Dún na nGall vs Tír Eoghain, Ballybofey, Saturday 18th March @7pm

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Never an easy cauldron to get out of with points, but we'll do our damnedest. The more recent game we've had (against Cavan this evening) may help us, especially the 2nd half performance, and hoping that we can continue in that productive vein.

[Blowitupref]

It was said after the Dublin v Donegal game that Donegal are 16 games unbeaten in Ballybofey with the last defeat in 2010.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

That's a fair unbeaten run in Mac Cumhail in fairness, though time that monkey was wrenched from their backs (and midfield, and forwards)

[J70]

Down, in the championship in 2010, the last team to win in Ballybofey. Antrim, Monaghan and Derry (their lone win over us this century) won there in the championship in the previous two years - shows you what an effect McGuinness had!

I'd say Ballyshannon has a similar record. Letterkenny, on the other hand - we have an awful record there!

[Fuzzman]

With the U21 game on this week between the two as well then I am expecting another fiery affair between these two.

There will be a lot of young players on view from both sides who have got to know each other well over the last few years at minor and U21 level.
Tyrone used to hold the upper hand for years over Donegal but that has all changed of late and Donegal see themselves as better than Tyrone in recent years.
With a lot of the older Donegal guard now retired or taking time out the younger lads will be determined not to hand the power back to the red hands.
They will be very spirited by their draw against Dublin and will know a win against Tyrone will be important to stop their growing confidence and possible shot at a league title.

Interesting wee article in the Indo about Tyrone's more direct style of late.
Red Hand on hunt for goals with Donnelly experiment
After seeing his side maintain their unbeaten record and leapfrog Dublin to go top of the table, it was put to Mickey Harte that perhaps a lack of goals remained a concern.
His answer was simple.
"Goals will come. What did we get, 19 points? I don't think that is a bad return," he argued. "We can't have everything. I think any day you get 19 scores it will take a serious team to beat you."

After four games in the League, Harte's side have managed to raise just one green flag, from Aidan McCrory in the second half against Dublin.
And although Harte may have been content with his side's attacking play, he didn't say he wasn't looking for a way to improve either.

And on Sunday, there was the unusual sight of both Sean Cavanagh and Mattie Donnelly playing close to goal, with Tyrone opting to go long to the pair on occasion.
Tweaking

"It's an interesting one," Cavanagh said, when he was asked about the tactic. "Probably we haven't played with a couple of physical players in there, size-wise, and it will take maybe a wee bit of tweaking.
"But there were signs there that we were linking up quite well, and it probably gives us that wee bit more impetus to let the ball in that wee bit longer.

"This last couple of years, we ran the ball quite hard through the hands, and we obviously had the players to do that.
"But now with Mattie there, in the second half, letting the long balls in to him, it only takes one of those to go right and you're probably going to create more goal chances.

"It that's the case, and it works out like that, it will definitely be another string to our bow."
Tyrone didn't manage a goal against Cavan, creating just one chance of note, when Cavanagh's shot was easily dealt with. But Cavanagh denied that Tyrone lose something when Donnelly is pulled out of the middle third and hinted that they might they might persist with the experiment in the coming weeks.

"I think we have an awful lot of players that can play in that middle sector," he said. "While Mattie in particular is very good at running on to play, he can play in the half-back, midfield or half-forward sector and he's good coming on to play, it really does give us another string to our bow, the fact that he has that physicality inside.
"The more we have that, the more the guys will become comfortable with moving the ball in that little bit quicker.

"You can see how the likes of Dublin and Kerry and Mayo, that have dominated the top end of our game for the last three or four years, have always had that physical strength inside. At certain points in the game, they were able to move that ball in that bit quicker.
"It's something we're trying at the minute. It may not stay like that, but I think we're well equipped with the guys we have out the field."

The 34-year-old denied that the experiment hints at a lack of trust in Tyrone's inside forwards.

"I see the quality we have every day of the week in our training. You only have to look at Ronan O'Neill and Mark Bradley and the scores they were able to kick. They are on par with an awful lot of guys in Dublin or Mayo or Kerry.
"I suppose it's the one thing that has let us down, our conversion rate whether it's from free-kicks or open play. Quite often in the last few years we've had more chances, even in the games we've lost, than the teams we've played against.

"We have let ourselves down in front of goals so it probably is that last bit of being able to pick out the right man in the right place and get more accurate. If we do that, I think we'll be a force to be reckoned with."

Cavanagh came through his first 70 minutes of the season unscathed in the win over Cavan, revealing that he has missed just two collective sessions since Tyrone started training late last year.
However, his focus has switched to Saturday night's all-Ulster clash with Donegal in Ballybofey.

"I don't think Ballybofey has been a happy hunting ground for anyone in recent times," he said.

"It's going to be another big challenge, but we have openly spoken about trying to make it to a League final. If we are going to do that, we're going to have to go to places like Ballybofey and try and grind out results.
"While we played in Division 2 last year, and we probably to a certain extent cruised through some games in third or fourth gear; we know next Saturday night we're going to have to be on top of our game.

"It's going to be a war, it's another Ulster one. We played them there in 2013 and '15 and they turned us over there, so I think it's the next step in this team's evolution, to go to places like Ballybofey and try and grind out results.

"And if we can come out with a one-point victory, that's going to be progress for us."

[GetOverTheBar]

Not sure many will agree with me, but I think this is the biggest test for Tyrone so far this year. They don't like going there - I don't think anyone does. Should be a very interesting game.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Wouldn't disagree with you there GOTB, it'll give us a good idea about where we really are.

[Fuzzman]

Donegal have been putting up quite big scores in most of their matches
1.16 Away to Cavan - Win
2.05 Home to Dublin - Draw
0.16 Away to Rossies - Win
1.17 Home to Kerry - Loss

It would be nice if they continue with their new attack minded game against Tyrone but you would fear they will revert to default to counteract our style. Young Thompson seems to be taking his chance well as are a few others.
Will Paddy McBrearty be back this weekend?

[J70]

According to Rory Gallagher quotes in the Democrat, McBrearty is fit again.

Think young McGee at midfield is still out though, and will be first missing tonight's game.

[Fuzzman]

That was a strong enough team ye fielded v Cavan.
If ye can still afford to play Murphy at FF and bring Mark McHugh on for final 5 mins you must be doing alright.

M A McGinley 7; P McGrath 7, N McGee 8, E B Gallagher 7; C Ward 6, F McGlynn 7, E McHugh 7; J McGee 6, C Thompson 8; M Carroll 6, M O'Reilly 7, R McHugh 7; H McFadden 7, M Murphy 7, D O'Connor 6. Subs: J Brennan 7 for D O'Connor (h-t); D McLaughlin 6 for M Carroll (47); M Langan 6 for J McGee (49); E Doherty 6 for H McFadden (55); M McHugh 6 for M O'Reilly (65); P Brennan 5 for E B Gallagher (67).

[J70]

It's about as strong as it's going to be this year. Kieran Gillespie, who played a couple of games last year, is still to come back, as is Martin McElhinney. Karl Lacey is still to come back, presumably as a sub, while McBrearty has obviously been out. Young O'Connor is feeling his way back too after two years injured. But it's going to be an inexperienced team no matter what. Doing well so far, but summer is when they have to prove themselves.

Murphy hasn't and won't see the opposition square this season.

[omagh_gael]

That was a strong enough team ye fielded v Cavan.
If ye can still afford to play Murphy at FF and bring Mark McHugh on for final 5 mins you must be doing alright.

M A McGinley 7; P McGrath 7, N McGee 8, E B Gallagher 7; C Ward 6, F McGlynn 7, E McHugh 7; J McGee 6, C Thompson 8; M Carroll 6, M O'Reilly 7, R McHugh 7; H McFadden 7, M Murphy 7, D O'Connor 6. Subs: J Brennan 7 for D O'Connor (h-t); D McLaughlin 6 for M Carroll (47); M Langan 6 for J McGee (49); E Doherty 6 for H McFadden (55); M McHugh 6 for M O'Reilly (65); P Brennan 5 for E B Gallagher (67).

Donegal will hardly play their u21s on Saturday night, will they? From the Cavan game would that make 3/4 starters and 5 subs unavailable? Open to correction on that.

[Fuzzman]

I wonder what team Mickey will pick tonight as like some said this could be our toughest game so far as we often play better in Croker than we do in Ballybofey. When did we last win there?

I'd like to see McClure return to midfield and Sludden come back to CHF though I presume he's still injured.
I would like to see Bradley, Sean and Mattie named in the FF line though I doubt it will happen.
Both McGeary & Burns have done well in their recent run outs but Meyler seems to have returned to the excellent form he had before he got injured last year in the league. Munroe seems to have slipped down the pecking order a bit as has Rory Brennan but all these lads seem to be of a very similar standard and seem to slip into the system quite seamlessly.

Despite being top of the pile it's hard to know where this team stand in the real scheme of things. I mean they've put up quite big scores so far except against Dublin but I suppose we have played 3 of our 4 games at home against teams we would be expected to beat. We've scored 1.58 in four games with 19 different scorers which is quite impressive. Peter Harte has 14 points (most from frees) with Sean on 6, Sludden, RoN, McCurry and Bradley all on 5.
Bradley is certainly showing the sort of form we all hoped he would though he hasn't played that many minutes compared to some. It will be interesting to see does Mickey continue to bring him on in the second half when defenders are that bit more tired.

Tiernan McCann has scored 4 points so far this year and seems to added some long range shooting skills to his repertoire of covering so much ground. Justy has surprised me so far this year as usually this heavy winter pitches are not good for his hamstrings but he's back playing well and marshalling the defence well.

[RedHandTom]

Donegal have been going well but in fairness they've only beaten the bottom two teams in the division Roscommon and Cavan with a surprise draw against Dublin. It would be know surprise to see them loosing their remaining games starting with a good hammering this weekend!

[greatpoint]

Donegal have been going well but in fairness they've only beaten the bottom two teams in the division Roscommon and Cavan with a surprise draw against Dublin. It would be know surprise to see them loosing their remaining games starting with a good hammering this weekend!

Tyrone have been going well but in fairness they've only beaten the bottom two teams in the division Roscommon and Cavan (in addition to struggling to beat 13 man Monaghan) with a surprise draw against Dublin. It would be know (?) surprise to see them loosing (?) their remaining games starting with a good hammering this weekend!