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Look, lets be honest. Most people , instinctively, want to vote yes but , at the same time,  instinctively, want to vote no due to that inherently conservative Irish gene in us that wants to spite those insufferable lefty, self-righteous bollixes that have been braying in our faces these last few weeks.

What we need to do is gently ,but at the same time , forcefully, tell them that, yes, we get it...our sisters are gay , our brothers are gay, our best friends are gay....we get it.........we know the way forward but it kills us to be on the same side of this issue as you pricks so just shut the f**k up , get out of the way,  and let us us vote yes.

 

Imagine the amount of people that would have been on it in Renshaws

Ye would never have needed Tinder in Renshaws back in the day,  all you needed was a GAA jersey with a number of the back, even up to no 24!!! Guaranteed hoop at the end of the night!

Only 3 places in the world I was guaranteed.

1. coppers
2. Essex
3. Renshaws

guaranteed what ?

Tipperary must be the biggest whingers in GAA right now. It's over , youse were beaten 

It's annoying the way tyrone get tarred with the same brush when it comes to Donegal's defence. I've been watching Tyrone for years and there is no way we are as negative. 

2005 final. We had gotten the monkey off our backs in 2003. Some craic we had I can tell you !

I think this should be a fairly easy one for us. Dublin have shown nothing imo to show that they have improved. I'd be surprised if the game isnt over with 15mins to go.

I have a feeling that Down will come through on the other side as kerry are past it and with T O'Se and Galvin missing they are there for the taking. I really think it could be an All Ulster final.

read mickeys piece today didnt think he was discrediting down or anyone else but just trying to say the game has moved on and in years to come they will talk about how armagh and tyrone brought a new dimension of tackling to the game

By normal standards , yeah it wasnt a major putdown. but we all know how diplomatic Mickey is so u cud say that by his standards there is no doubt it was a putdown.

and why shouldn't he ? Down are like Kerry, always having digs.  Tyrone have moved football forward and we aren't going to have hasbeens like Down and kerry tell us we are doin something wrong

The new days can be just as good as the old ones
Mickey Harte

In recent years, Kerry and Tyrone have provided the benchmark for excellence in gaelic football.

A trip to the Ulster Council website gave me the lead for this week's column.

Earlier in the summer, Ulster Council secretary Danny Murphy enlisted the skills of Jerome Quinn to cover gaelic games in our province in a previously untapped way. The Ulster Council have been very much to the fore in branding the 125 celebrations and this initiative certainly enhanced that objective. Jerome has captured some unique sideline footage from the Ulster Championship games and has interviewed many significant personalities, often not before the camera to this extent previously.

Footage of the primary schools half-time exhibition games, along with coverage of the ladies' football and camogie finals, have ensured that all GAA activities are receiving appropriate attention this special year. My browsing took me to a link covering interviews and reflections from individuals involved in the historic breakthrough by Down in the 1960s. While the Ulster Council footage was celebrating innovation and embracing the current advances surrounding our games, such sentiments were not reflected by these now elder statesmen of the GAA.

I think it's a pity that many of these great players of previous eras have difficulty accepting the excellence that prevails today. I have always acknowledged the standards set by Down in the '60s and the confidence that gave to Ulster players. Likewise, I marvelled at the new heights Kerry and Dublin brought to the '70s and early '80s.

In the late '80s, Meath and Cork were the dominant forces who gave us the highest standards of the day. Down gave Ulster the lead again in the '90s, which contributed to Donegal (1992) and Derry (1993), having breakthrough years as they won their first All-Irelands at senior level. The current decade brought breakthroughs for Armagh and Tyrone, with Kerry ever-present to ensure only the best would be good enough.

However, I found the general views, coming from these innovators of their day, somewhat narrow. We are invariably reminded of the perceived death of high fielding and long kicking. As I have stated before, the initial flaw in this myth is that, because of the current nature of the game, it is impossible to compare like with like. Isn't it only natural that if the predominant style of that era was to kick the ball as far as high and as long as you could there would be more opportunity for high fielding?

Secondly, does the fact that these long kicks invariably resulted in a lottery for retaining possession make them a lost attribute? I think not. Other negative vibes prevalent in the interviews suggested tactics were all about being destructive and solely about stopping others playing football.

A glance at some of the high-scoring games in this year's Championship negates that argument. In the case of Tyrone, we have been fortunate enough to have been involved in 23 games (League and Championship) at Croke Park since 2003 and have averaged 17.6 points per game – hardly the return of negative footballers.

Other interpretations suggested that coaches have tried to take the risk out of football and, as a result, diminished the product. The first part of this inference contains a certain truth insofar as any competent coach will certainly want to work towards improved odds, but this does not necessarily imply that uniqueness and flair should not be allowed to prevail. Yet another contributor declared that, in the current game, it is too easy to retain possession.

Quite the opposite is the case, as never before has there been so much emphasis placed on disciplined individual and collective tackling. In previous eras, your direct opponent was the only one likely to challenge for your possession. In the modern game, tackles can come from any angle and from players wearing any number. Does that make possession easier to retain?

As I see it, accepting the greatness of the past is right and proper. The best in any given era is exactly that – the best. We will always appreciate great feats of the past, but we also need to acknowledge that innovation and progress is a fact of life and that current best practise deserves similar recognition.

A motoring analogy can help put some perspective on this view.

There was a time when a Vauxhall Victor or a Ford Cortina were the last word in driving comfort. They had the latest technology with regard to ease of starting, better springs (as it was in those days) and more elaborate instrument gauges. Engines ran smoother than previous models and fourth was top gear.

Fast forward to the present era and the instrument dash is more akin to that which would have served an aircraft pilot in the past. We have air conditioning, digital read-outs to tell us distance travelled on each trip, average speed in mph or kph as the case might be, fuel consumption details and cruise control functions.Top gear has moved through fifth and is sixth in many models. Hydraulic systems have become much more sophisticated, as have safety features.

Quiet diesel engines have become almost as prolific as petrol vehicles. And, of course, there is satnav. Were the Victors and Cortinas great in their own era? Yes they were. Would you still want to be driving around in one today? I think not. I rest my case.

Great days at Campa Chormaic

Campa Chormaic continues to go from strength to strength as over 230 young people from both Armagh and Tyrone converged on the Brantry Bard Centre and Eglish playing fields to enhance their command of Gaeilge and improve their playing skills in football, hurling and camogie. In week one, over 110 8-12 year-olds took part, while in week two there were over 125 12-16 year-olds participating.

Monday and Wednesday afternoons were given over to hurling and camogie, while Tuesdays and Thursdays were devoted to football skills. Friday's sporting activities were devoted to blitzes, which proved to be the highlight of the sporting week.

During the course of the camp, Tipperary hurling star Eoin Kelly made a guest appearance, as did Tyrone's Joe McMahon, Armagh's Charlie Vernon and members of the Lory Meagher Cup-winning Tyrone hurling team. I was delighted to assist with prize-giving on the final day of the camp and the atmosphere generated through Campa Chormaic was a fitting legacy of Cormac's example as a sporting gentleman.

This year, the camp extended to Castlewellan, Co Down, and plans are afoot to extend to Co Antrim next year.

Comhgairdeas to all concerned.


Well said Mickey. Tyrone are odds on for the 2-in-row and where are Down ?

I don`t know were all ye Tyrone people think ye are going to walk all over Cork. If ye start like ye did against Kildare, Cork will have ye out the gate by half time. Don`t take me wrong Tyrone are a great tream, but this Cork team has been building over the last few years, and with the U21 wins and junior football wins in the last few years it shows our strength in depth. Cork shall dominate football for the next 6 or 7 years. Tyrone have 2 or 3 good subs that they can bring on that could make a difference. Cork have at least 8 that they can spring form the bench. I fancy Cork to win by 5 or 6 points. and then on to take Kerry apart in the final

what are u talking about. We are still a young team and will be winning AI for the next few years. I think we will beat Kerry if we meet them as I feel  they are over the hill at this stage but I dont see u lot beating them. and keep thing you will beat us by 5 or 6 pints, we luv that kinda talk...you will get a big surprise when we hammer you on our way to 2 in a row !

I think Tyrone will win this one with a bit to spare. We just have too much class with guys like Sean Cavanagh, Brian Dooher, Stevie and Mugsy. Also, I'd hope McCullagh starts this one. I think this is a game suited to him as he will get more space. Cork havent really beaten anyone except a poor Kerry side who IMO are a beaten docket. Dont be fooled by that Dublin result. I fancy Meath to beat them then it'll be revenge for '96 !!

Enough of this negativity. We are the AI champions, we beat Kerry 3 times and we will beat them again if they make it past Meath ......why should we fear Cork ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVQaiZXBY8o

  dubs are pumped up

It would be hard to come back to intercounty at that age

Moving it to 6.30 might be better

more needs to be done to promote the league thats for sure