UC 2010: Aontroim vs Tír Eoghain 23rd May, Páirc Mhic Asmaint

[orangeman]

Spillance says that Pat Mc Enaney threw away the rule book and used "common sense" throughout.


One of the greatest diseases in the game is where the referee tries to make a game of it if one team gets well ahead, so the ref brings the other team back into it by giving soft frees or dissallowing another goal for the team that is in the ascendancy.


Croke Park don't want common sense referees so Mc Enaney won't be getting any big games this year. Step aside Pat.

[Minder]

He did seem to give a lot of soft ones to Antrim in the second half.

[jodyb]

Spillance says that Pat Mc Enaney threw away the rule book and used "common sense" throughout.


One of the greatest diseases in the game is where the referee tries to make a game of it if one team gets well ahead, so the ref brings the other team back into it by giving soft frees or dissallowing another goal for the team that is in the ascendancy.


Croke Park don't want common sense referees so Mc Enaney won't be getting any big games this year. Step aside Pat.

Not sure if you're commending Pat or castigating him here OM. Which is it?

BTW, were you not in Casement today?

[orangeman]

Spillance says that Pat Mc Enaney threw away the rule book and used "common sense" throughout.


One of the greatest diseases in the game is where the referee tries to make a game of it if one team gets well ahead, so the ref brings the other team back into it by giving soft frees or dissallowing another goal for the team that is in the ascendancy.


Croke Park don't want common sense referees so Mc Enaney won't be getting any big games this year. Step aside Pat.

Not sure if you're commending Pat or castigating him here OM. Which is it?

BTW, were you not in Casement today?

I was indeed. Thanks to a great road newtork, I'm home in good time.

Praising him for using common sense but being critical of his attempt to make a game of it.

It's difficult for players when refs one day apply the rules and a different ref on another day doesn't apply the rules.

[tyroneboi]

OM, he correctly ruled out Sean Cavanaghs goal though. McEneaney was very good today. If every game was refereed like that then we would have no issues with referee.

[orangeman]

OM, he correctly ruled out Sean Cavanaghs goal though. McEneaney was very good today. If every game was refereed like that then we would have no issues with referee.

Croke Park don't want refs who use their own set of rules and apply common sense.


Brolly and O'Rourke said as much.

[sandwiches_in_the_boot]

I'll be watching the replay tonight. From what I could see the goal that never was before half time should have stood.
Fair play to Antrim to at least making a contest of it. Petey Harte could've finished it in the second half if he hadn't passed it off. Tommy scored a beaut too when he came on, not to mention the trademark SON specials. 

Joe McMahon played magnificant in the half back carrying the thing forward, my MOTM. Covered up Davey Harte's invisibility. DH's days in Tyrone's starting 15 are coming to an end. MH will start him til the bitter end though. Ricey also did well at CHB, still playing with incredible pace for runs.
Antrim were always gonna have a purple patch, and Tyrone weathered it. Though with some improved shot selection, they would have finished the game off much sooner.

Just another point about the first half. Antrim looked incredibly inexperienced and half asleep for most of the 1st half. Tyrone were able to catch them off guard, steal ball, close them down in defence.

[orangeman]

Kevin Niblock had some game for Antrim. Good player.

[tyroneman]

Pat mcEnaney has never been a friend to Tyrone. Tried to take bad look of Antrim and gave them a route back into the game.

[Yes I Would]

Kevin Niblock had some game for Antrim. Good player.

Agreed.. Deceptively fast and skillful. 
Referee done very well and think unfair to accuse him of bias towards Antrim.  They seemed to be able to hold onto possession that bit better in second half and he correctly awarded Tyrone their frees when due, and think it was O Neill he awarded a 21 yard free for off the ball antics where a weaker home town ref wouldnt have bothered.
2 Mc Gourtys done rightly when they came in altho CJ missed a couple in last twenty, and Kevin still likes to act the wag.
The bearded will be happy enough id imagine. Job done and plenty of work to do!

[sandwiches_in_the_boot]

Just watched that again - never a square ball from Sean Og

Well had the radio at the game and McGrath said it was never Square ball either, but will see in just over an hour's time what the craic was. I've a feeling Pat kept Antrim in the game. Still think he ref'd the game well. As good as there is.

[Main Street]

McEneaney was very good today. If every game was refereed like that then we would have no issues with referee.

Would that be the opinion of most Tyronies?
He is not as tolerant as other refs of Tyrone defending. He seemed to give the benefit of doubt to the player who was surrounded.

Not much of a test for Tyrone. Antrim got close without breaking their balls to do so. And when they got close, the pulses were never racing, either with the crowd or the players.

[ONeill]

Jerome's work - http://vimeo.com/11968837

Very disappointed with Antrim. Stood off Tyrone for the second year running and admired their build up play. Some of Tyrone's scores in the first half came from a short pass from McConnell and then easily moved up the field without a shoulder in anger. Basic handling errors of Antrim yore returned.

When they did decide to play, they had Tyrone slightly rope-a-doping but the gap was too wide on the scoreboard to keep the shoe to the burd, especially in that heat. Serious heat.

Impressive performances from both McMahons, Colm in the first half, Stevie in the first 20 mins and Hughes. Sean, Mugsy, Ricey and Penrose chipped in at crucial times.

Kevin McGourty made a difference and if things had been closer it could've been a masterstroke by Baker.

[omagh_gael]

Not long back.

Good day at the office. A comfortable enough win in the end but still plenty to work on. F**k that was one scorcher of a day, to make matters worse they ran out of choc ices before the game even started!

Couple of spectacular SoN scores and a brilliant goal from Mugsy were great to see. Fair play to Antrim for making a match of it but Tyrone always seemed to find their scores a lot easier. Not many mentioning K Hughes' performance which I thought was very good, had his shooting boots on and was available in forward positions right the way through the game. As someone mentioned earlier Davy Harte hardly touched leather. Was this a game that by-passed him or is his form starting to turn?

A quick mention for the two corners backs. Both Cappagh men had excellent games, tigerish tackling meant their men barely had room to fart never mind score in the 1st half. Loosened a bit in 2nd half but in those conditions it would be impossible to keep it going for 70 mins.

Obviously not a strict drinking ban enforced in the Tyrone camp with Hub, Mugsy and a few other enjoying a pint with the fans outside Biddy's after the game with Mickey Harte across the street. Good to see.

Anyway, plenty of work left for 19th June and hopefully we'll have a long summer ahead of us.

[ONeill]

Antrim manager Liam Bradley described Pat McEneaney's standard of refereeing "disgraceful" after the 2-14 to 1-13 defeat by Tyrone in the Ulster SFC.

"There were plenty of positives but one big negative - Tyrone's second goal, it was definitely a free-out," he said.

"We were back in it in the last few minutes and the last two frees they got were disgraceful.

"The lads tried hard and we came back well in the second half but we were beaten by the better team."

Bradley believes McEneaney's decision to allow Owen Mulligan's goal was crucial to the outcome of the quarter-final at Casement Park.

"It's a big talking point because it came at a crucial stage," he added.

"We would have been quite happy going in four points down at half-time but that turned it into a seven-point deficit and it was going to hard coming back from that.

"We don't want to known as gallant losers - we feel that we are a good side and we are going places and hopefully after this game people will realise that."

Tyrone boss Mickey Harte was relieved after the victory and he praised the Saffrons display.

"We had a very good first half, we got a decent lead and we should have been able to build on it," said Harte.

"Antrim impressed me in the second half and we were hanging on by our fingertips at the end of the game.

"A lot of credit must go to Antrim - they have been making statements of their ambition to going higher and they made a big statement in this game."

"I am sure no-one will want to draw them in the qualifiers."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/8699670.stm