Tír Eoghain vs Átha Cliath, An Omaigh, Sunday 4th August @ 4pm

[screenexile]

Tyrone obviously decided it's better not to put the full team out for fear they get beat by the Dubs B team and then where would they be?? It's the hope that kills you in the end. Not a popular decision but probably the right one!

[FermGael]

Death nail in the super 8s.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

We have given all of our 'B-Team' the chance - Yaay!  .

[Ball Hopper]

Is there a chance this will be a pass the ball back and forth with no pressure and a final score of 0-3 to 0-2?

[Cunny Funt]

Dublin program team. Maybe Cooper, Mccarthy will start as both aren't long back from injury while Fenton, Ó Callaghan probably won't start.

Connolly on the 26 will likely make the lads in the RTÉ studio wet themselves.

[Angelo]

Where has that Darren Gavin lad disappeared to for Dublin? Is he still u20?

Thought he was impressive during the league but he has barely featured in the Championship.

[RedHand88]

This could get very ugly for Tyrone. Dublin haven't put out a complete B team the way we have.

[Hound]

Death nail in the super 8s.

Has the Tyrone team been named?

It's the death nail for not having the two winners from phase 1 play each other in phase 2.
And it's the death nail for having 1 week between phase 3 and the semi finals.

I'd hope for 3 changes to the Dubs team with Fenton, Howard and Con dropping out. Connolly could come in for Howard, but the return from injury of Bugler might mean the latter is in if Howard drops out.

Angelo, Darren Gavin is not U20. He's injured, I thought he might be back for this one, but clearly not

[yellowcard]

I'm surprised at Harte knowing how seriously he treats even McKenna cup games. That said I think it is absolutely the correct decision. Even if they get a tanking then it is probably what most people will expect and practically none of his starting XV will carry any mental scars into a semi final next week. Now he has a bunch of super motivated second string players who are playing for places in the staring XV or on the bench for an AI semi final and potentially a final. 

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Death nail in the super 8s.

Has the Tyrone team been named?

It's the death nail for not having the two winners from phase 1 play each other in phase 2.
And it's the death nail for having 1 week between phase 3 and the semi finals.

I'd hope for 3 changes to the Dubs team with Fenton, Howard and Con dropping out. Connolly could come in for Howard, but the return from injury of Bugler might mean the latter is in if Howard drops out.

Angelo, Darren Gavin is not U20. He's injured, I thought he might be back for this one, but clearly not

Ah Jasus Hound (& Ferm Gael), no one's going to be crucified with this one, the oul death knell will do rightly, and let thon bell toll for thee

[FermGael]

Death nail in the super 8s.

Has the Tyrone team been named?

It's the death nail for not having the two winners from phase 1 play each other in phase 2.
And it's the death nail for having 1 week between phase 3 and the semi finals.

I'd hope for 3 changes to the Dubs team with Fenton, Howard and Con dropping out. Connolly could come in for Howard, but the return from injury of Bugler might mean the latter is in if Howard drops out.

Angelo, Darren Gavin is not U20. He's injured, I thought he might be back for this one, but clearly not

Ah Jasus Hound (& Ferm Gael), no one's going to be crucified with this one, the oul death knell will do rightly, and let thon bell toll for thee

We have four games over the weekend. Three of them are basically dead rubbers. Maybe Meath have a bit of pride to play for but that's it. The fact that teams are playing alot of squad players and have alot of their first 15 not on the squad is just not good enough.
You would never have gotten that with an all Ireland quarter final.

[Hound]

I'm surprised at Harte knowing how seriously he treats even McKenna cup games. That said I think it is absolutely the correct decision. Even if they get a tanking then it is probably what most people will expect and practically none of his starting XV will carry any mental scars into a semi final next week. Now he has a bunch of super motivated second string players who are playing for places in the staring XV or on the bench for an AI semi final and potentially a final.

But the McKenna Cup isn't played one week before the All Ireland semi final!

There's going to be some nonsense spoke in the next 24 hours about the two managers disrespecting the competition and cheating the paying fans. The managers have to do what's best for their preparations for the All Ireland semi final, end of story.

[FermGael]

Hound I agree with what you are saying

The issue is not what the management have done.
It's not their fault
It's the fault of the system.
It was rushed in, was poorly thought out and hopefully next year will be the end of it.

[BennyHarp]

Tyrone obviously decided it's better not to put the full team out for fear they get beat by the Dubs B team and then where would they be?? It's the hope that kills you in the end. Not a popular decision but probably the right one!

So you think Tyrone would have put a full team out, under the same circumstances, 6 or 7 days before an AI semi final against anyone other than Dublin? This decision was about preservation of players who have been playing 5 out of the last 6 weeks with a huge game next weekend and would have been made regardless of the opposition. As someone said, it's the competition format at fault here.

[Captain Obvious]

Hound I agree with what you are saying

The issue is not what the management have done.
It's not their fault
It's the fault of the system.
It was rushed in, was poorly thought out and hopefully next year will be the end of it.

Absolutely. Gaa HQ have made some silly changes for the sake of changing over the years however introducing a group stage for the last eight has to be the most ridiculous change they have made.