Tyrone County Football and Hurling

[WT4E]

It also linked back to mis management in my view - Mickey wasn't in favour of 26 player squad that time so instead of naming 26 eligible players he decided to do his own thing and name 33 players and it came out amongst the players that they where there togging out and doing warm ups at times when they didnt even realise that they weren't even eligible to play.

I stick by my original point I'm sure the McKennas would not be big Harte advocates so that could feed into any decision!

[nrico2006]

What a load of shite. AFL is an incredibly physical game, Gaelic football doesn't compare in that regard. Completely different game and different fitness required. Gaa would be quicker and more twisting and turning. AFL games regularly last over 100 mins and the ground is massive. It's a much more lung busting run type sport. They cover crazy kilometres throughout games. The skills levels would be much higher in GAA as well. I could see McKenna playing CHB or somewhere like that now. Even midfield as he will be extremely fit and used to getting up and down the ground.

AFL players average running distance is 13k (Just done research on google them on distances posted by the teams), the same for intercounty game is averge 13k but intercounty is done in less time...
AFL is an incredibly physical game - Obv it is im not doubting that but so is Gaa, McKenna will be likened to Caolan Mooney, same build and speed! Some say Mooney didn't make but he played 2 season with Collingwood who where one of the top teams in the AFL

Boys ask anyone from Down, Mooney was a rocket out there and when he came back, McKenna seems a different character.

Mooney was a superstar minor and is an average enough senior county player now - it might have happened that way or maybe his jaunt to the AFL had an impact.

[Angelo]

Average AFL salary is nearly 200k STG - so would it be safe to say McKenna is on at least 150k and then with sponsorship and other bits of endorsements etc. he could be up to 200k - assuming after tax 140k in bank per year. another 5 or 6 years of that would be tempting for anyone - with it only likely to increase if avoided injuries.

Hes been away from a young age which is probably the hardest bit I'd say but if he has a year at home he could realise what hes missing in be back in the AFL in the near future.

Also are we sure he'll like the setup with Tyrone if he returns lets not forget he had two brothers who had a pretty messy breakup with Mickey who went to the papers about the incident - surely he'll be well warned about trusting Mickey within his own household. If Mickey is courting McKenna - he would need to realise Mickey will do whats best for Mickey and not whats best for Conor.

Would be class to see him star for Tyrone but he really needs to think about it as I would never like to see a lad give up on the opportunity to set himself up for life particularly when Tyrone don't seem to be making alot of in roads on another All Ireland at least in the current set up.

Important.

Neither of his brothers were good enough which was the reason they didn't make it. A lot of players like R McKenna, P Hughes, C McGinley, Danny McBride etc who would have all been close enough in age and getting reasonable opportunities at the time suddenly found themselves on the fringes when the U21 side of 2015 began to break through. Some players left on good terms, others didn't but the bottom line remains that both of McKenna's brothers probably weren't good enough for the level we were aspiring to.

Also was it not Shay McGuigan who went to the papers? Can't recall either of the McKennas speaking out at the time.

It was Mickey who went to the papers is what I meant. Give me either of the McKenna brothers ahead of Conor Myler, Ronan O'Neill, Ben McDonnell, Aidan McRory, Conal McCann, Hugh Pat McGeary

Even if I take your point - mickey and conor meet and the subject of his brothers come up. Mickey looks at him and says Conor your different your brothers weren't good enough and thats why they ended on the scrap heap that day they walked away from me.

They lost their places when better players came around and didn't have the heart to fight it out. There were a good few in that boat back then. I'd say a few regret not sticking it out.

Emmett McKenna was one of those who dropped off the panel when we got relegated in the league. We made an AI semi final that summer and unlucky not to make the final. We won two Ulster titles in a row after that. I'd say some of those lads would regret not waiting round and working for their places. Tiernan McCann is an example of a lad who had been on the fringes of the panel for 3 or 4 years before he made himself a regular in the team in 2015.

The brothers have hardly pulled up trees with Eglish since they dropped off and also spent time traveling. There seems to be nothing better in football in Tyrone to boost your ability by dropping off the county panel when you weren't seeing game time.

Tyrone have to make an All Ireland Semi, that's not an achievement for out great county any more, you wudnt see Kerry, Mayo, Dublin considers a Semi being a good enuf year, it should be a minimum, we are one of the top 4 teams in Ireland so cant expect to have anything less!
Emmett McKenna left with Shay McGuigan, Patrick McNeice, Dwayne Quinn, and PJ Lavery after the league in2015, they trained all pre season and throughout the league and got a couple of minutes, injured players came back and got on the last league game! You cudnt blame them!

Not many great counties about now, of all the teams that have currently won an All Ireland football title we were the last one to do so. Counties with bigger football traditions and picks like Down, Galway, Cork, Derry and Meath etc have all fallen away in that time so it's about time some fans had some perspective. One county has won 6 or the last 7 All Irelands, only  other counties apart from ourselves have contested an All Ireland final since 2011.

I couldn't blame them? I could. If the players don't want to stay and fight for their jersey then so be it. There's plenty of cases of lads biding their time and taking their opportunity.

McNeice had loads of opportunities too, he just wasn't good enough. Quinn gave it 5 months and actually featured in quite a few league games. McKenna had played quite prominently in 2014 in his first season with the seniors without ever really impressing too much. McGuigan again didn't do an awful lot.

[Angelo]

What a load of shite. AFL is an incredibly physical game, Gaelic football doesn't compare in that regard. Completely different game and different fitness required. Gaa would be quicker and more twisting and turning. AFL games regularly last over 100 mins and the ground is massive. It's a much more lung busting run type sport. They cover crazy kilometres throughout games. The skills levels would be much higher in GAA as well. I could see McKenna playing CHB or somewhere like that now. Even midfield as he will be extremely fit and used to getting up and down the ground.

AFL players average running distance is 13k (Just done research on google them on distances posted by the teams), the same for intercounty game is averge 13k but intercounty is done in less time...
AFL is an incredibly physical game - Obv it is im not doubting that but so is Gaa, McKenna will be likened to Caolan Mooney, same build and speed! Some say Mooney didn't make but he played 2 season with Collingwood who where one of the top teams in the AFL

Boys ask anyone from Down, Mooney was a rocket out there and when he came back, McKenna seems a different character.

Mooney was a superstar minor and is an average enough senior county player now - it might have happened that way or maybe his jaunt to the AFL had an impact.

Utter nonsense, he is Down's best player by some distance. He'd have his place on most county teams in the country, I think he'd walk onto the Tyrone team in the most competitive line in our squad.

[tiempo]

It also linked back to mis management in my view - Mickey wasn't in favour of 26 player squad that time so instead of naming 26 eligible players he decided to do his own thing and name 33 players and it came out amongst the players that they where there togging out and doing warm ups at times when they didnt even realise that they weren't even eligible to play.

I stick by my original point I'm sure the McKennas would not be big Harte advocates so that could feed into any decision!

Tyrone v Louth qualifier at Healy Park in 2014, 32 men togged out, insane 

https://www.sportsfile.com/id/881590/

[BennyHarp]

I wonder how many players Mickey has managed during his time as manager of Tyrone from when he first took over the minor team in 1991 right through to the current senior set up via a stint at U21? That is coming up to nearly 30 years of interactions with players in squads of upwards of 30 each year. Each time over that period of time when he picked a team, Mickey upset half of the lads in the squad if they didn't make the starting 15. I think its fairly impressive that we can name virtually all the players who have left in bad terms during that time.

[square_ball]

Utter nonsense, he is Down's best player by some distance. He'd have his place on most county teams in the country, I think he'd walk onto the Tyrone team in the most competitive line in our squad.

I was just going to say that about Mooney. He's a top quality player I can only imagine how good he'd be in a better team.

[rodney trotter]

Mooney plays as a half back, he was a forward as a Minor. He'd probably match Jack McCaffrey for pace. He's easily one of Downs best players. Hopefully he recovers from his attack,doubtful he'll play any football this year.

[phpearse]

Mooney is a class player. That Ulster Final when Tyrone were hammering Down, Mooney stood up and scored a couple of great scores. He is easily Down's best player and one of the best about.

[Mikhailov]

Nrico - you must be some player if you claim Mooney is just average. He is a super player, athletic, fast, strong and would start on every county team in Ireland bar possibly Dublin. He would certainly pick a spot on Tyrone outfit. A serious footballer who unfortunately for him is currently playing on an average team and still stands out a mile. He would be All star material playing with any of the top 4/5 teams.

[skeog]

Seems to attract a lot of off field attention.Being a good footballer can have its downside when socialising.

[topofthesoil]

what way are the u20s going ATM? Be heavily fancied tomorrow?

[trailer]

The thing that a lot of you miss is that no one pulls on the jersey to play for Mickey Harte. It's Tyrone they want to play for. I know the relationship with the manager is important but it can be overstated. Always whispers about people not getting on with Mickey Harte but it's very rare you see a first 15 player walk away from the panel. It's usually guys frustrated at not getting on.

If rumours are to be believed Mickey Harte's family don't get on with Mickey Harte.

[Mikhailov]

What's the story with Conal Grimes - no sign of him lately on any team sheets

[GetOverTheBar]

What's the story with Conal Grimes - no sign of him lately on any team sheets

Probably undergoing a silent ban for some of his exploits last season.