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The Tohills Derry

Excellent reporting again RHF. Radio Ulster also hinted at some dubious frees given against Glencull in the second half. Glad to say Errigal proved me wrong. I thought  Ballinderry by at least 4.

Ach lads, wee Peter would never have scored from 40m agin the whine with his wee legs.

Good man Pint. Checking in when the battle's o'er.......

No, I think we should stick to Uladh's theory. Tyrone won as McGinley 'poured' up and down the field, from start to finish....even though he was substituted at half time!

Lads, if you think the PSNI=RUC mantra rings true in 2006, you're greatly mistaken. The numbers (and political persuasion) of people signing up to this career in republican West Belfast would astound you.  SF may not have publicly backed it, but on the ground moves are much further ahead. But that's for another board.

Starting to feel sorry for you, Uladh. Seriously. I'll not go down your path of insults (inferiority complex?), just to say I never stated McGeeney's substitution was a mistake. I was highlighting why he was substituted. Secondly your rather comical reason for Tyrone winning is too far off the mark. Armagh, for the first time in three matches, were definitely the better team. They had weathered Tyrone and were pulling away. They actually led by 2 with 6 mins left. Several individual errors cost Armagh in a period of five minutes.

Well, what to do? Arsenal continue to play their free-flowing version of total football without putting the ball in the net. Some of Arsenal's play was of such a high standard in the middle third that you've now become used to/spoiled by it. However, the decision to rest Henry seems to have backfired. Despite all his huffing and puffing when things don't go his way, Henry seems to be indispensable. Perhaps his 90 mins for France coupled with the match this Tuesday played a part in Wenger's decision.

I thought Arsenal upped their work-rate off the ball and I thought this was some kind of statement that we can survive without Henry. A soft soft goal to give away. Gallas talked earlier in the week that Arsenal need to find a balance between attack and defence. Newcastle scored in their first real attack after 30 mins, 2 on 2. Hleb was weaving his patterns, Fabregas seemed up for it and Clichy was bombing forward. Arsenal actually did little wrong apart from scoring - the crucial difference between the top teams. In one way it's utterly frustrating, and on the other you wouldn't want Arsenal to change their style. You know that if they're 1-up, they'll not be caught. As Wenger said after the game, it was the same old story. Arsenal don't score early on, then concede a soft goal, then spend the rest of the game chasing. He claimed this team needs to learn the right ingredients to take the title. What was the difference between the 2003/4 Invincibles and this side? Bergkamp's vision? Campbell's no frills approach? Vieira? Unless Baptista can recreate some of the Senegal man's steel, Arsenal may continue to have a soft centre. Gilberto was a loss today. He'd arguably have broken up the attack which led to Dyer's well-taken goal. However, that doesn't disguise the fact that Arsenal didn't score from play despite 60% possession and 23 attempts on goal. Newcastle, as do 99% of teams, just parked their bus in the 'D'. I'm at a loss as to the solution - forget a out trying to dominate all possession and allow opposing teams to commit themselves forward now and again and hit them on the break?

I watched that Armagh/Tyrone semi from the best vantage point in Croker. Three times in the opening 7 minutes Cavanagh made an eejit out of McGeeney. The first was at the throw in. Cavanagh caught it, ran at Geezer, flicked it over his head and was fouled. Then he forced Geezer into a rash challenge which set up Mellon's goal chance. The definitive moment was around 7 mins. Gormley fed Cavangh from a free. Sean looked up, saw Geezer, side-stepped him with ultimate ease leaving Geezer grasping at thin air, and stuck it over the bar from distance. And that as before the game really got started!

To be fair to Geezer, he scored a monstrous point late in injury time in the first half that took the wind out of Tyrone's sails. In the second half, after Ricey's point, Sean fielded the ball, took the return and ghosted past a disconsolate McGeeney, who uncharacteristically declined to even make contact. O'Neill stuck it over. Geezers next play was to foul Sean for another free on the 14.  It was then that Kernan decided to make the only call he could.

TYP in some sort of agreement with Mickey Harte shocker!

He must be drunk.

O Bernard    hip    no return date     
M Pattison    knee    no return date     
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T Krul    knee       
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M Owen    knee (ACL)    May 07

Disappointing that Gilberto is away back to Brazil for a wee while for 'personal reasons'. Love him or loathe him, the invisible wall always seems to be there when you need him most. Rosicky also out for another week. Who to start in midfield? Ljungberg-Baptista-Fabregas-Hleb? 2 players just back in there so maybe he'll hand Flamini a role in the middle third. Walcott suffered a hand injury for the England U21s. Newcastle will probably start Milner, Emre, Parker, Duff in the middle.

Up front Henry/RVP or Henry/Adebayor? I'd start the latter tomorrow.

Exactly, Ziggy. Perhaps it was that the others who spoke weren't interesting enough to print. Lay off Harte, he's been rarely wrong so far.

[Leinster Club Championship]

Leinster Club Championship                      
                             
8/15    UCD    6/1    Rhode    15/8    
Sun    14.30
10/11    Arles/Killeen    6/1    Tyrellspass    11/10    
Sat    14.00
                              
Ulster Club Championship                   
                             
4/5    Ballinderry    6/1    Errigal Ciaran    5/4    
Sun    14.15
5/6    Cargin    6/1    Clontibret    6/5    
Sun    14.15

Munster Club Championship                       
                             
4/6    Erins Own    7/1    Wolfe Tones    5/4    
Sun    14.00
10/11    Mount Sion    7/1    Toomevara    Evs    
Sun    14.00
                              
Connacht Club Championship                   
                            
1/100    Loughrea    20/1    Athleague    20/1    
Sun    14.15

Strabane have shown plenty of balls coming back from that double blow from Derrylaughan.

As for Errigal on Sunday, I'll be mightily surprised if they defeat Ballinderry. They've shown their age on a few occasions but still managed to eek out a narrow victory. The Derry side might be one obstacle too far. However, if they somehow find a new lease of life, the sky will be the limit in what maybe Peter's swansong season in the inter-county arena.