Tír Eoghain vs Áth Cliath - Páirc Uí hÉilí, An Ómaigh - 11/04/2010

[Gaffer]

I'm very nervous that Curran is starting.

Why?

Why you asking why? You knpw the answer?

Clue.....

Last game he played for Tyrone

One game ffs. One mistake and his Bangors went. Jeez.

Come on!!!   There was more than one mistake. 1st half was brutal for him!!!

Deserves a chance to put that right imo.

Ok. Hope the game goes well for him on a personal basis at least. Honestly  thought after the last game that he would never be selected for Tyrone again. Now that he is, I only wish Johnny all the best.

[Tyrone Dreamer]

I'm very nervous that Curran is starting.

Why?

Why you asking why? You knpw the answer?

Clue.....

Last game he played for Tyrone

One game ffs. One mistake and his Bangors went. Jeez.

To be fair it wasn't one game and has happened numerous times. Remember him costing Tyrone 2 or 3 points from poor kickouts in a league game in 2008 v Derry. The problem every time is when he tries the short kickouts. Until he gets over his nerves should be told to stop trying them.

[orangeman]

We played Coalisland last week and Curran didn't put a foot wrong and he drove the ball 70 yards up the middle each time.

[barelegs]

To be honest I'm a little disappointed with the team. I know it's a must win game but there seems to be an over reliance on players that have been off colour all season or some of the older heads. I can't understand how Davey Harte starts again, he's had a poor league at best. Maybe it's the case that Mickey thinks Dublin brings the best out of him. (Fingers crossed anyway)

Similarly Ricey's been exposed a couple of times this year as having lost a yard or two of pace. The lack of pace in the defence  is worrying. It's not something that Dublin might expose but it may be exposed down the line.

I'd have preferred to see a more natural point scorer in the forward line. Perhaps McCullagh instead of McGuigan would give it a more balanced look to it.

[NaomhBridAbú]

To be honest I'm a little disappointed with the team. I know it's a must win game but there seems to be an over reliance on players that have been off colour all season or some of the older heads. I can't understand how Davey Harte starts again, he's had a poor league at best. Maybe it's the case that Mickey thinks Dublin brings the best out of him. (Fingers crossed anyway)

Similarly Ricey's been exposed a couple of times this year as having lost a yard or two of pace. The lack of pace in the defence  is worrying. It's not something that Dublin might expose but it may be exposed down the line.

I'd have preferred to see a more natural point scorer in the forward line. Perhaps McCullagh instead of McGuigan would give it a more balanced look to it.

wouldnt agree with that - team is looking better. great to see Jordan back. Harte and Ricey will hopefully have played their worst games of the year at this stage. Midfield  area is looking stronger, dare i say it, with C Cavanagh starting to become the player he thinks he is. S Cavanagh looks fired up. Penrose and Cassidy are playing well. Curran isnt a bad keeper - just had a bad game which ultimately everyone is entitled to every once in a while.

Looking at the last 4-5 games there has been improvement in many of the key areas and with players coming back, its looking a whole lot better at the start of April than it did at the start of march

[omagh_gael]

Strange enough team but one who hopefully will have enough to nad the two points.

Surprised to see mc carron dropped, would this be a result of his rather silly second yellow against Kerry? Davey and Ricey get a start again, these two definately not playing no where near their potential but they've shown us in the past that they can get their form back in a big way following a run of poor games. Must be hard to stomach for the likes of Sean O'Neill who has done well in the
majority of subsitute appearences so far. No real surprises in the back lines and great to see Jordan
back in the first 15!

Hoping for another big game for midfield, last chance for these lads to cement their places for the 23rd May. Would be good news for Tyrone to establish this alternative middle two.

Disappointed not seeing Mugsy play as he's always a bit of craic versus the Dubs! Not saying that I'm happy to see Tommy dropped but I think it'd be worthwhile to see another option tried as TMcG has had cart loads of starts and we know what he'll offer. Lets see if anyone else can do enough to nab a championship start. Unlikely though as I can see TMcG starting come the 23rd. Looking forward to seeing if Coney's game will improve having his play making club mate next to him. I'm sure we'll see him bust a gut to prove that's he's up for senior football now.

[INDIANA]

DUBLIN (SF v Tyrone)
Michael Savage
Paul Conlon
Rory O'Carroll
Ross O'Carroll
Philly McMahon
Denis Bastick
Cian O'Sullivan
Eamon Fennell
Ross McConnell
David Henry
Niall Corkery
Paul Flynn
Alan Hubbard
Kevin McManamon
Bernard Brogan


I'm not going to bother with analysis because there is no point. However if anyone knows the handicap for this game for a Tyrone win could they put it up. This is a better bet then Ruby Walsh on a favourite. I could do with making a few quid.

You said the same prior to the Kerry game Indiana and that went ok. I hardly have the time to defend another manager against unreasonable criticism, what with the Mayo lads and all but Gilroy is doing alright in my book. No harm in giving Savage another run between the posts and Brogan or Keaney would hardly be right to start a game like this, anyway isn't this a great opportunity to give experience to some young lads in a championship like game. Those not starting can always come off the bench if needed and the difference between 70 mins and 40min of action won't be huge for Brogan or Keaney. McAuley is the only surprise omission for me as I think he needs to look at alternatives for the championship at midfield.


Darren Magee should be in midfield - McConnell still hasn't made a single clean catch at midfield all league and we've been cleaned out in that sector in the last two games



If you think Mc Auley is the only omission you're codding yourself. Where is Paddy andrews? The best young forward in the county. I could go on. But i won't because I won't get any work done today. What has some of the guys playing on Sunday done to justify their inclusion ahead of him?
Starred for the 21's last year, u21 football captain, spear headed DCU to a Sigerson Cup yet he's not good enough to start in the NFL. Mindboggling.

At least mickey Harte went easy on us. Can't fathom the Tyrone selection at all. Leaves 3/4 of his best players on the bench in a must-win game. Then again I can't really criticise when you see the Dublin selection.

[Declan]

The longer the league has gone on the more disillusioned I've become. There was a time when when I'd have been on the road early to Omagh but genuinely can't get interested in this game at all

[Zulu]

I agree, Paddy Andrews omission is a strange one but there will always be one or two players supporters will argue could and should be in the team. The bottom line is forwards and the ability to put up scores hasn't been Dublin's biggest failing over the past few years and isn't the problem now. Midfield is a serious worry but Magee isn't the solution, so you could drop McConnell or Fennell for him but that is simply moving the deck chairs around rather than Gilroy ignoring an obvious solution to their midfield problems.

IMO you've been consistently over critical of Gilroy and Dublin supporters, in general, have been overly negative about a management that have won a Leinster title and are one win away from making a league final (dependent on results elsewhere). And this league performance was achieved without players like Cullen, A. Brogan, Bastick, Keaney, Jayo, the O'Carroll brothers (at times), Griffin and probably one or two more I'm forgetting. It seems to me that the only way Gilroy will get a bit of credit is if Dublin win games by scoring 2-20 and concede 0-3.

[barelegs]

To be honest I'm a little disappointed with the team. I know it's a must win game but there seems to be an over reliance on players that have been off colour all season or some of the older heads. I can't understand how Davey Harte starts again, he's had a poor league at best. Maybe it's the case that Mickey thinks Dublin brings the best out of him. (Fingers crossed anyway)

Similarly Ricey's been exposed a couple of times this year as having lost a yard or two of pace. The lack of pace in the defence  is worrying. It's not something that Dublin might expose but it may be exposed down the line.

I'd have preferred to see a more natural point scorer in the forward line. Perhaps McCullagh instead of McGuigan would give it a more balanced look to it.

wouldnt agree with that - team is looking better. great to see Jordan back. Harte and Ricey will hopefully have played their worst games of the year at this stage. Midfield  area is looking stronger, dare i say it, with C Cavanagh starting to become the player he thinks he is. S Cavanagh looks fired up. Penrose and Cassidy are playing well. Curran isnt a bad keeper - just had a bad game which ultimately everyone is entitled to every once in a while.

Looking at the last 4-5 games there has been improvement in many of the key areas and with players coming back, its looking a whole lot better at the start of April than it did at the start of march

Don't get me wrong there has been a massive improvement over the course of the league. There had to be! We've been unlucky in some games and been punished for silly errors in others. I do expect Tyrone to win on Sunday.

Colm Cavanagh and Aidan Cassidy have undoubtedly been positives and should the forwards sharpen up a little (stop dropping the ball into the goal keepers arms) then we can be reasonably positive there aswel. I'm also happy to see some of the younger lads into the squad.

I just feel we're vulnerable at the back. The dip in Harte's performance in particular isn't just a problem from this season. He was badly exposed at the tale end of last season as well. I'm glad to see Jordan back injury free that being said.

[INDIANA]

I agree, Paddy Andrews omission is a strange one but there will always be one or two players supporters will argue could and should be in the team. The bottom line is forwards and the ability to put up scores hasn't been Dublin's biggest failing over the past few years and isn't the problem now. Midfield is a serious worry but Magee isn't the solution, so you could drop McConnell or Fennell for him but that is simply moving the deck chairs around rather than Gilroy ignoring an obvious solution to their midfield problems.

IMO you've been consistently over critical of Gilroy and Dublin supporters, in general, have been overly negative about a management that have won a Leinster title and are one win away from making a league final (dependent on results elsewhere). And this league performance was achieved without players like Cullen, A. Brogan, Bastick, Keaney, Jayo, the O'Carroll brothers (at times), Griffin and probably one or two more I'm forgetting. It seems to me that the only way Gilroy will get a bit of credit is if Dublin win games by scoring 2-20 and concede 0-3.

Zulu we were humiliated in Croke Park last year. Humiliated.  How could you say that is over-critical? A leinster title these days is a non-entity because of the paucity of quality in the province. just look at the NFL tables. League titles don't lie. leinster is the poor relation at present.

Picking a guy who can catch is hardly a retrograde step Zulu. The fundamentals of the game haven't changed you know. John Coughlan outplayed Mc Connell in last year's SFC and he had to go to Offaly to find county football. We find Mc auley and bench him. We get rid of 2 allstars. Midfield problems are all of the selectors making I'm afraid.

But i don't think thats a great Tyrone selection on paper so we may be reasonably competitive on Sunday with an outside chance of winning.

[Canalman]

Had this game pencilled in to go to but a club hurling game has put paid to that. Really wanted to give Healy Park a 2nd chance after the not so nice experience last time....... the year BEFORE the "Battle of Omagh". Was curious to see whether it was really the sylvan/ corinthian bastion as some Tyrone posters seem to think it is.

While not as pessimistic as others I think that this game will be decided by the team who scores the first goal....... to me Tyrone have the greater firepower.

Any Tyrone lad at the game will no doubt laugh at our complete inability to catch a ball in the midfield.

Also think Cork will beat Mayo.

[Zulu]

Dublin were hammered by Tyrone under Pillar as well though, so the players have to take a lot of responsibility because they are the only constant variable. Magee won't cut it in CP so playing him doesn't solve anything, Coughlan isn't a great footballer so having him on the panel wouldn't solve the problem. I've already said I'd have McAuley in midfield this Sunday but I think Dublin will need to look at a tatctical solution for the problem rather than the personnel as they simply don't have two IC midfielders.

I also agree that he handled Shane Ryan poorly last year but I agreed with his policy of not starting Whelan, anyway both were coiming to the end and Ryan did himself no favours by turning up badly out of shape at the start of last year.

I'm not saying that I agree with everything Gilroy is doing but I do think he is getting on with a pretty tough job in a fairly decent manner. You might say winning Leinsters is not that important but he can only win the competitions Dublin play in and he has done pretty well on that score. More importantly he is doing alright so far this year IMO and if they avoid Cork/Kerry in the QF a semi final berth is not beyond Dublin.

[Club Rossa]

Tell the truth Canalman,you're too scared to come up

[heffo]

Dublin were hammered by Tyrone under Pillar as well though, so the players have to take a lot of responsibility because they are the only constant variable. Magee won't cut it in CP so playing him doesn't solve anything, Coughlan isn't a great footballer so having him on the panel wouldn't solve the problem. I've already said I'd have McAuley in midfield this Sunday but I think Dublin will need to look at a tatctical solution for the problem rather than the personnel as they simply don't have two IC midfielders.

I also agree that he handled Shane Ryan poorly last year but I agreed with his policy of not starting Whelan, anyway both were coiming to the end and Ryan did himself no favours by turning up badly out of shape at the start of last year.

I'm not saying that I agree with everything Gilroy is doing but I do think he is getting on with a pretty tough job in a fairly decent manner. You might say winning Leinsters is not that important but he can only win the competitions Dublin play in and he has done pretty well on that score. More importantly he is doing alright so far this year IMO and if they avoid Cork/Kerry in the QF a semi final berth is not beyond Dublin.

I see where you're coming from Zulu in terms of us being over-critical, but all we're asking for is to make the best of whats available.

His treatment of Whelan & Ryan is baffling. Likewise Andrews.

McCauley dropped.

Great chance to make a league final and give some of the new players experience of playing in Croke Park against a top class team and that team is picked.

One of the best man markers in the county who is naturally light framed being given 6/7 weeks to put on two stone.