McKenna Cup 2024

haranguerer · January 05, 2014, 09:54:34 PM

Mickey Harte has a job to do, and he's dead right to try to do it in the best way he can. What concern is it of his if it makes the games less competitive, or doesn't help the universities preparation for Sigerson, if he lays claim to the players he wants to see play for Tyrone?

stronghold · January 05, 2014, 09:57:47 PM

Mickey as usual pontificates but is highly selective to say the least and should be challenged on a number of issues
1. The Mc Kenna cup is no longer an inter- county competition. It is a competition organised by the Ulster Council which the 9 counties of Ulster and the 3 University colleges are invited to participate.
2. To say that the universities have already had 10-12 game is complete nonsense. Queens and St Mary's had 3 games in October and early November. UUJ had 6 because they went on to win the league.
3. The league in October/November is played in the middle of the Ulster club championship. None of the Universities can get their full team out before Christmas
4. The Universities may have had one challenge game from Christmas.
5. All of the Universities and Colleges in the other three provinces have their full complement of players in their competitions,allowing them to have a number of games at full strength in preparation for Sigerson, which starts the end of January. None of the counties in the other provinces seem to have a problem. In fact most actively encourage and support their university teams.
6. Failure to have all their players in the Mc Kenna cup means the the Ulster universities are not competitive and is placing them at a distinct disadvantage in Sigerson.
7. A total disregard for the competition regulations and the spirit in which they are made and endorsed by the counties each year.
8. It is clear that in some counties the county manager runs the show and the county board has lost control.

BennyHarp · January 05, 2014, 10:14:40 PM

Quote from: stronghold on January 05, 2014, 09:57:47 PM
Mickey as usual pontificates but is highly selective to say the least and should be challenged on a number of issues
1. The Mc Kenna cup is no longer an inter- county competition. It is a competition organised by the Ulster Council which the 9 counties of Ulster and the 3 University colleges are invited to participate.
2. To say that the universities have already had 10-12 game is complete nonsense. Queens and St Mary's had 3 games in October and early November. UUJ had 6 because they went on to win the league.
3. The league in October/November is played in the middle of the Ulster club championship. None of the Universities can get their full team out before Christmas
4. The Universities may have had one challenge game from Christmas.
5. All of the Universities and Colleges in the other three provinces have their full complement of players in their competitions,allowing them to have a number of games at full strength in preparation for Sigerson, which starts the end of January. None of the counties in the other provinces seem to have a problem. In fact most actively encourage and support their university teams.
6. Failure to have all their players in the Mc Kenna cup means the the Ulster universities are not competitive and is placing them at a distinct disadvantage in Sigerson.
7. A total disregard for the competition regulations and the spirit in which they are made and endorsed by the counties each year.
8. It is clear that in some counties the county manager runs the show and the county board has lost control.

And what has any of this to do with a county manager preparing his team for the National League? In an age of county players preparing to a near professional level - it is nuts really to think Harte will happily let a significant proportion of his squad go and play for someone else in the only real warm up competition available. The universities add nothing to competition and Harte is perfectly within his rights to focus on his own team - maybe that's why he has 3 all Ireland's to his name?

rodney trotter · January 05, 2014, 10:34:45 PM

Why doesnt he play challenge games like any other co manager.? Challenge games and Mckenna cup games are effectively the same thing, experimenting looking at players. He has a great track record doent mean what he does re the college teams is right

Orior · January 05, 2014, 10:39:23 PM

Tyrone should be banned from the McKenna cup for not adhering to the rules.

Redhand Santa · January 05, 2014, 10:42:14 PM

Quote from: rodney trotter on January 05, 2014, 10:34:45 PM
Why doesnt he play challenge games like any other co manager.? Challenge games and Mckenna cup games are effectively the same thing, experimenting looking at players. He has a great track record doent mean what he does re the college teams is right

Donegal won a couple of challenge games before today yet looked of the pace in the 2nd half. I think Harte could be right on them being a waste of time. Very different to real match situations.

Nally Stand · January 05, 2014, 10:49:36 PM

Quote from: J70 on January 05, 2014, 05:51:54 PM
Just remember boys, its McKenna Cup.

In January.

Though to listen to the roars and screams and all with all the fist pumping from the Donegal support after each of their scores, you'd have thought it was an All Ireland title on the line.

BennyHarp · January 05, 2014, 11:02:51 PM

Quote from: rodney trotter on January 05, 2014, 10:34:45 PM
Why doesnt he play challenge games like any other co manager.? Challenge games and Mckenna cup games are effectively the same thing, experimenting looking at players. He has a great track record doent mean what he does re the college teams is right

It's right for his team and that's what his remit is. Just because every other manager does it, doesn't make it the right thing to do either. I wouldn't reckon Mickey Harte should be taking his lead from Paul Grimley, Baker, et al. Maybe his great track record is due to being single minded about what is best for his team?

rodney trotter · January 06, 2014, 12:03:37 AM

Possibly, He wants to win and all competitions. But if you hammered a half strenght college team, are you learning much? At least when they are full strenght you will have had a competitive game, as a big county like Tyrone would hardly be stuck for players

BennyHarp · January 06, 2014, 01:20:19 AM

Quote from: rodney trotter on January 06, 2014, 12:03:37 AM
Possibly, He wants to win and all competitions. But if you hammered a half strenght college team, are you learning much? At least when they are full strenght you will have had a competitive game, as a big county like Tyrone would hardly be stuck for players

It's not about Tyrone being stuck for players and it's not about hammering Uni teams. Once the season starts Harte wants everyone available to him. I'm just surprised most people think this is such a crazy idea. You are absolutely right, there is little benefit in hammering a Uni team and I'll say Mickey puts little store in those games - but there's also little point in playing games without a significant number of your squad. It's not Hartes job to help prepare Queens or UUJ for the Sigerson Cup, his job is to prepare Tyrone for the National League and it's very important these days to remain in division 1 to maintain a high quality preparation for the championship.

Cold tea · January 06, 2014, 08:12:23 AM

£9 in to see Armagh v QUB, good to see the Grab All Association in full flight.

trueblue1234 · January 06, 2014, 10:02:48 AM

Quote from: Orior on January 05, 2014, 10:39:23 PM
Tyrone should be banned from the McKenna cup for not adhering to the rules.

Is there a rule? I don't think it's set in stone. If there was it surely it wouldn't be an option for MH to take the players.

shawshank · January 06, 2014, 10:15:10 AM

I am open to correction, as I am not sure, so to ask a question, the players who have to play for the uni's in the south have no choice but to play for the uni due to the contract they have with them re course fees and rent and accommodation paid for them etc, where as in the north the Gaa student would not get the same level of contractual benefits, which means the player has a choice?

under the bar · January 06, 2014, 10:20:09 AM

QuoteTyrone should be banned from the McKenna cup for not adhering to the rules.

And you should be barred from the Gaaboard for being an imbecile.

Fuzzman · January 06, 2014, 11:14:21 AM

What is the rule at the moment?
Is it only certain Uni players that decided to play for Tyrone but are there others than decided to play for their college?

I think it should be the choice of the players themselves as they are the ones doing all the hard work and training. Can you imagine if someone like Niall McKenna, who had been in & out of the squad for the last few years. If he finally had pushed on and had a good chance of making the squad or even the starting team but instead he was made to play for Queens. However, he really wanted to nail down his place in the squad but instead somebody else came in and played well in his place and so he missed out in the squad. Playing for a team like Tyrone you would be worried that you could miss out on a good run of games and possibly an Ulster or an AI medal later in the summer. Competition for places in the squad is fierce in Tyrone and so I don't think there are many young players who are cursing Mickey and thinking I really want to line out here for my college and NOT for Tyrone.