Tyrone v Dublin - The return of the Jedi

[Fuzzman]

Shhhh never kicked a ball
We can't be giving away any secrets this early before the game.

I reckon John Lynch will be brought in to mark Connolly.

[Il Bomber Destro]

1 – Niall Morgan – Éadan na dTorc – 62 (19)
2 – Aidan McCrory – Aireagal Chiaráin – 98 (26)
3 – Ronan McNamee – Achadh Uí Aráin – 65 (20)
4 – Cathal McCarron – An Droim Mór – 100 (27)
5 – Tiernan McCann – Coill an Chlochair – 57 (16)
6 – Pádraig Hampsey – Oileán a'Ghuail – 23 (5)
7 – Peter Harte – Aireagal Chiaráin – 119 (40)
8 – Colm Cavanagh – An Mhaigh – 137 (51)
9 – Conall McCann – Coill an Chlochair – 29 (7)
10 – David Mulgrew – Ard Bó – 8 (3)
11 – Niall Sludden – An Droim Mór – 30 (
12 – Kieran McGeary – Cabhán a'Chaortainn 20 (6)
13 – Mark Bradley – Coill an Chlochair 36 (15)
14 – Sean Cavanagh (c) – An Mhaigh 237 (87)
15 – Matthew Donnelly – Trí Leac 93 (30)


I reckon this will be the Tyrone team to start against Dublin.

I would say 12 of the side that started against Armagh are absolute bankers to start against Dublin. Conall McCann and Kieran McGeary were out of sorts the last day and their positions will come under threat. McClure had a very good game last week but Mickey might prefer for him to come into the game. I think it will be one of McClure or McCann starting and the other players in contention for a starting spot that did not start last week are Rory Brennan, Meyler and Mulgrew.

Meyler hasn't had much of a look in this season (he's only played 50 minutes so far in the Championship) but he has a serious engine of him and was very impressive against Dublin in the league.

Any word on the availability of McNabb?

[ONeill]

I'm hearing that at training they have been playing Aidan McCrory at 14.

[Fuzzman]

Interesting read from Madden on Monday in the Irish news today

There's not much point in beating about the bush this week. It's time to engage in some serious football talk. We are on the cusp of the most eagerly anticipated Championship game in quite some time, so the question on most people's lips right now is: Do Tyrone have the game to beat Dublin? 

To contest or not contest

I suppose the big question here is will both teams contest the opposition's kick-out? I think they will want to at different stages and this is how they will go about it. It was really interesting to watch the approach in the respective quarter-finals when Tyrone and Dublin both adopted almost identical strategies.

To go completely man-to-man on kick-outs in Croke Park is both a futile and dangerous approach. Against Armagh, when they chose to contest, Tyrone played in a line of three, splitting across their full-forward line, a line of three or four across their half-forward line, three across the middle and behind that were two free sweepers to guard against the long ball over the top.

Each player was responsible for an area rather than a specific player so it prevents people being pulled all over the big wide open spaces. But it is important to realise that this shape was possible because Armagh tried to play 'rope-a-dope' by pulling most of their players inside their own half to leave the space to go long over the top.

Monaghan tried the same thing and Dublin responded with a similar set-up which left Cian O'Sullivan and Johnny Cooper free sweeping behind the midfield. This type of structured set-up is a balanced approach which can be very rewarding if you make an interception (like Paul Geaney did in 2014) and at the same time guards against being exposed (see Neil Gallagher v Dublin also in 2014).

Both goalkeepers are going to be under immense pressure in this game so how the mix of short, long and placed kicks works out could be critical.



The defences

I think the Red Hands defensive structure is definitely good enough and I believe it is the best it has ever been.

To date, Tyrone have played eight Championship games in the last two seasons.

In six of those encounters they didn't concede a goal. The incredible movement and scoring ability of the Dublin forwards will ask different questions but the Tyrone double sweeper system makes it very difficult for the opposition to get quality early ball into the full-forward line.

In front of them is a line of five or six pressing the ball with serious intensity – starting just outside the 45-metre line.

Both sides of the pitch are covered to guard against the opposition switching the play. All potential shooters inside the 45 are also man-marked. If a runner sneaks in behind, Colm Cavanagh or his rotating sweeper accomplice has him immediately.

They shut the space down very quickly and tackle with great force and discipline.

It's a regimental system that has every possible manoeuvre covered.

When necessary, Dublin attack with good width and patience but Tyrone will match this with relentless, aggressive, disciplined defending. The Red Hand message will be clear. To win this game Dublin are going to have to reach double figures in scores from distance,  that is from 40 yards and further back.

I can't see Jim Gavin going with the same forward line as the Monaghan game and I think there will be a couple of changes.

I feel he will probably start Paul Flynn or Diarmuid Connolly in place of Eric Lowndes.

But what he does with his full forward-line will be most interesting. I feel he will still go with Paul Mannion inside. He hit 0-3 against Monaghan but crucially he's also left-footed which gives them a different kicking angle which will pull Tyrone defenders in another direction.

With a double sweeper in place, it mightn't be the game for Paddy Andrews to start in.

In that case, I have a hunch that we will see Eoghan O'Gara on the square as an option to kick long and also a decoy for when they run the ball.

The thing about O'Gara is he won't be stripped of the ball easily and his ball-winning tends to be nice and close to goal.

He has the capability of bulldozing his way through two or three men and winning frees.

With Connolly, Andrews, Bernard Brogan, Kevin McManaman, Cormac Costello and Michael Darragh Macauley all in reserve, Dublin have a serious scoring options to come in.

The attacks

Ultimately, this is where the game will be won and lost. Apparently Tyrone don't have a marquee forward. If you look at the individual scoring charts from this year's Championship they definitely support the argument.

There are 19 players from 15 different counties on it and none of them are Tyrone men. Some would point to that being a weakness, while others will consider it a major strength that their scores are coming from such a wide range of players. I actually think they do have a top forward in Mark Bradley, but Tyrone's system of play to date doesn't particularly sway towards making him a pivotal figure in the game.

That's perfectly fine. There's more than one way to skin a cat and all that.

The Red Hands have hit 6-77 in their four Championship games. Of course that has been against teams of a much lesser standard, but a scoring average of 24 points would indicate that Tyrone have improved and evolved as an attacking unit.

They may need to break the 20-point mark to beat Dublin and running at them will be key to punching those holes.

However, their best line-breakers such as Peter Harte, Mattie Donnelly and Tiernan McCann will be targeted on a personal level in an attempt to counter Tyrone's running game.

I have no doubt Dublin will bend all the rules to do this and I think they will have some success. Although I feel that Tyrone have a better defensive set-up than Dublin, I also believe the Red Hands have more to prepare for to curtail the Dublin attack.

For me, Tyrone will have to bring something different to their game going forward if they are to win.

Michael Fitzsimmons will probably pick up Mark Bradley with Cian O'Sullivan sweeping in front.

Philly McMahon will then beast it out all over the pitch with Sean Cavanagh.

I'm not advocating that Tyrone play a route one game. That won't work. But I feel that they need to mix it up a bit and ask questions of Cian O'Sullivan and the
full-back line that he protects. Their running game, combined with kicking the odd ball to an isolated Mark Bradley mightn't be enough.

The only teams that have really threatened to beat Dublin in the past few years have been Kerry and Mayo who both play a far more traditional game than Tyrone do.

In my opinion they need to bring something extra, something different, something fresh. Something that deep down the Dubs won't be expecting.

Tyrone need to compromise the Dublin defensive system by stretching it more and forcing it take up a different shape than the one they have planned for.

I feel their game needs to involve a better mix of measured kicking and running.

To do this, they will need to play two, or possibly three, inside at times which will also leave more gaps for the running game.

The problem with this is it may be viewed as compromising their defensive structure that demands almost everyone back behind the ball.

If an attack breaks down and you've more players closer to the Dublin goal, this will present a serious challenge to get back into shape and press.

But they can still find a way of playing two or three up top even if it's only for certain periods of the game. This will bring a completely different attacking dynamic which has the potential to create scoring chances unlike before.

Leaving Mark Bradley isolated plus their brilliant running game won't cut it in my opinion. It's too predictable and it's exactly what Dublin are planning for.

For me, it boils down to one of two things: Has the master that is Mickey Harte been plotting all along to tweak their gameplan to beat Dublin or, deep down, does he believe what they are currently doing will be good enough?

It may be a minor gamble, but without the risk of change, I believe there will be no reward.

[Il Bomber Destro]

The only teams that have really threatened to beat Dublin in the past few years have been Kerry and Mayo who both play a far more traditional game than Tyrone do.

The only team to beat Dublin in the last few years is Donegal who played a non-traditional game. Kerry and Mayo may have came closest in the past two years but it's more likely it's to do with the fact that they have been the two top teams outside of Dublin in that time, rather than the style of football they play.

That just seems to be lazy journalism.

[yellowcard]

Don't agree with Madden at all in that article. There is no chance that Harte will change the defensive gameplan that he has been honing for a few years now and nor should he at this stage. They have one way of playing and that is not going to change. It could easily be enough to frustrate the Dubs and hit them with fast counter attacks..   

[Fuzzman]

Mickey is well known for being able to adapt his tactics and throw a curve ball.
In his first book I think he talked about what Armagh would be expecting them to do and how he had to come up with something different.

The kick-outs have become a huge part of the game compared to years ago when you just launched it down the middle. You would imagine if either keeper make a mess of a kick out and the other team get in for a goal it could be the end of the game, just like Kerry did to Donegal in 2014.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Don't agree with Madden at all in that article. There is no chance that Harte will change the defensive gameplan that he has been honing for a few years now and nor should he at this stage. They have one way of playing and that is not going to change. It could easily be enough to frustrate the Dubs and hit them with fast counter attacks..   

I wouldn't be so sure, and our last three 2017 league games (all defeats) tell me that MH had something else in mind, where our usual approach to games was abandoned, yet we could snap straight back for the Ulster opener against Derry. He's never been one to be as predictable as that, when his head is in the right place.

[Gael85]

The only teams that have really threatened to beat Dublin in the past few years have been Kerry and Mayo who both play a far more traditional game than Tyrone do.

The only team to beat Dublin in the last few years is Donegal who played a non-traditional game. Kerry and Mayo may have came closest in the past two years but it's more likely it's to do with the fact that they have been the two top teams outside of Dublin in that time, rather than the style of football they play.

That just seems to be lazy journalism.

Mayo/Kerry have a lot of success in them games pushing up on Cluxton kick outs though they were unable to that for 70 minutes. Tyrone have been training since November? So fitness won't be issue with.Dublin goal threat has reduced greatly since Donegal 2014 since we have employed a more defensive approach. Throw in Tyrone excellent discipline in the tackle they won't conceed too many score able frees. We only scored one free against Donegal in 2014. Kerry only scored 6 points in that famous semi final in 2003 against Tyrone so they will try hold Dublin to something similar.

[yellowcard]

Don't agree with Madden at all in that article. There is no chance that Harte will change the defensive gameplan that he has been honing for a few years now and nor should he at this stage. They have one way of playing and that is not going to change. It could easily be enough to frustrate the Dubs and hit them with fast counter attacks..   

I wouldn't be so sure, and our last three 2017 league games (all defeats) tell me that MH had something else in mind, where our usual approach to games was abandoned, yet we could snap straight back for the Ulster opener against Derry. He's never been one to be as predictable as that, when his head is in the right place.

So he is going to abandon a tried and tested system going into an AI semi final and revert back to a system that you reckon he trialled in the last 3 league games, all of which he lost. To think that he is going to go all out attack against the best attacking side in the country and play 2/3 men inside is ridiculous. If it ain't broke don't fix it.   

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Don't agree with Madden at all in that article. There is no chance that Harte will change the defensive gameplan that he has been honing for a few years now and nor should he at this stage. They have one way of playing and that is not going to change. It could easily be enough to frustrate the Dubs and hit them with fast counter attacks..   

I wouldn't be so sure, and our last three 2017 league games (all defeats) tell me that MH had something else in mind, where our usual approach to games was abandoned, yet we could snap straight back for the Ulster opener against Derry. He's never been one to be as predictable as that, when his head is in the right place.

So he is going to abandon a tried and tested system going into an AI semi final and revert back to a system that you reckon he trialled in the last 3 league games, all of which he lost. To think that he is going to go all out attack against the best attacking side in the country and play 2/3 men inside is ridiculous. If it ain't broke don't fix it.

I didn't say that, just expect the unexpected.

[GJL]

I'm hearing that at training they have been playing Aidan McCrory at 14.

Don't tell Golden years. He will have a fit. 😂

[criostlinn]

Since the 22nd August 2010 Dublin have only lost 2 championship games. Once to Donegal and once to Mayo
Micky seems to have gone all in on the Donegal tactics as the way to be the third team to beat them.

Since that fateful day in August 2014 Dublin have not lost a championship match and the only team to come within 3 points of them is Mayo who have drawn with them twice.

Why is Mciky Harte so convinced this is the way to beat Dublin

[Ball Hopper]

Since the 22nd August 2010 Dublin have only lost 2 championship games. Once to Donegal and once to Mayo
Micky seems to have gone all in on the Donegal tactics as the way to be the third team to beat them.

Since that fateful day in August 2014 Dublin have not lost a championship match and the only team to come within 3 points of them is Mayo who have drawn with them twice.

Why is Mciky Harte so convinced this is the way to beat Dublin

Kerry lost by 2 in 2016 and by 3 in 2015...but carry on.

[Captain Obvious]

Since the 22nd August 2010 Dublin have only lost 2 championship games. Once to Donegal and once to Mayo
Micky seems to have gone all in on the Donegal tactics as the way to be the third team to beat them.

Since that fateful day in August 2014 Dublin have not lost a championship match and the only team to come within 3 points of them is Mayo who have drawn with them twice.

Why is Mciky Harte so convinced this is the way to beat Dublin

Kerry lost by 2 points to Dublin the All Ireland semi final last year, the sides were level with 72 minutes played and the last two Dublin points were scored deep into injury time in the 74th and 75th minute.

Not sure how convinced he is but Mr Harte probably believes Tyrone are as good as both Kerry and Mayo.