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With the new format this year I think it's been a very strange season so far with no team showing real good form.
Only Derry and Dublin remain unbeaten but with the Dubs having only drawn with the only Div 1 team they've met.

So many teams seem capable of beating each other as we've seen in the group stages and there has been an element of trying to get to the quarter finals with as little effort as possible or not showing too much of your hand.
A lot of talk about peaking at the right time, not coming in undercooked and can a team turn it on when needed.
Kerry have been getting to quarters and semis for years trying to peak for August football and Tyrone would appear to be trying to do the same this year with some very poor performances here and there.

I suppose Kerry will not be as naive as they were in 2021 where they seemed to be unprepared (again) for what Tyrone would throw at them. Until that game Kerry were scoring goals for fun whereas Tyrone couldn't buy a goal. That all changed that day.

We may have lost McKenna but we've gained two Canavans and Mattie seems to be back to his old self. So our forward line seems a lot more potent although our bench is weak in my eyes which was a huge factor in closing out games in 21.

Clifford is so far ahead of everyone else and if Kerry can find him with good ball he will win marks and score for fun.
I suppose it all comes down to how both teams play on the day but to me Tyrone aren't as bad as many "neutrals" think and maybe Kerry aren't as good as ye think either or at least haven't been so far.

Will the Derry wans be supporting Tyrone on Sat then as they'd rather play us than Dublin or Kerry in the semi?

Tyrone Kerry
Monaghan Armagh
Dublin Mayo
Cork Derry

Best draw for neutrals

Full Moon called it right.
Derry, Armagh and Monaghan must be happy with that draw and have a great chance of making the semis.
Was thinking last night when watching TSG when Cavanagh and Tomas O'Se were discussing Canavan bros v the Clifford bros that we'll probably see that next weekend.
No doubt Kerry will be all out for revenge after the 2021 show. Wonder would they let us put the match back a few weeks?

Who would yis Derry folk prefer to get?
I presume Cork or Tyrone or would you rather beat us later on?

I agree. Team sport needs different types of players.
Look at Dooher and Stephen ONeill or Mugsy.
Saying that I'm delighted to see Ruairi Canavan in the starting lineup now. More scoring threat than Oguz, McGeary or Burns at half forward..

He is still young and inexperienced and took the wrong option today a few times but I'm really excited about the next few years with him, Darragh and Dazzler.
Mattie is showing us he's far from ready to hang up the boots just yet.
McKernan has become a very important player for us and is well able to kick a score.
I see if Mayo win tomorrow then Kerry have to either meet Tyrone or Monaghan so that will be some fun.

Darragh Canavan's performance on Sunday reminded me of Peter in his day.
Taking men on, jinking this way then that. Able to turn off either foot and score.
He looks to be taking on a lot more responsibility for shooting this year and his haul of 10 points was very impressive.
With him and McCurry in top form we are probably all underestimating how lucky we are to have these two lads on such fine form.

Of course when you have one or two top scoring forwards, then others tend not so shoot as much and is probably why our half forward line hasn't been great so far. Was delighted to see Ruairi getting some game time and a few scores as well. He's still very young and inexperienced at this level of course.
I don't hold much hope for seeing McShane back this year either and think it's a combination of injuries and loss of confidence.

Sludden who I usually like and is worth a few scores also seems like a different player and doesn't seem to have the same energy or work rate as usual. Could it be his last season?
Mattie seems to have got himself back playing well again and seems to play all over the field.

I wonder will the management give up on M.O'Neill and go back to Burns? I am never that impressed with O'Neill.
I agree that our FB, MF and FF lines are quite strong but hopefully McGeary, Burns, Harte and Meyler can raise their games going into the knockout stages now.

I think we've a good starting 15 but our bench is very weak now compared to two years ago.
If we play to our potential and tighten up a bit at the back I think we can beat Donegal but I don't know would we beat Kerry, Dublin or Derry.

Funny how things panned out yesterday.
With ten mins left Tyrone led by four and Armagh were going to finish third.
Had that stayed that way Armagh would be away to Donegal and Tyrone home to Mayo.
I have to hand it to Armagh they certainly provide a lot of entertainment and drama for everyone.
Yes they often break the rules but they have now drawn with Derry, beaten Galway, lost to Tyrone and will fancy their chances against any of the preliminary winners. Especially if they can't play Galway or Tyrone again.

I can appreciate most people see incidents from their own teams point of view and I would agree there was no knee drop but surely you can see that Rian was the one that moved his knee towards Quinn head. Quinn did not pull his knee or leg towards his head. Why would he do that?
Tell me were there other incidents where Rian was getting hit or anything else off the ball that got him riled up? Genuine question.

Do you not think it's strange that most neutrals see it this way and think it was a red card and even now after it went to appeal who obviously looked it again and again from the various angles, ye still don't accept maybe ye have it wrong.

Are you saying that putting a knee on a players head should only be a yellow card?
Rian seemed pretty determined to not let Quinn back up or walk away from the incident

Yeah delighted to see RC finally get a start and it will be interesting to see does he hit the frees now as well?
I'd say that's our strongest 15 at the minute but I'd be worried at the lack of firepower from the bench. I wonder are they going to try to get a big lead in the first half and then sit back and manage the game second half with one eye on next week?

Siege mentality maybe or trying to use this incident as a form of protection against Rian in upcoming games.
I thought he was like a man possessed in the Ulster final.
He didn't remonstrate much with the ref when sent off.

We look to be going through the motions, doing the bare minimum to get the win.
At half time I said I bet you we will sit back now and try to keep them at arms length. Pick off the odd score but not really go for it. Game management.
Some good performances around the field I thought from McKernan, Hampsey, Mattie, Meyler and D&D up top.
Was a bit worried how often our defenders let Armagh runners in for goals.
Great run and one two for Peteys goal chance but disappointed we don't create more chances like these or use the odd high ball into Kilpatrick more. Thought he took his point well from the mark.
Westmeath could really put it up to us.

Random draw but avoiding games from provincial finals or teams from same group if possible.
So in the above scenario Tyrone could possibly meet Kildare, Cork or Donegal if they finish third in their groups as it currently looks like.

I think a lot of GAA teams don't perform to anywhere near their full capacity in these half hearted group games.
Tyrone played quite well first half and Armagh shooting was dreadful.
But once they went down to 14 men, Tyrone did what they have been doing for a long time now, took the foot of the gas, didn't show much attacking intent and tried to close the game out from an early stage.
We are lacking soul and doing the bear minimum to get by.
So are a lot of other teams, even Galway, Dubs and Kerry.
It's leading to poor boring games for the most part with teams hoping to turn it on from quarter final stage onwards. Risky game to play.
Had Rian O'Neill stayed on it could have been a more exciting match but it was a stupid thing he did and he didn't complain much about the red.

It will be interesting to see what way Tyrone actually line out with the team named.
Wonder will Mattie play CHB or maybe as a rotating sweeper.
Tyrone tend to change formation so much during a match it's hard to know who's playing where.
I feel they have moved away from the very defensive blanket system they used to play when trying to compete v Donegal.
They definitely kick the ball forward a lot more these days which leads to better to watch matches like v Monaghan but of course leads us to more turnovers and conceding more scores.

I can actually seeing this as being quite an open game but will Armagh want to play like that too?

I've given up trying to understand who is playing where.
Mattie rarely stays at FF but will often pop over a score from anywhere.
K&K often rotate into FF.
You will often see McKiernan in the FF line.
I hope Oguz can start chipping in with a few scores.
We certainly seem to create quite a lot of scoring chances.