
4 – Barry Tierney
5 – Ciaran McGinley
6 – Peter Harte
7 – Ryan McKenna
8 – Conan Grugan
9 – Colm Cavanagh
10 – Emmett McKenna
11 – Ronan O’Neill
12 – Sean Cavanagh
13 – Darren McCurry
14 – Mattie Donnelly
15 – Connor McAliskey

16 – Michael O’Neill
17 – Dermot Carlin
18 – Kyle Coney
19 – Mark Donnelly
20 – Kevin Gallagher
21 – Peter Hughes
22 – Plunkett Kane
23 – Danny McBride
24 – Tiernan McCann
25 – Shay McGuigan
26 – Niall McKenna ​

After a 3 week break, the league begins in earnest for a lot of sides, and Mickey has picked a very interesting team.  1-9 is close to a full strength selection at present, while the forward line is very ambitious.  It is full of scores and ability, but I worry about who is going to do the hard grafting, as neither McKenna (too light) nor O'Neill are really suited to that just now.  Still, it is a team full of scoring power, and if we can win the midfield battle we will certainly test the Kildare backs.  Overall, an adventurous and extremely attack oriented selection.

so Stephen O'Neill has undergone surgery to correct a long standing Achilles problem, a muscle or nerve that was nipping him when he was sprinting has been completely removed. Didnt need it according to the surgeon, that begs the question why did it take so long to make the decision to remove.

Seems there has been a bit of a cull of the panel too Aidan Cassidy is gone again and Hugh Gallagher as well as a few others just cant remember who.

Tyrone starting to show signs of being contenders for this league,what a way to beat the lillies ryan will be sick losing a game like that.

champers wrote:Tyrone starting to show signs of being contenders for this league,what a way to beat the lillies ryan will be sick losing a game like that.

dont know about that Champers the amount of space we have given Kildare and Cavan in the last two games has been criminal, and whats worse is we dont seem to be taking any steps to correct the issues.  We barely deserved the victory against Kildare - still a fair bit of work to do.

Mind you Micky Ned O'Sullivan has tipped us for SAM

Mind you Boc the ease with which Kildare's inside line won ball that was directed toward them would concern me. You have to contest aggressively for possession at this point, otherwise you're suspect to a quick lay-off.

McCrory and Clarke allowed their men win possession too handily IMO.

Boxtyeater wrote:Mind you Boc the ease with which Kildare's inside line won ball that was directed toward them would concern me. You have to contest aggressively for possession at this point, otherwise you're suspect to a quick lay-off.

McCrory and Clarke allowed their men win possession too handily IMO.

exactly Boxty another team will expose that much more severely than Kildare did, Cavan had the same freedom in the Mckenna cup game - we seem to have adopted the Kevin Keegan mentality of you score 22 points and we will score 23!!!1

A dangerous game to play........... it won Keegan nothing

Tyrone have, predictably, gone more defensive this week.  Quinn, McBride and McNabb are all physically stronger and better in the tackle that the men they've replaced (McCrory, McGinley and McKenna), but are much slower too.  Up front, McNeice for McAliskey is another attempt to redress the balance between grafters and scorers.  I think Tyrone will be much tighter than last week.

To be fair to the fullback line last week, they were hung out to dry by a middle eight that couldn't win the ball.  No fullback line will cope with that sort of pressure being placed on them, and it is no surprise to see that most of the changes have come in that sector.  Specifically re. midfield, Sean Cavanagh hasn't picked up where he left off last year, and Joe McMahon's strength is missed there too.  Aidan Cassidy's dropping from the panel remains hard to understand at face value.  

Mattie Donnelly is back at FF, and we do need him there.  However, saw last week that we also need him at wing forward.  I'd love to see someone like Coney emerge properly, and allow Mickey to move Mattie back out the field, where his industry and strength are badly needed.  But, for now, he is our only real ball winner inside, and there he will stay.

Well, that was the worst that I can remember. From any era. That was the worst half of football I've ever seen from a Tyrone side. We were abysmal and, what makes it worse, is that we thought we were improving.

The first half was a low standard nip 'n' tuck affair, with neither side looking good on a dead pitch, but I fancied that Tyrone would pull away in the second period, mainly as I thought that we had a stronger bench to introduce. How wrong was I.

Tyrone scored the first point of the second half, and then failed to convert from a couple more attacks. At that moment, we looked ready to take control, but it all fell apart and we failed to score again, blitzed as we were by 3-8 to 0-0 in the last half hour. Mickey's wholesale changes at half-time clearly disrupted the team, but that should not be an excuse. Firstly we stopped winning the ball, and then we stopped competing for it.

After a sparkling 2013, Sean Cavanagh has not hit form yet this year, but today he was totally anonymous. He should have been taken off long before the finish. Shay McGuigan and Emmet McKenna are good young lads who should improve next year, but their seasons should, to all extents and purposes, have ended after 50 minutes today. They just aren't ready. Mark Donnelly was completely ineffective when introduced, while Ronan O'Neill and McCurry became increasingly peripheral figures in a possession starved full forward line.

In defence, late replacement Ronan McNamee was a lone success at FB, and Conor Clarke battled gamely at right half. Peter Harte scored 2 nice early points, but then vanished. McNabb and McGinley also were completely overrun. In the corners, PJ Quinn struggled, while poor Barry Tierney was crucified by James O'Donoghue, the Kerryman scorching him for 3-3 from play. Tierney has had a good start to the year and was deployed specifically onto O'Donoghue. However, it was evident from early on that he was overmatched, yet his manager left him stranded there for the entire game. That was complete negligence on Mickey's part. He didn't even try a switch with Quinn. I've no idea what Mickey thought this was achieving, either for today's game or Tierney's development.

Despite going in at 8 points apiece, Mickey made 2 personnel and a raft of positional changes at half-time. Then despite us being demolished, he waited until the game was out of sight before bringing on anyone else. Seriously Mickey, what were you watching?? I'm not suggesting that any change would have halted the massacre, but it is awful not to try.

I feel for lads like Connor McAliskey, Kyle Coney and Dermie Carlin. Lads who are not getting a fair crack of the whip. They must have been watching from the bench thinking 'What am I doing here?' Aidan Cassidy was another who could have helped compete in a demolished midfield, but apparently he was dropped from the panel recently.

I don't think that Tyrone will be that poor again, and we are very fortunate to have a great chance to rebound against Westmeath at home next week, but this was a real wake-up call. We've been bested in midfield in almost every game, and our half backs/forwards are not winning enough dirty ball. We have a gaping hole in our defence because Mickey seems to think that his nephew is the answer there. Well, he's not. He is a wing back at best. He doesn't mark or tackle, so he's not a CHB in a 6-2-6 formation.

I had hoped I wouldn't have to type the following words this season, but I'm about to: When are Gormley and the McMahons due back?

Watched this game today thought both teams were very poor in the first have put the pitch looked very heavy and conditions were poor thought both teams would learn very little from it,was surprised to see kerry blow tyrone away in the 2nd half but you have to give credit to O’Donoghue what a class act sniff of goal and he goes for it all the time hard player to mark.As long as tyrone have colm cavanagh the biggest bluffer ever to play in the middle you are a beating docket and this has being going on for years,as for gormley if you think he will make a difference only harte knows but once he comes up against pace he is gone,the 2 mc mahons are good players who might help your cause but your clutching at straws.If i was a tyrone supporter i wouldn't worry about todays result to much s..t happens some days,still who ever wins the league will have to beat tyrone

Didn't get to see the Tyrone v Kerry match but the score line is certainly eye catching. Not sure where Kerry pulled that performance out of. Will Harte quit the attacking football style of this year after that defeat or just mark that game down as one off?

The problem is this game has been coming, the evidence was there against Cavan who gave us an awful lot of problems in the McKenna cup final, the entire defence got a roasting for the first half of that game and we werent competing in and around the middle of the field, Cavan won 6-7 clean kickouts that night, we werent winning any break ball that night either. The only reason we pulled that out of the fire was Cavan tired significantly in the second half.

Kildare exposed many of the same issues so i am not surprised we got a trouncing - granted i ddint expect Kerry to do it (more Cork or Dublin) but this one has been coming.

Back to the drawing board, Mickey will have learnt more yesterday than he has all season. Though as TC says sometimes i wonder just what he is thinking on the sideline at times.

Thomas Clarke wrote:  Aidan Cassidy was another who could have helped compete in a demolished midfield, but apparently he was dropped from the panel recently.

I always wonder why Mickey rarely uses Cassidy. Have only seen him in the flesh a handful of times but has been immense when I've seen him play.

Gaa_lover wrote:Didn't get to see the Tyrone v Kerry match but the score line is certainly eye catching. Not sure where Kerry pulled that performance out of. Will Harte quit the attacking football style of this year after that defeat or just mark that game down as one off?

Kerry didn't pull any performance out of anywhere.  They were very average until they upped the intensity a bit, and Tyrone just crumbled.  Kerry people should be under no illusions - this game said much more about Tyrone than it did them.

Tyrone will have to put this down as a one-off to a certain degree.  It's too late in the development of this side to simply throw everything out and start again.  That would lead to a crisis of confidence that could spell the end for everyone involved, including Mickey.  He has to plough on with the lads he has got, and try to rebuild their confidence.  He also needs to add a bit of steel somewhere. I also agree with Champers to an extent, in that sometimes these games just happen but, as Boc says, the warning signs were there in earlier matches.

The time for experimenting is over.  Tyrone have to start playing their championship team in the remaining games, and need to make a big statement against Westmeath.  But it isn't just about what Mickey does, as no county side, not even Kilkenny, should ever be outscored 3-8 to 0-0 over a 30 minute period.  That is a total disgrace, and a lot of lads have to have a hard took at themselves.

johnnos bulls wrote:

Thomas Clarke wrote:  Aidan Cassidy was another who could have helped compete in a demolished midfield, but apparently he was dropped from the panel recently.

I always wonder why Mickey rarely uses Cassidy. Have only seen him in the flesh a handful of times but has been immense when I've seen him play.

His first 2-3 years on the panel were ruined by injuries in the summer after good league campaigns. Then in the last 2 years, he just hasn't seemed to be fit for more than 15-20 minutes. Great for 20 minutes, but then is exhausted. I don't know if that was due to lack of commitment to training or if it is just his physical make-up, but it seems like Mickey decided he wasn't his type of player.

Just in case Mickey is watching and in need of some ideas, here is my Tyrone team to play Westmeath. A big win is imperative:

1. Niall Morgan
2. PJ Quinn
3. Danny McBride
4. Ronan McNamee
5. Ciaran McGinley
6. Conor Clarke
7. Peter Harte
8. Colm Cavanagh
9. Sean Cavanagh
10. Mattie Donnelly
11. Mark Donnelly
12. Conan Grugan
13. Darren McCurry
14. Kyle Coney
15. Ronan O'Neill

Well, Mickey obviously had no interest in my advice, and has gone for the below side. The team was to have been announced last night, the TyroneGAA twitter account said it was delayed by 24 hours due to 'technical difficulties'. Hmm, yeah, that must've been it alright..   

Anyway, 7 personnel changes and a host of positional moves, the most interesting of which is a new, stronger-looking half back line (including Mattie Donnelly, who was yesterday diagnosed with a medial ligament tear - bizarre story). The forward line has also been bulked up. The full-back line is very chancey, but I agree with Mickey that it is more important to be strong in the middle third just now.

1. Niall Morgan
2. Aidan McCrory
3. Ronan McNamee
4. Ryan McKenna
5. Conor Clarke
6. Mattie Donnelly
7. Peter Harte
8. Colm Cavanagh
9. Sean Cavanagh
10. Ciaran McGinley
11. Shay McGuigan
12. Conan Grugan
13. Kyle Coney
14. Mark Donnelly
15. Connor McAliskey

This selection smacks of a man in the Last Chance Saloon. The full-back and half-forward lines look very suspect to me. Clarke is hardly a wing-back, no more so than Harte, who's possibly a wing forward at best.

I'm beating my head off a wall probably, but the key to this game is player of quality, experience and vision at 11. Shay McGuigan isn't the answer to the problem for you IMO. Why not try Sean C. Granted he takes on a lot onto himself and is possibly somewhat covetous in possession, but with a bit of work.......

Boxtyeater wrote:This selection smacks of a man in the Last Chance Saloon. The full-back and half-forward lines look very suspect to me. Clarke is hardly a wing-back, no more so than Harte, who's possibly a wing forward at best.

I'm beating my head off a wall probably, but the key to this game is player of quality, experience and vision at 11. Shay McGuigan isn't the answer to the problem for you IMO. Why not try Sean C. Granted he takes on a lot onto himself and is possibly somewhat covetous in possession, but with a bit of work.......

Sean Cavanagh is badly out of form.  As far as I know, he hardly trained all winter after picking up an injury in the International Rules nonsense, and it shows.  Shay McGuigan is a talented playmaker, but injuries meant that he didn't have much of a minor or U21 career, and has never played Sigerson or Ulster club, hence this is a big step up.  He is currently struggling with the pace of senior inter county footballer, but he'll get better (next year).  McGinley is under pressure, but Grugan is a good young player.

Clarke will be ok at RHB - i'd prefer him at midfield or CHB, but wing half is better than FB.  In my opinion, Harte is suited to LHB.  He prefers to face the play, and he can't do that as a forward.

Colm Cavanagh is at midfield because, despite his limitations, he is the best option that we have.

The corner forwards are not polished but are both talented.

The first 15 minutes is crucial.  If we start well, we'll beat Westmeath easily.

4 paragraphs gone down the pan...Grrrrr.

Look lads, ye're having a difficulty going back to the game's roots (free-flowing football) because your defenders aren't capable/coached in the art of man to man defence. Simultaneously your lacking a distributitive penetrative forward.

Throw up another Ricey and Brian McGuigan and ye'll see the August Bank Holiday weekend.