Tyrone v Monaghan the battle for Ulster’s heart aisf 2018

[Gabriel_Hurl]

Anthony Nolan - Wicklow reffing

[bigpackiechestout]

Looks like Mickey will be sticking with roughly the same team on Sunday (barring Meyler not making it)...

https://www.irishnews.com/sport/gaafootball/2018/08/07/news/substitutes-making-a-major-impact-for-tyrone-mickey-harte-1401299/

Yes I think this is most likely. McGeary is the obvious choice to come in for Meyler as well but i still think he will be held back since he's been so effective as a substitute. I think McClure might get the nod. Rory Brennan is another option but i think if he starts then it leaves us very light in terms of defensive options from the bench if someone gets injured or picks up an early black card.

[Jayop]

Anthony Nolan - Wicklow reffing

I'm not familiar with him. Any recent Tyrone games he's reffed?

[sambostar]

Anthony Nolan - Wicklow reffing

I'm not familiar with him. Any recent Tyrone games he's reffed?

Me either, but can't be any worse than the last 2 refs Tyrone have had!

[sambostar]

A non-fussy ref will suit Tyrone as Monaghan have 2 deadly free-takers in Beggan & McManus whereas Tyrone are much more hit-and-miss. So the less scorable frees in the game the better

[Jayop]

That's an absolute fact. If we can tackle the way we did in the first half against Cavan we'll be fine regardless of the ref, but the Monaghan boys will be a bit harder to disposes and like ourselves they are well able to convince a ref of a foul when they take contact.

[Gabriel_Hurl]

Anthony Nolan - Wicklow reffing

I'm not familiar with him. Any recent Tyrone games he's reffed?

Only Tyrone game was in league vs Rossies last year

This year He reffed the Kildare Monaghan game in the Super 8's - Donegal/Down USFC and the National League Final earlier in the year

[GetOverTheBar]

There were several posters calmouring for Colm Cav to be dropped after the Dublin game and many expressed the opinion that he was done. Look how that turned out. Likewise I cold trawl through the posts and pick out a few examples of posters saying Matty wasn't putting in a big enough shift.I wouldn't be dropping McShane, skeet or Richie  yet.

Mc Shane got a bit of a run around in defence yesterday obviously not a role that suits him greatly but he did get himself in scoring positions for the goal and his point. Had he connected right with that Brennan cross he'd be hero of the hour and there'd be no talk of dropping him. Slim margins. He's played a lot of 70 min games this year and like Burns he could be reaching mental and physical burnout. Still I'd be slow to say "same old Cathal". He was one of our top 3 early championship performers and has definitely eradicated the majority of those errors that were once married to his game. May just need a rest to get himself back to his best.

Skeet- Jesus your awful sore on him for those frees. He missed a 45-yarder on the right that needed to be taken by a left footer, then a 45, then a difficult enough one on the right that was still the guts of 45m out. I never remember a time when we could count on those being scores, Canavan would have been going well to get 1 out of those 3. Ffs the great 08 team used to trundle joe Mc Mahon up from full back to take 45s such was the dearth of forwards fit to hit them. Since the 08 side Sean cav was equally inconsistent from distance. Murphy missed 2 easier kicks for a supposed long distance expert so I can't see how literally a couple of missed frees put Skeet into a "confidence crisis".

We actually need Skeet to play if we're playing Brennan  as Sod's law will dictate if we drop him all we'll win will be difficult left sided frees that suit a right booter. Standing Brennan over those frees wood put him under immense scrutiny from early in the game. Bar those chances Skeet did f**k all wrong, can't remneber him hitting a wide from play or wasting a possession all game. He wasn't as bad as people are making out and this "confidence crisis" stuff that brolly cape out with is complete bull shit.

He was poor against Dublin and indeed Tyrone looked a better team when he went off. He played well against Donegal but that is not the same level of competition nor near it as I'm sure you'll agree.

I've nothing against Cavanagh but the top teams are beginning to actually target him. Tyrone have two top teams to play yet (all going well).

[omaghjoe]

Is Jack McCarron fit?
Will he start?

[yellowcard]

I'm not a gambler but the 13/8 that the bookmakers are offering on Monaghan to beat Tyrone is ultra generous. On all known form this season Monaghan have proven to be a better side than Tyrone. If you think about it logically they are the only side to have beaten Dublin (in Croke Park) and if you take the Fermanagh match as an aberration then they deserve to be clear favorites. They beat Tyrone twice, the latest being a more comfortable championship victory in Omagh than the score line suggests. They have 2 of the best players in Ireland in Beggan and McManus which Tyrone simply do not have (granted Harte and Donnelly are close on their day).

Any Monaghan player listening to Sean Cavanaghs slightly patronising comments about over celebrating on the Sunday Game would surely have found some extra motivation if it was needed. As far as I could see, Tyrone have been glowing in the aftermath of their Donegal win every bit as much as Monaghan in their defeat of Galway. The fans are allowed to get carried away and Monaghan are an experienced outfit with plenty of seasoned individuals, probably more than Tyrone.

I expect it to be a close contest but I think the bookies have got this one wrong.

[giveballaghback]

Nolan a terrible ref, gives soft frees all the time, any hand on the shoulder is a free and maybe even a black card if he takes the notion.

[Jayop]

I was at the league finals and I don't remember his performance which is usually a good sign but hearing he's fussy is very bad for Tyrone.

[Over the Bar]

Anthony Nolan - Wicklow reffing

I'm not familiar with him. Any recent Tyrone games he's reffed?

Does he get a brown envelope like Dublin Joe to ref behind closed doors games to help the Dubs to cheat within the rules?

[omagh_gael]

Team talk reporting that Meyler was on crutches last night at training. No way he plays on Sunday.

[skeog]

Dont rule him out made of steel.