All Ireland U-21 football championship 2015

At the AI semi final stage both games on tomorrow live on TG4.

Dublin v Tipp 2pm
Tyrone v Roscommon 4pm

Dublin the defending champions with a number of last years U-21s and the pick of their 2012 AI minor winning team will be expected to progress to another final at least but Tipp have plenty or talent themselves O'Riordan,O'Brien,Fahey as good as any U-21 players in Ireland and they won't mind the underdog tag having beaten Cork in the Munster final and Dublin minors in 2011.

Tyrone after a long wait are back in All Ireland U-21 semi final and they don't lose many when they get this far they will be battle harden having come through a very tough Ulster championship. Roscommon continue to produce good underage sides and would probably have won All Ireland at this grade if it wasn't for some outstanding Dublin,Galway teams in their way.

The bookies see a repeat of last year All Ireland final its hard to disagree with that but i expect both semi finals to be highly competitive and more entertaining than some of the recent senior games.

Big ask for Tyrone.  The Rossies have looked very good so far, and have a lot of firepower up front.

Tyrone are a bit small, and I'd worry about our corner backs.  Still, if we can keep it tight, we have fast forwards who can score.  At the start of the season, an Ulster title would have been as far as expectations would've dare stretch, so anything more would be a bonus.

Well the bookies were wrong as the two underdogs Tyrone,Tipp deservedly won. Was a tag line a few years ago expect the unexpected which sums up underage football very well.

Gaa_lover wrote:Well the bookies were wrong as the two underdogs Tyrone,Tipp deservedly won. Was a tag line a few years ago expect the unexpected which sums up underage football very well.

Delighted with Tyrone's win and excellent performance. Perhaps due to physical preparation, or hunger, or maybe even because we were battle-hardened after coming through Ulster, but Tyrone were much sharper and faster than the Rossies from the off, and they remained close to that level of intensity throughout. Roscommon have lots of good, big lads who can play and could develop into good seniors, but they didn't seem physically or mentally ready for what Tyrone threw at them.

I thought that Paudie Hampsey and full-back and Cathal McShane were superb, but Lee Brennan, 1 year removed from minor, would have been my MOTM. Tyrone have done well to get here with this side. In addition to big Danny McNulty, perhaps our 3 most talented minor forwards of this vintage have all been unavailable for various reasons. Mark Bradley hasn't been able to train for the last month due to injury, Conor McKenna is in the AFL with Essendon, and Sean Hackett is in jail for shooting dead his father. Still, other lads have come to the fore, and that is very encouraging.

We'll have our hands full with Tipp in the final, as they looked very good in the (2nd) half I saw against Dublin. They have a big, mobile midfield, and some other good propsects throughout their 15. Not the final that many would have predicted, but hopefully our boys give it their all for us Tyrone fans and the huge neutral support that we'll undoubtedly have behind us!

two corner backs played as well as anyone on the field TC. I thought Cassidy an No 4 was MOTM

bocerty wrote:two corner backs played as well as anyone on the field TC.  I thought Cassidy an No 4 was MOTM

I saw Cassidy play for Ardboe against Carrickmore in last year's senior championship, and I expected him to be called up to the senior panel this year. He's still a bit raw, but certainly someone who Id've had involved, especially with his size and mobility. Mickey obviously disagreed

Tyrone style on Saturday was similar to Donegal seniors in 2012, game based on fitness,pace with a fine balance between defence and attack in comparison the Roscommon defence was too loose & forward line were well contained. Bradley,Cassidy,Hampsey,McShane,Burns all look like players that can become good seniors in the years ahead. The management could be in line to take over from Mickey Harte.

The three Tipp players i mentioned before the game O'Riordan,O'Brien,Fahey were to the fore and they physically wore the Dubs down which takes some doing. Tipp like Tyrone have done well to get this far with this side as they are missing three top players Coleman Kennedy (studying in America) Philip Quirke and John McGrath injured. Thats the second time a Dessie Farrell Dublin side have been beaten by Tipp.

Final to be played in Navan not the best of venues for All Ireland final i would have thought?

Gaa_lover wrote:
Final to be played in Navan not the best of venues for All Ireland final i would have thought?

It's a dump - one of the worst county grounds in Ireland, and an insult to everyone concerned.

Croke Park is opened for just about every and any occasion nowadys, and there's no reason why this game couldn't have been played there, even as a double header with something else. Failing that, I'm sure there are some reasonable grounds that could have been called upon in the midlands.

Well done to Tyrone on a long-overdue U21 AI success. This has been the age group that has given us most concern in recent years, so it's even more heartening to finally get back to the top of the pile.

The conditions on Saturday night were very difficult for the players, and the long break for the 2 incidents in the crowd seemed to work more in our favour than Tipp's. We were over-anxious in the first half, taking potshots from distance, perhaps trying too hard to take advantage of the breeze. The 2nd period was a real war of attrition, with so little between the sides. A goal always looked likely to decide this one, and thankfully our star man, Cathal McShane, delivered.

In a team with plenty of good prospects but perhaps few potential superstars, Tyrone had lots of good performances. In addition to McShane, the fullback line of Mullan, Hampsey and Cassidy look every bit as good as our senior FB line, while both Brennans, McGeary, Burns, Meyler, McNulty and the tiny but brilliant Mark Bradley all have chances to develop and make it with the seniors at some point in the future.

Tipp also have some fine players. They were bigger than Tyrone, especially down the middle, and over the next few years Munster's duopoly will face as big a threat as anytime in recent memory.

Parnell park provided a good atmosphere, but it isn't a suitable ground for an AI final. Parking/traffic was chaotic, and the Gardai were woefully unhelpful in these regards. Equally disorganised was the poorly advertised turnstile system in place. Inside the ground, it was like a trip back to the 1980s, with wiring obscuring part of the view from the terrace, a barely audible PA system and no digital clock. Perhaps we've become spoilt in Tyrone with top notch facilities. I was, however, very grateful for the ample shelter from the rain on the terrace.

Anyway, all's well that ends well, and I was happy to get mucked-up and wet on the field after the game. Well done to Tyrone and commiserations to Tipp.