Tyrone GT news

Thomas Clarke wrote:Bad news on the injury front for Tyrone, with Peter Harte and PJ Quinn both injured in club games last night.  

Harte broke his wrist, so his summer could well be over, while Quinn 'pulled up sharply while running for a ball' (hamstring anyone?).

Harte would be a big loss as, the Monaghan game aside, he has had a good year at LHB, and we have nobody on the bench with the same power and pace to attack from deep.

While injuries can happen anywhere, you have to wonder when they were doing playing in club league games in the middle of a qualifier run….

when you see players getting injured in club games ,maybe the managers have a valid point not to let players play for there clubs

I was disappointed to hear Mickey say that he was going to continue, and I felt that some time to reflect may have been more appropriate. I have huge respect for what Mickey has done for Tyrone football over the last 20 years but, before continuing, he really should consider the following:

- In the last 9 years, we have reached the AI semi final twice, Ulster final 3 times, and the league semi-finals once. Our last national title was in 2008, while our last Ulster title was in 2010. Bar a glorious 6 week period in 2008, we have not really been dining at the top table for most of the last decade.

- Progress seemed to have been made in reaching the AI semi-final last year with a young side, but Mickey tore up that template over the last few months. Only 6 of the side who played Mayo started yesterday, while the entire fullback, halfback and half-forward lines were changed. Instead, we used an incredible 33 players in just 5 championship games this summer, including 27 different starters. I'm sorry to say that, despite what he may think, Mickey is not building a new side. He is blindly chucking fistfulls of darts at a board, hoping to hit a bullseye.

- I hear people say that we don't have the talent and that Mickey is only working with what he has. That may be true, and I accept that we don't have the players we have in 2003-2005 but, then again, it is Mickey who has picked the squad, and has had the opportunity to improve these players over the last number of years. We have a lot of lads who have been in the squad for years, yet never really improved. It's not enough to be tactically shrewd - you also have to improve players over time, and we don't seem to be very good at that.

- On the subject of tactical awareness, our inability to beat sides who pack a defence against us has become chronic. 3 successive years versus Donegal, and then this summer against Monaghan, we have been beaten in the same way each time.

- Our assistant manager and trainer have been the same for almost a decade. Same ideas, same voices. Tony Donnelly and Fergal McCann have made huge contributions in that time, but the set-up seems to have gone stale. In particular, I'd question Fergal as trainer, as it has been obvious for a long time that we are not as impressive physically as the likes of Dublin, Mayo or Donegal.

- Our ongoing row with RTE does us no favours, nor did Mickey's behaviour at the end of the Monaghan game. Mickey's huge personal motivation for wanting to win another AI is heartbreakingly obvious, but the stress seems to be showing on him, and that doesn't help the team.

- To be fair, this is not all on Mickey, as a lot of our players have to decide what they are there for. Armagh are a poor side, but they were much too good for us yesterday, particularly in the physicality and hunger stakes.

- Overall, sometimes a change is needed for no reason other than to freshen things up. I supported Mickey staying on last year when it looked like we were improving, but we are now in regression. In recent years we've lost to good sides like Donegal, Kerry, Dublin and Mayo, but now we are losing to very average teams. I'm not talking about regression from 2005 standards, but rather feel that we have slipped back even from 2013 levels. That should never happen with a young side, and it's hard to see what Mickey hopes to accomplish in one more year. Brilliant though he has been, it's time for a change.

Fine analysis there TC. It just about says it all really. Tyrone have regressed rapidly since the Spring of last year, a fact masked by a run in the qualifiers that's more attributable to the willpower of Sean Cavanagh than any tactical nous from the management.
You make a good point about midway through the post - the lads who have established (if that's possible) regular berths on the team have not pushed on, with the exception of Mattie Donnelly and to a lesser extent McCurry. The bulk of the rest are findable in most counties, so given the resources and facilities available you would have to start asking why there's not visible improvement. To my minds eye, Tyrone don't look to be in the same physical state as many other counties. Is s&c an issue.

Mickey owes Tyrone nothing but it would be an opportune time to realise that. Take a couple of weeks and prepare a carefully measured statement beginning with "Is oth liom a rá" and go from there. That is before Bocerty and co. start burning effigies of him and having protest marches.

Boxtyeater wrote:Fine analysis there TC. It just about says it all really. Tyrone have regressed rapidly since the Spring of last year, a fact masked by a run in the qualifiers that's more attributable to the willpower of Sean Cavanagh than any tactical nous from the management.
You make a good point about midway through the post - the lads who have established (if that's possible) regular berths on the team have not pushed on, with the exception of Mattie Donnelly and to a lesser extent McCurry. The bulk of the rest are findable in most counties, so given the resources and facilities available you would have to start asking why there's not visible improvement. To my minds eye, Tyrone don't look to be in the same physical state as many other counties. Is s&c an issue.

Mickey owes Tyrone nothing but it would be an opportune time to realise that. Take a couple of weeks and prepare a carefully measured statement beginning with "Is oth liom a rá" and go from there. That is before Bocerty and co. start burning effigies of him and having protest marches.

Effigies nothing, Bocerty is a man interested in actions, not symbolism. His low profile is, no doubt, attributable to his putting the buck to the county board as we speak. The only remaining question is who is his choice?

As for the rest, I agree with all that you wrote. I have little time for people saying that we don't have the players, when those that are there are not improving. And, if some of our players just can't improve beyond their current levels, then they shouldn't have been selected for nor retained in the county panel. Go and find lads who have superior athletic talent and work with them, even if it takes 2-3 years to get them to where we need them to be.

The identifion and nurturing of talent has been Mickey's responsibility, and he isn't doing a good enough job at either. We have panelists who have been there for years without becoming bigger/stronger, faster, positionally better, better tacklers, better passers, shooters. We have lads on the panel for 11/12 years who are still predominantly one-footed. That just isn't good enough. Our strength and conditioning seems still to be at 2005 levels. In the main, we've been left miles behind by the big sides.

There have long been reports of unrest within the Tyrone camp. Mickey is more detatched from the players than ever, and his lack of communication combined with erratic selection changes mean that nobody has a clue where they are in his plans.

Tyorne have some good players under the age of 25. Mattie Donnelly is a top gaelic footballer who would walk onto any team. Conor Clarke, Niall Morgan and Darren McCurry are all c.22, and have the interest and dedication to be very good players. Peter Harte can be a very good wing half back. Certainly, he doesn't have the positional smarts to play at CHB but, then again, neither did Tomas O'Se. Harte can be a top LHB.

Beyond that, there are some decent enough lads who can fill a hole or two. McNabb, McNamee, McCrory in defence, while we can still wring another year or two out of the Cavanaghs in certain roles.

Conan Grugan, Emmet McKenna, Shay McGuigan, Kyle Coney, Connor McAliskey and Ronan O'Neill all have a lot of talent, but they all need to improve physically in order to really nail down places. Hard work is the key with this group.

I'd like to see a new manager who wants to play football. I've seen Malachy O'Rourke mentioned as he has Tyrone connections and his trainer (Ryan Porter) is a Tyrone man. However, not only do I not think he'd leave Monaghan, I also would prefer a manager with more interest in playing good football.

So, with that, it's over to Bocerty and the county board...

Excellent discussion last night on Teamtalkmag on the state of Tyrone football. Host is commentator and 1986 CHB Noel McGinn, while panelists include 1986 all-star John Lynch and former Derry manager Damien Cassidy (Cassidy manages the reigning Tyrone champions Clonoe).

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

Thomas Clarke wrote:Excellent discussion last night on Teamtalkmag on the state of Tyrone football.  Host is commentator and 1986 CHB Noel McGinn, while panelists include 1986 all-star John Lynch and former Derry manager Damien Cassidy (Cassidy manages the reigning Tyrone champions Clonoe).

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

was speaking to Noel tonight TC and the discussion after they went off air was apparently a much better one!!!!!!!!

bocerty wrote:

Thomas Clarke wrote:Excellent discussion last night on Teamtalkmag on the state of Tyrone football.  Host is commentator and 1986 CHB Noel McGinn, while panelists include 1986 all-star John Lynch and former Derry manager Damien Cassidy (Cassidy manages the reigning Tyrone champions Clonoe).

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

was speaking to Noel tonight TC and the discussion after they went off air was apparently a much better one!!!!!!!!

Oh I wouldn't doubt it, Boc. You could see that, while all making some interesting points, none of them were being totally open with their views. Would love to have been a fly on the wall!

Thomas Clarke wrote:

bocerty wrote:

Thomas Clarke wrote:Excellent discussion last night on Teamtalkmag on the state of Tyrone football.  Host is commentator and 1986 CHB Noel McGinn, while panelists include 1986 all-star John Lynch and former Derry manager Damien Cassidy (Cassidy manages the reigning Tyrone champions Clonoe).

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

was speaking to Noel tonight TC and the discussion after they went off air was apparently a much better one!!!!!!!!

Oh I wouldn't doubt it, Boc.  You could see that, while all making some interesting points, none of them were being totally open with their views.  Would love to have been a fly on the wall!

well i can tell you TC they were all in agreement as to what should happen next and no prizes for guessing what that was!!!!

cant have this "we dont have the players" craic, 12 months ago we were in an All Ireland semi final and now be have dropped like a stone. From what i have heard players have no confidence in what Mickey and his team are doing - no tactics no game plan and that is blatantly obvious from the way the team are playing that there is a major issue.

Seems Mickey's ego is half the problem.

Who would get the job boys? Tyrone promote from within historicly (quite rightly too) yet the best club managers in recent times are two Derrymen, one a failed Derry manager at that!! To be fair to Dc, he had right idea when in charge of Derry, performances didn't matter to him, results did, seems to be getting certain sides far in todays game!

So who would it be folks?!?!

As you say, Beagle, Tyrone club football has been dominated by external managers in recent years, with Derrymen Cassidy and Ronan McGuckian winning the last 2 championships, while another Oakleafer Seamus Doyle has Ardboe.  Going a bit further back, Fermanagh men Dominic Corrigan and Peter McGinnity were to the fore.

Looking at our underage teams, Liam Donnelly and Raymond Munroe have all won AI minor titles, however, they both failed badly at U21 level.  

The current minor manager is Mickey Donnelly who, although guiding a young side to an AI final last year, failed to build on that and we crashed out of Ulster early in 2014.  The U21 chief at present is former county player Fergal Logan, but our U21s were especially dreadful this year.  

At this juncture, it's worth adding that I don't see a new manager coming from any of the above names.

So then you look at Tyrone men with senior intercounty management experience, and there are two of those - Peter Canavan and Brian McIvor.  Both would be strong contenders, though McIvor's stock may have fallen somewhat in the last 2 months.  Canavan did a fairly good job with Fermanagh, but there are many who believe that he has too many business interests to be interested.

Malachy O'Rourke is not a Tyrone man, but lived and worked in the county for years.  He also has a Tyrone trainer, Ryan Porter, regarded by many as being the best in the county.  I don't see O'Rourke leaving Monaghan to manage Tyrone, just as I don't see McIvor doing similar to Derry.  McIvor's trainer, however, is Paddy Tally.  Tally trained Tyrone to their 2003 AI, before falling out with Mickey and being replaced by Fergal McCann.  Like Porter, Tally would be very highly regarded within Tyrone.

One other external name to keep an eye on is Ciaran 'Dinky' McBride, corner forward on the 1995 team to reach the AI final.  McBride teaches in Omagh CBS, and managed the Monaghan minors to last years' Ulster title.  

Although he was disappointed not to be reappointed in 2003, I'd doubt that Eugene McKenna would have the motivation to return at this stage.  

Beyond that, you'd be looking at former players from the 90s and noughties.  Chris Lawn has had average success at club level, albeit mainly at intermediate.  Brian Dooher and fellow forumite Philip Jordan have assisted with the U21s, but they weren't able to improve the standards there.  I like Jordan, though, and also the likes of Enda McGinley.  Perhaps someone of that ilk may fancy a cut at it.  

For me, and I know that Boc disagrees, I'd lean towards Canavan.  He's a winner and would be respected by the players.  He also has had experience as a manager at intercounty level.  Alternatively, I'd follow Kerry's example, and find an intelligent young manager who wants to play good football, and surround him with the best strength and conditioning team that we can find.

TC for me Canavan hasn't done enough at club or county level to even merit a mention for the job. If he was genuinely interested in doing it he would have taken the minor job a number of years ago and started work on a 5 year plan that would have seen him move up to u21 after 2-3 years and then into Senior level. Do exactly what Mickey done, get lads used to your way of working get them in a 'routine'

For Peter however it was all about money and always will be. He spent three years with his old club where he should be highly respected (i dont think Peter has as much respect coming his way as some think) and yet won dick all, the year after he left they won the championship!!!! That tells you all you need to know.

We Irish like to take things to an extreme. The reality is that Tyrone were not as good last year as their SF appearance may have suggested, and likewise they are not as bad as their early exit this year would indicate. The truth is ALWAYS somewhere in the middle.
Does anyone really believe that there is any substantial difference in ability between Tyrone, Donegal, Derry, Armagh and Monaghan?It's fine lines that separate them IMO. Better S&C work, slightly better tactics, more momentum and belief.
Tyrone needs minor surgery (think gall-stone removal) rather than major surgery (think triple by-pass).

bocerty wrote:TC for me Canavan hasn't done enough at club or county level to even merit a mention for the job.  If he was genuinely interested in doing it he would have taken the minor job a number of years ago and started work on a 5 year plan that would have seen him move up to u21 after 2-3 years and then into Senior level.  Do exactly what Mickey done, get lads used to your way of working get them in a 'routine'

For Peter however it was all about money and always will be.   He spent three years with his old club where he should be highly respected (i dont think Peter has as much respect coming his way as some think)  and yet won dick all, the year after he left they won the championship!!!!  That tells you all you need to know.

So Canavan is a no no for you, but who would be the man to replace Harte should he go? There's plenty of Tyrone people looking him out, yet the list of replacements is remarkably small!

bald eagle wrote:
So Canavan is a no no for you, but who would be the man to replace Harte should he go?  There's plenty of Tyrone people looking him out, yet the list of replacements is remarkably small!

Bocerty in a thinly veiled "I'm the man for the job, will someone propose me" mode. G'wan the Boc.

BTW...£5 ew on Bayan (currently 8/1 @PP) could kick-start the re-financing programme. Runs in the big race in Galway on Friday, the Galway Hurdle I think.  

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

Just heard this, and I've mixed thoughts.

In one regard, I'm pleased, as I've said for a long time that we needed to freshen up our back room team.

On the other hand, I'm sad to see the end of an era, with 2 men who were there (officially) since 2004/5 saying goodbye. They both made huge contributions, and Tony especially was a key influence on our tactics from as early as 2003.

And on an extra hand, I feel that they are perhaps taking the fall for a man who should also be considering his position…

So, amidst all these confusing thoughts, I'll say a heartfelt 'thank you' to Tony & Fergal, for the great work in delivering so much success over the last decade.

RMDrive wrote:We Irish like to take things to an extreme. The reality is that Tyrone were not as good last year as their SF appearance may have suggested, and likewise they are not as bad as their early exit this year would indicate. The truth is ALWAYS somewhere in the middle.
Does anyone really believe that there is any substantial difference in ability between Tyrone, Donegal, Derry, Armagh and Monaghan?It's fine lines that separate them IMO. Better S&C work, slightly better tactics, more momentum and belief.
Tyrone needs minor surgery (think gall-stone removal) rather than major surgery (think triple by-pass).

RMD the biggest issue i have here is that the team do not appear to be prepared well enough for games, having spoken to two players after the Armagh game there were no tactics there was no game plan and there was no plan B.

Now i dont know if that is sour grapes from the players or whether that is in fact the truth but from talking to others in the know the stories i am hearing certainly concur with what those players said.  Fair enough we dont have the same number of exceptional players to work with but we have enough to be beating the likes or Armagh, there was no fight no hunger in the players.

Maybe we can attribute that to a raft of younger players coming through who have watched Tyrone win All Irelands and who figure all you have to do is pull the jersey on and you win.   That would point to a major issue with our underage structures and the way these young lads are wrapped in cotton wool and handed boots, kit, access to physios dieticians and all that bollox, they get far too much too young and by the time they reach minor level their heads have disappeared up their own arses.  As an example former Tyrone defender John Lynch who likes to call a spade a spade is involved in one of these squads, earlier in the year they played a match and Lynch wasnt happy how things were progressing, he felt players were just going through the motions and not really trying.  At half time he let rip and told quite a few of them a number of home truths.  He was then pulled to the one side by a member of county board and told he wasnt allowed to speak to the players liek that and he wasnt allowed to use that language and so on..................  there in lies some of the problem.

I also accept Mickey isnt to blame for all our woes but certainly the word coming out of the camp doesn't offer mcuh hope that things will change quickly, our underage football needs a major overhaul, if Mickey is going to stay (and i cant help feel he has 'pushed' the other two to save his own face) he needs to get the likes of Ricey, Gormley, Jordan and the likes involved in minor and U21 setups so that they can show these guys what it takes to be a winner.

Ryan McMenamin and Brian McGuigan have joined the management team of the minor squad for next season, at last someone in Tyrone has seen sense!!!

The current incumbents are due to step down at the end of the 2015 season so it seems a plan has been put in place to allow for some continuity when these guys leave (which cant come soon enough) and so Ricey and Brian appear to be in pole position to take over next year.

Now all we need is someone to see sense with the U21 setup and we could be going places.

Tyrone now on the lookout for yet another new sponsor after Hunky Dorys decided not to take up the option of a 3rd year as main sponsor.

No real surprise is it - a team in decline coupled with the boycott of all things RTE means they are getting less and less out of the deal.

More new jerseys for Christmas for the kids - if they can find someone to stump up the necessary amounts of cash

Omagh St Enda's won their first Senior Football Championship title in 26 years thanks to a late late goal from Ronan O'Neill.  Scoreline of 1-10 0-12.  Carrickmore scored what looked like the winning point with 20 seconds left to lead 0-11 - 0-10 but in the very next attack Omagh went up the field the ball somehow made it into O'Neills hands and he was left with an open net to score the winning goal.  

He might be a hero in Omagh but its easy to see why he was a peripheral figure in the county setup, not anywhere near fit, lazy as sin, at least a stone and a half overweight (most of it in his fat ass) and no real desire to put in a shift for the team.  As a mate of mine puts it hes "too fond of reading tomorrows headlines"

In other news Damian O'Hagan and John Lynch - both former players for those unfamiliar with the names, both played in 1986 All Ireland final - are pushing hard to take over as managers of the county minor team.  Dont know too much about O'Hagan but if the young lads picked up any of Lynch's hunger, desire and passion for football this could only be a good move.

No word on new sponsors yet though i have heard a company called Frylite are high up in the running.

The game that Boc is referring to pales into insignificance when compared to this weekend's Intermediate championship final, between Dungannon and Trillick. This is a repeat of the 1986 senior final and, though both sides have fallen a bit from those heady days, it's a huge game and a chance to return to the top flight.

Trillick will be led by Mattie Donnelly, and aided by his younger brother Richard. Other names to note would be minor stars Lee Brennan and Daire Gallagher, and former county senior Niall Gormley.

Dungannon have no current county seniors. Or county U21s. Or county minors...

Still, we have a couple of lads who have more about them than some of what Mickey Harte has been entertaining, and I'm hoping we put in a big shift on Sunday.

As for Omagh and Ronan O'Neill, I saw Paddy Heaney writing about him (again) in the Irish News this week. Heaney seems to think that O'Neill is something special, but they only thing that stands out about him just now is his belly. The lad has talent, but he needs to get much fitter, faster and stronger if he is to be anything more than a bit player at senior level. In Tyrone's pecking order of small corner forwards, O'Neill has been passed by Darren McCurry, who seems to have a huge desire to improve all areas of his game. O'Neill has more natural talent, but he really needs to decide how badly he wants to make it. He'll be 23 next summer, and it's getting close to now or never time if he's to deliver on his 2010 AI promise.

Thomas Clarke wrote:The game that Boc is referring to pales into insignificance when compared to this weekend's Intermediate championship final, between Dungannon and Trillick.  This is a repeat of the 1986 senior final and, though both sides have fallen a bit from those heady days, it's a huge game and a chance to return to the top flight.  

Trillick will be led by Mattie Donnelly, and aided by his younger brother Richard.  Other names to note would be minor stars Lee Brennan and Daire Gallagher, and former county senior Niall Gormley.

Dungannon have no current county seniors.  Or county U21s.  Or county minors...  

Still, we have a couple of lads who have more about them than some of what Mickey Harte has been entertaining, and I'm hoping we put in a big shift on Sunday.

As for Omagh and Ronan O'Neill, I saw Paddy Heaney writing about him (again) in the Irish News this week.  Heaney seems to think that O'Neill is something special, but they only thing that stands out about him just now is his belly.  The lad has talent, but he needs to get much fitter, faster and stronger if he is to be anything more than a bit player at senior level.  In Tyrone's pecking order of small corner forwards, O'Neill has been passed by Darren McCurry, who seems to have a huge desire to improve all areas of his game.  O'Neill has more natural talent, but he really needs to decide how badly he wants to make it.  He'll be 23 next summer, and it's getting close to now or never time if he's to deliver on his 2010 AI promise.

has the makings of a good game this weekend TC unfortunately i dont think i wills e any of it as i am heading to Sligo on the bike tomorrow morning and pedalling back Sunday so i cant see me being back in time for it.

The only person who has a higher opinion of O'Neill than Paddy is O'Neill himself. He thinks he is the dogs bollox truth is he is just a bollox. In his own head he is a superstar of the game - even chatting to some Omagh men last night and they shared the opinion that he shouldnt be anywhere near the county setup. How a guy who is allegedly doing as much fitness work as he is can be as heavy and out of shape as O'Neill is beggars belief, i am as fit as he is and i am nearly twice his age.

When the men from Crossmaglen get hold of him he'll know whats what.

Well Boc, you missed a mighty performance from Dungannon on Sunday, beating Trillick by 4-11 to 0-14 in Omagh. All our scores were from play and, in truth, the final scoreline flattered them, as they were actually very economical up front off little possession.

Mattie Donnelly was just another player, and the man he was marking for most of the game got the Teamtalk MOTM award. Richie Donnelly was non-existent, and got a straight red for striking seconds after the 3rd and decisive goal crashed in.

So, the Clarkes are finally back in division 1 and, with a very young side too. Survival next year will be a big ask, but hopefully we can consolidate and then biuld beyond that.

Thomas Clarke wrote:Well Boc, you missed a mighty performance from Dungannon on Sunday, beating Trillick by 4-11 to 0-14 in Omagh.  All our scores were from play and, in truth, the final scoreline flattered them, as they were actually very economical up front off little possession.

Mattie Donnelly was just another player, and the man he was marking for most of the game got the Teamtalk MOTM award.  Richie Donnelly was non-existent, and got a straight red for striking seconds after the 3rd and decisive goal crashed in.

So, the Clarkes are finally back in division 1 and, with a very young side too.  Survival next year will be a big ask, but hopefully we can consolidate and then biuld beyond that.

was up in your neck of the woods last night TC at the launch of the Teamtalk All Star awards nominations in Hagan's Bar - still a few Clarkes men celebrating by the looks of things!!!!!!!!

The match was on TV after the TeamTalk event was over - seen the first 20 or so minutes of it.....

Tyrone defeated Armagh in a nasty game at the Athletic Grounds

Looks like tyrone are back

Big crowd, officially 8,500, but in reality it was over 10,000 if you add on the kids who get in for free.  Sadly, they weren't served up much in the way of quality football.

I feared a host of cards when I heard that an inexperienced referee was to be a late stand-in for Joe McQuillan.  What better time for a new man to make a name for himself than a McKenna Cup game?  Aside from the raft of bookings (many deserved, although they'd never have been issued in the championship), he made several inexplicably poor decisions in general play.

Armagh looked a bit fitter than Tyrone and they set out with a more clearly defined gameplan, including moving their mifielder Aaron Finden to full-back to pull, haul and drag Sean Cavanagh all day.  How Finden survived 45 minutes before his second booking, I'll never know.  This was vintage McGeeney, and a continuation from their tactics last summer.  Negative, dirty stuff, and they paid the price in the end, losing a game in which they were the better side.

Armagh had some good performances, and the CHF Martin McKenna will have been pleased with his form.  He was one of several Armagh men who troubled the Tyrone defence with movement and runs from deep.

For Tyrone, the full-back line of McCrory, McNamee and the returning Cathal McCarron were solid, though the decision to play Ryan McKenna at centre-back looked flawed long before his black card.  His brother Emmet was anonymous at wing forward too.  It appears that the only one of that clan we could be doing with is Conor, currently with Essendon in Australia.

Others were also poor, mainly in attack.  It's early days, but none of Kyle Coney, Shay McGuigan, Peter Hughes and Niall McKenna indicated that they have pushed on, and McCurry was deployed in a bizarre 3rd midfielder/playmaker role - it didn't work.  Sean Cavanagh looked good and very keen at FF, though we'll also need Mattie Donnelly in attack this year to add more strength.

As for positives, my clubman, Padraig McNulty, had an encouraging debut in midfield, while Cathal McShane looked to be the right size of a young lad when introduced.  McCarron is in good shape, and immediately improves our defence.

Overall, a pleased win for Tyrone, as discipline won out over thuggery.  With Armagh ready to feast on St Mary's and Antrim, it would be no surprise to see them secure the best runner-up slot, and for these 2 teams to meet again in the semi-final 2 weeks from now.

I should finish by adding that delaying a game for 30 minutes due to a late arriving crowd is a disgrace, especially in the depths of winter.  If people can't come on time, then that's their loss, and if the Athletic grounds aren't able to cater for a big crowd due to poor access and lack of staff at turnstiles, then perhaps they shouldn't be hosting such games.