McKenna Cup 2024

[ONeill]

Surely Tyrone need to be thrown out. You break the rules - you're out.

Or has Mickey found a loophole....McKenna Cup Regulation 4 - "A player may only play with either his university team or county team". No rule broken there. Cavanagh & co were given a choice, after UUJ had first pick.

It wouldn't surprise me if the underhanded Ulster Council have no sanctions in place.

[Redhandfan]

O'Neill is right.  Mickey Harte knows he has not broken any rules.  A number of prominent GAA figures have been quoted as saying that there was "a gentleman's agreement" that the Universities would have first call on the county players.  That is hardly enough for the Ulster Council to impose any sanctions on Mickey Harte or Tyrone.  The matter should be allowed to rest.  It is too late now for the Ulster Council to do anything about it.  If they want, they can change their rules for the McKenna Cup in 2008. 

[Redhandfan]

Is it not FOUR in a row he's looking Donagh?

Feck I couldn't tell you. I think Mickey's probably the only person that pays attention to this competition.

Very well observed, Donagh.  I suppose you are also aware that big Joe is probably the only person that pays attention to the Ulster Senior Football Championship.  Is it three or four in a row of Anglo Celt Cups he is going for this year?

[Dubh driocht]

I think it is better for all concerned that the colleges are in and think Mickey Harte is wrong on this one. However, there are too many demands on this age-group and I suggest getting rid of the under 21s -what is the point ?This is the age group who can be faced with Club Senior and Under 21, County Senior and under 21,Colleges(Sigerson and sometimes freshers) ( and in some cases province or even country).And they wonder why there's burn-out. Let the lads at college get to play with lads from other counties- those friendships have lasted, in my case, for over 20 years.The lads not at college still can get plenty of football.

[Uladh]

there was "a gentleman's agreement" that the Universities would have first call on the county players. 

one could hardly expect harte to repsect that...

O'neill... be a good chap and post all of the competition rules (infull as opposed to the little bits that suit you) while you're busy cutting & pasting anyway...

[thejohnharanexperi]

A reasonable sized crowd saw Donegal hang on to win by a point against a game Antrim side who played an hour with 14 men when Higgins was sent off for two consecutive personal fouls on Martin Mc Elhinney.For long periods any late arrivals to Casement would find it hard to believe that we had the numerical advantage.we were sluggish and disinterested throughout and only showed some impetus when Antrim levelled again with 15 minutes to go.The game saw a debut for Colm Mc Carron at corner back with season starts for Michael Boyle and Noel Hegarty.Kevin Cassidy partnered Joe Friel in midfield and Eamon Mc Gee moved to centre half.

Michael Boyle 7.0 Not troubled with any shots apart from a goalmouth scramble at the end and tried to kick to Cass at every opportunity.

Peter Witherow 6.5 Played his second full game and did well to keep Close from racking up scores that his possession and open play looked like doing.

Paddy Campbell 6.5 Guilty of getting caught in possession early on but steady presence for newcomers but did not look too comfortable with the roving tactics of the Antrim FF line.

Colm Mc Carron 6.0 Booked in first half and switched with witherow.Looks strong enough for this level and should get another chance against Down.

Barry Dunnion 6.5 Used as spare man but failed to reach his customary impact.

Eamon Mc Gee 6.5 Released ball into attack just a little quicker yesterday but not a threat in creative sense.

Noel Hegarty 6.0 Poor enough but lasted until being replaced by Christ Toye at end.

Joe Friel 6.0 Played full game but was second best against a robust Antrim midfield.

Kevin Cassidy 7.5 Urged on team and competed well,kicked one wide when hard work in making space was achieved.At this early juncture is favourite IMO for Gallagher partnership.

Ryan Bradley 7.0 Worked very hard in covering back.Could not fault his effort and kicked two points off his left foot.Mc Iver is obviously giving him every oppotunity this year.

Johnny Mc Loone 6.0 Failed to make any impact and was replaced by Brian Roper

Michael Murphy 6.5 Contributed one free and a point from play but kicked 3 easy frees wide.

Kevin Mc Menamin 7.0 Again showed well always first to ball but cannot seem to get by the defender instead opting to lay off.Does not seem to have the physical power to go for points in excess of 30m.

Benny Byrne 6.5 More effective as target man this week and laid off nicely for the last point by Thompson.Still not knocking at Mc Iver's door with the solution to our FF woes.

Martin Mc Elhinney 7.0 Livliest and most direct forward,switched to the 40 for last quarter.

Subs:
Neil Mc Gee 6.5 Steady enough and will improve - repaced Mc Carron at half time.
Brian Roper 7.0 Kicked a trademark point to steady the ship and did the basics well.
Frank Mc Glynn 6.0 Replaced Hegarty and missed easy point chance from 30m towards end.
Leon Thompson 6.5 Kicked final point and looked sharp and first to every ball.
Christy Toye Not on long enough to rate

Positives - Martin Mc Elhinney and Cass in midfield.
Negatives - Inability to make use of extra man

[Rois]

Thought the match at Casement was pretty crap yesterday to be honest.  The score stood at 6-5 for a large part of the second half, and only in about the last ten minutes did the excitement pick up.  Donegal looked a lot pacier than Antrim in the second half, though I'm sure a few months under Jody Gormely will help Antrim improve.  Antrim kept playing the ball behind them, seeming unprepared to take on the defenders.  Donegal were more willing to do so but not to great effect as a number of efforts went wide that should surely have gone over.

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

Have to agree with Rois, it was a poor match all right.

McIver did use alot of inexperienced players but Antrim looked the hungrier for the win.
Alot of badly missed points from both sides, although the Antrim keeper nearly put the ball in his own net in the first half and that could have had a major impact if it had gone in as the Antrim lads heads could have gone down at that stage.
Donegal have done enough to go through to the semi's, I think that a Donegal  - Tyrone final is on the cards again.
We'll stop all this talk of 4 in a row...! 

[SlimShady]

Surely the extra man helped Donegal look faster than Antrim in the 2nd half!!

not that it matters though, the McKenna Cup is a farcical tournament where every manager taking part is merely 'tyre kicking' at whatever lads he's had at trials before turning them down for the more experienced heads.

[never kickt a ball]

I see in the Irish News Eamon O'Hara has a B Boggs coming on as substitute for UUJ against Down. Anybody know what club/county he plays for?  

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

Surely the extra man helped Donegal look faster than Antrim in the 2nd half!!

not that it matters though, the McKenna Cup is a farcical tournament where every manager taking part is merely 'tyre kicking' at whatever lads he's had at trials before turning them down for the more experienced heads.

In all fairness Donegal didn't take advantage of their numerical strength.

I think that the McKenna cup has a place in the Gaelic calander, it gives managers a chance to run the rule over their panels for the forecoming season.
It also eases us fans back into the inter county competitions after a hearty christmas! 

[Rois]

I think that a Donegal  - Tyrone final is on the cards again.
We'll stop all this talk of 4 in a row...! 

Bring it on, cause I didn't see too much yesterday that would worry Tyrone!  At least the midget jokes could be transferred to Donegal instead - Roper and Leon Thompson are certainly very small for county players.

Who was the young number 24 for Antrim yesterday - didn't have a team list so couldn't tell, but I thought he was particularly wasteful and anxious looking.

Maybe that was the case Slim but since ya weren't there, you couldn't tell that for sure  

[never kickt a ball]

With reference to the debate earlier about Tyrone and the College players it looks like DCU have found the solution:

DCU withdraw in protest
15 January 2007
Dublin City University decided against travelling to an O'Byrne Cup Shield clash with Athlone IT because a number of their players were pressurised into lining out for their county rather than representing the college.A number of colleges now participate in the early season provincial competitions and part of the rules are that they must have first call on all players who are also involved in county action.
However, in this season's O'Byrne Cup a number of college players lined out with their counties and DCU decided to withdraw from the competition in protest.
"We feel that the recent pressures that were placed directly on some players to play for their county instead of their college were unfair to those involved," said DCU's Declan Brennan.

http://www.hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=71075

[Norf Tyrone]

I see in the Irish News Eamon O'Hara has a B Boggs coming on as substitute for UUJ against Down. Anybody know what club/county he plays for?

Aye? Surely you jest?

Brendan Boggs of Owen Roes and Tyrone fame who played 70 minutes at wing-half in Omagh yesterday.

[SlimShady]

''Maybe that was the case Slim but since ya weren't there, you couldn't tell that for sure''

and i wont be at any of the McKenna Cup games!

and since you're trying to get a fly dig in, surely if you were any sort of Tyrone fan you'd have made the trip to Omagh or at least tuned in to TG4 instead of going to watch a ''poor game'' in Casement!

You could have been counting numbers while you watched it as well-big workload and all!!