McKenna Cup 2024

[stronghold]

Na, the most of them are at the Poly

Now Now jealousy again

[BennyHarp]

Out of interest how many Tyrone players are being pulled away from the Uni teams in comparison to other counties?

Tyrone have taken 10
Down 2
Monaghan 2
Fermanagh 1
Armagh and Antrim won't let their uni players play against them
So against Antrim UUJ where without 11 players

Is this just for UUJ? If this is reflected across the other universities then its hardly surprising Tyrone take the stand they do - its ok for Down, Monaghan, Armagh etc when losing 1 or 2 players but if you are losing 10 players from one University and god knows how many when you combine all three, then add in the older players who are being phased back, it would be a pretty pointless competition for Tyrone to enter as any sort of meaningful preparation for the season ahead.

[sheamy]

Out of interest how many Tyrone players are being pulled away from the Uni teams in comparison to other counties?

Tyrone have taken 10
Down 2
Monaghan 2
Fermanagh 1
Armagh and Antrim won't let their uni players play against them
So against Antrim UUJ where without 11 players

Is this just for UUJ? If this is reflected across the other universities then its hardly surprising Tyrone take the stand they do - its ok for Down, Monaghan, Armagh etc when losing 1 or 2 players but if you are losing 10 players from one University and god knows how many when you combine all three, then add in the older players who are being phased back, it would be a pretty pointless competition for Tyrone to enter as any sort of meaningful preparation for the season ahead.

No

[BennyHarp]

Out of interest how many Tyrone players are being pulled away from the Uni teams in comparison to other counties?

Tyrone have taken 10
Down 2
Monaghan 2
Fermanagh 1
Armagh and Antrim won't let their uni players play against them
So against Antrim UUJ where without 11 players

Is this just for UUJ? If this is reflected across the other universities then its hardly surprising Tyrone take the stand they do - its ok for Down, Monaghan, Armagh etc when losing 1 or 2 players but if you are losing 10 players from one University and god knows how many when you combine all three, then add in the older players who are being phased back, it would be a pretty pointless competition for Tyrone to enter as any sort of meaningful preparation for the season ahead.

No

So what is that figure then? The post certainly suggests that this is the number of Tyrone players withdrawn from the UUJ panel. Do you have the actual numbers then Sheamy?

[DennistheMenace]

I'm heartened by Brian McIver's viewpoint on it, fair play to him.

[ck]

I'm heartened by Brian McIver's viewpoint on it, fair play to him.

What did he say? I've always been impressed with McIvors logical comments post match

[supersarsfields]

No harm if the Uni's got the call on about 1/3 of the panel then I completely understand the reason why MH is not happy. It would make the McKenna cup a farce of a competition for Tyrone and would be of no benefit to how he prepares the county team for the league. He's not there to help the Universities to prepare their teams, he's there to manage Tyrone and I'd 100% agree with his stance.

[EC Unique]

GAA should make an enforce a rule that colleges have 1st call on players. Cavan don't involve students or u21s yet can still field a competitive team. Are we expected to believe Tyrone can't. I'm getting a bit sick of Mickey Harte and his whinging. Man up and grow a pair ulster council.

No you are not expected to believe that. If Tyrone let all their Uni players go they could still field but it would be with players who have no chance of game time in the league or Championship so it would be pointless. Mickey's job is to prepare Tyrone as best he can and this is what he is doing without breaking any rules. He is 100% in the right. Tyrone are playing in division 1 football and if you don't prepare as best as possible prepare to get beaten.

[sheamy]

Out of interest how many Tyrone players are being pulled away from the Uni teams in comparison to other counties?

Tyrone have taken 10
Down 2
Monaghan 2
Fermanagh 1
Armagh and Antrim won't let their uni players play against them
So against Antrim UUJ where without 11 players

Is this just for UUJ? If this is reflected across the other universities then its hardly surprising Tyrone take the stand they do - its ok for Down, Monaghan, Armagh etc when losing 1 or 2 players but if you are losing 10 players from one University and god knows how many when you combine all three, then add in the older players who are being phased back, it would be a pretty pointless competition for Tyrone to enter as any sort of meaningful preparation for the season ahead.

No

So what is that figure then? The post certainly suggests that this is the number of Tyrone players withdrawn from the UUJ panel. Do you have the actual numbers then Sheamy?

Wouldn't know each and every player Benny but I recall reading that figure of 10 as a combined one in the paper a few weeks ago. A quick google gives some info but I wouldn't know more beyond this.

In his panel, Harte has named Mattie Donnelly, Ronan O'Neill, Barry Tierney and Conor McAliskey (all UUJ), Conor Clarke, Danny McBride and Niall Morgan (St. Mary's) and Niall McKenna (Queen's University) in his ranks. - See more at: http://donegalnews.com/2014/01/long-break-has-been-refreshing-for-jim-mcguinness-and-donegal/#sthash.9olBW9Bv.dpuf

[BennyHarp]

I'm heartened by Brian McIver's viewpoint on it, fair play to him.

He probably only loses a couple of players

[Walter Cronc]

I'm heartened by Brian McIver's viewpoint on it, fair play to him.

He probably only loses a couple of players

Actually 5 this year and 8 last year!

[supersarsfields]

Tyrone are losing double that.

[Walter Cronc]

Tyrone are losing double that.

This year they are. Next year it might be 3-4. Derry lost 8 last year and Brian stuck to his principles.

Add to that the Ballinderry contingent and we're down a fair few.

Maybe Saint Mickey is under pressure from the mob after years of neglecting talented U21s!!

[supersarsfields]

Most years they have the biggest selection with the universities. That plus they have s shed load of injuries to players this year aswell.
But that's an aside to the basic principle that the Mckenna cup is a competition to allow managers to prepare for the League. And if Tyrone were losing 10 out of their panel then it makes a nonsense of it and reduces it to a farce. Let the players decide who they want to play for (And I would hope any of them with any real motivation to play county football would declare for the County).

[mackers]

I think a lot of Tyronies think this is an anti-Tyrone thing, there's probably an element of that, but I don't care which inter-county manager was leading this it's still wrong.
Are there any Tyrone posters who think MH is being short-sighted on this?