Cork v Tyrone

[twohands!!!]

What I see is group of players under a smart manager pacing themselves in the qualifiers as they did in 2013 and 2015.

I don't buy this - the Meath game in particular punches major holes in the theory of Tyrone pacing themselves. No side pacing themselves ends up playing extra-time.
Also if they were pacing themselves they would have put Cavan away far far earlier. Cavan were woeful and were absolutely there for the taking early on but Tyrone did a mighty good job of keeping them in the match.

You didn't see any hunger in the Meath game as they pulled out a draw with the last kick of the game? Funny how people view things differently. If nothing else, in a relatively poor performance, at least that game displayed a fight and desire not to lose that was very encouraging. And again on Saturday when Cavan got back to level, a team with no hunger or desire would easily have folded. We are negotiating our way through these rounds very well in my view. Cork worries me though, they always have.

I said

I didn't exactly see much evidence of hunger/desire from the Tyrone players for long periods.

Not that I didnt see any hunger.
I said for long periods there wasn't much evidence of hunger/desire.
They showed a desire not to lose as opposed to going out there and showing a desire to win.
To me they look a team who have no faith in their ability to take on Dublin and were going through the motions a bit/ playing from rote memory of being hard to beat.

As a comparison Kerry look the hungriest team so far - running up a big score against Clare and then when they had their foot on Cork's windpipe they just kept on crushing.

I would say save your worrying for the Super 8s. I just can't see any scenario where Cork can get a win, unless they somehow rattle 3/4 goals.

The current Cork senior football team remain an enigma. Won 5 of the last 7 Munster U21 titles and they should be competitive challengers to Kerry in Munster but they aren't and instead they are around the same level as Clare.

Most of those Munster final wins were very narrow affairs. It's been the norm for years and years in Cork that the U21 team would do well and then a huge number of the players would show little or no development as footballers once they moved on to senior football. You look at those U21 teams and a huge chunk of the better players involved have been tried with the seniors at various points and the vast majority have made no impact. A junky club championship, zero belief in actual football coaching, a huge percent of the intercounty footballers playing hurling have all been given as some of the reasons. I think in the past Cork could get away with it but as football has developed, Cork's half-assed approach to football has meant they have been left behind, in spite of the their playing numbers.

The thing about Cork is they can turn on the style if they feel like it.
They wouldn't be afraid of Tyrone.

Nonsense. They have no style to turn on. They might get some performances out of a few lads on the basis that there are a couple of lads in the last chance saloon in terms of having an intercounty career.

Cork could be very dangerous. They could have a day where their forwards catch fire and score from everywhere.
Also any analysis of the game from "the experts" seems to ignore that Tyrone are a good notch below the level they were playing at this time last year. Meath-Tyrone was a very even game, and Cork are probably as good as Meath. Tyrone need to up their performance, both to beat Cork and to be competitive in S8.

Tyrone were poor for long periods against Meath, but it was definitely among the best Meath performances in a long while and yet Tyrone still didn't end up losing.

Imo Cork had their day where their forwards caught fire and it was the game against Tipp.
Tyrone will not need to up their performance to beat Cork but they will to be competitive in the S8.

[Captain Obvious]

What I see is group of players under a smart manager pacing themselves in the qualifiers as they did in 2013 and 2015.

I don't buy this - the Meath game in particular punches major holes in the theory of Tyrone pacing themselves. No side pacing themselves ends up playing extra-time.
Also if they were pacing themselves they would have put Cavan away far far earlier. Cavan were woeful and were absolutely there for the taking early on but Tyrone did a mighty good job of keeping them in the match.

Tyrone also played Meath in 2013,2015 and had similar struggles but it didn't stop Tyrone from later reaching the All Ireland semi final. Cavan last weekend got a goal against the run of play and Tyrone took the sting out of any comeback and in the end it was a game where Tyrone kept Cavan at arms length without needing to hit top gears as I say smart play especially in this current heat.

[omagh_gael]

Wouldn't read too much into the Cavan game. We were cruising and they scored a fluke goal and two quick fire points to level it. We upped the pace and got comfortably back in front.

If we can get past Cork and get two points in our first super 8 game It'll set us up well for a tilt at a semi final place. My money is on us sneaking into a semi against Kerry and getting beat by 3-4 points there.

[BennyHarp]

I think Tyrone's ability to cruise through the qualifiers is one of the major strengths of the Harte era. We have developed a knack of beating the teams outside the top 3 and we rarely get ambushed by the so called lower ranked counties. Often it isn't pretty but we do enough to survive. Since Cork beat us as defending champions in 2009 (and with the exception of the abomination v Armagh in 2014) Tyrone have only been finally knocked of the championship by either Dublin (3 times), Kerry (twice) or Mayo (twice) and I suppose the consistent defeats to those three teams is another feature of the last 10 years of the Harte reign as we just haven't been able to close that gap.

[ONeill]

I hope you're right twohands.

I see a beating.

[omagh_gael]

Looks like we might see Bradley on the bench.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/gaelic-games/44719876

I'd go with the following for Saturday:

Morgan
Hampsey
McNamee
McKernan
McCann
Burns
Harte
Colm
McClure
Meyler
Sludden
Donnelly
RoNeill
McAliskey
R Donnelly/McShane

Think either Ritchy of McShane could be under pressure to hold their place. Surely we have to get more natural forwards on the pitch? Can see Ronan getting a start especially now that Bradley is available to get some game time off the bench.

[nrico2006]

When is Lee Brennan back?

[Dire Ear]

Would Bradley came on before RON? 

[Hound]

Irish Times says Bradley fit and available; Brennan still struggling with hamstring and unlikely to play any part.

[redhandefender]

Wouldn't read too much into the Cavan game. We were cruising and they scored a fluke goal and two quick fire points to level it. We upped the pace and got comfortably back in front.

If we can get past Cork and get two points in our first super 8 game It'll set us up well for a tilt at a semi final place. My money is on us sneaking into a semi against Kerry and getting beat by 3-4 points there.

You say get 2 points in our first super 8 game like its no bother at all. Are we not playing Dublin?

[Dire Ear]

Dublin v Donegal is first game

[omagh_gael]

Wouldn't read too much into the Cavan game. We were cruising and they scored a fluke goal and two quick fire points to level it. We upped the pace and got comfortably back in front.

If we can get past Cork and get two points in our first super 8 game It'll set us up well for a tilt at a semi final place. My money is on us sneaking into a semi against Kerry and getting beat by 3-4 points there.

You say get 2 points in our first super 8 game like its no bother at all. Are we not playing Dublin?

Our first game if we get there would be against Ros or Armagh. If we've any intentions of making a Semi final that is a game we would need to be getting two points from. Donegal will play Dublin first and then are away to Ros/Armagh in game two, that'd be a tricky enough match for them.

[bigpackiechestout]

Looks like we might see Bradley on the bench.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/gaelic-games/44719876

I'd go with the following for Saturday:

Morgan
Hampsey
McNamee
McKernan
McCann
Burns
Harte
Colm
McClure
Meyler
Sludden
Donnelly
RoNeill
McAliskey
R Donnelly/McShane

Think either Ritchy of McShane could be under pressure to hold their place. Surely we have to get more natural forwards on the pitch? Can see Ronan getting a start especially now that Bradley is available to get some game time off the bench.

Whilst I agree McShane is frustrating to watch I still think he has credit in the bank from the Meath equaliser and he has been tagging over a point or two in every game despite playing around the middle. If there are any changes I think McClure could be most under threat, he hasn't been playing well and with Cork traditionally being a big physical side I think it's possible McNulty could get the nod.

Richie Donnelly deserves to keep his place I think, Cork play a more open style of football compared to Cavan and Carlow which should give us more opportunities for direct ball into the full forward line which is what Richie is there for. Ronan O'Neill played very well the last day when he came on but he will have to settle for the same role this weekend, whilst it is also great to have Bradley back.

I'm expecting to see Morgan reinstated in goal and to keep his place for the rest of the year if we get through. I saw trileacman a couple of pages back on this board say about Morgan 'his weekly clangers deny himself and the fullback line of any confidence.' Maybe something has slipped my mind but has Morgan ever made a clanger costing us a goal? I think he is a far more reliable keeper than O'Neill and the only complaint I have with him is that he continues to come up for frees although even this obviously comes from management instruction.

[Jayop]

I thought McShane played well enough against Cavan. Tagged a few points and had a couple of good turn overs. Was working bloody hard in that heat too. He had been marking that Cavan no6 that got the goal for a fair bit of the first half and it wasn't until he switched off him that he got away for the goal.

[omagh_gael]

Fair points regarding McShane. I couldn't get to the game so had to make do with TV coverage. Good shout re McNulty, he could definitely come in to do a job on Ian Maguire.