Tyrone - Is this the end?

[Orangemac]

Although not particularly wanting Tyrone to win the AI, I still felt an element of sadness if this is the way the inter county careers of men like Dooher,Gormley, Jordan and O'Neill have ended. Men who many in Armagh would have disliked, envied and admired in different measures.

It is premature to say how many of this team will retire but undoubtedly theTyrone team as we knew them is at an end.As Martin McHugh mentioned yesterday you wouldn't want this Tyrone team to repeat the mistakes of the Kerry team in playing on for too long. 6 of the team who started yesterday started in 2003 final and 2 more came on. There may be an abundance of talent with minor AI medals coming through but talent alone will not replace the drive, determination, the decision making that this group of players had.

If anyone can build a new team Mickey Harte can. If he decided to walk away he will go down as one of the best intercounty managers of all time and this group of players the best Ulster team of all time.We can be proud that we were able to go toe to toe with them for a few years but ultimately Mickey Harte and a better half forward line meant they were that bit ahead of us.

[Jinxy]

I make a habit of never feeling sorry for players who retire with more than 2 all ireland medals.

[magpie seanie]

I think there tends to be overreaction and media spun exaggeration to defeats like this for a team that has won in the past. I think its the end fo Dooher. Thought Gormley and Jordan did fine yesterday though probably not as good as in their heyday. O'Neill looked electric when he came on. Of the others Cavanagh is playing well and the new lads like Peter Harte & Mark Donnelly are lively. Though Brian McGuigan looked good esterday (why was he taken off?). Tyrone can easily contend next year. The major problem I see is the lack of pace in their defence. The two McMahon's just aren't playing as well as in other years and a lot of the rest are decent but similar. Gormley has slowed and can't handle the oppositions main man any more. So new "shutdown" options need to emerge or a new defensive system is needed.

I've maintained since Canavan retired that O'Neill was simply irreplaceable and he still is.

[ONeill]

I've maintained since Canavan retired that O'Neill was simply irreplaceable and he still is.

Thank you.

[magpie seanie]

I've maintained since Canavan retired that O'Neill was simply irreplaceable and he still is.

Thank you.

[ONeill]

Oddly, the one All-Ireland Tyrone won without Canavan - O'Neill retired!

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

I've maintained since Canavan retired that O'Neill was simply irreplaceable and he still is.

A game stands out for me: was the League in Cork against the same (about 2006), and I've never seen such a display of lethal shooting from both feet (the Gooch notwithstanding). Simply unmarkable, where we won a game we'd really no right to win save for his brilliance.

[magpie seanie]

Oddly, the one All-Ireland Tyrone won without Canavan - O'Neill retired!

Aye, almost the exception that proved the rule. I do remember him setting up a goal in the final though!

[heffo]

I've maintained since Canavan retired that O'Neill was simply irreplaceable and he still is.

A game stands out for me: was the League in Cork against the same (about 2006), and I've never seen such a display of lethal shooting from both feet (the Gooch notwithstanding). Simply unmarkable, where we won a game we'd really no right to win save for his brilliance.

Under floodlights in 2009 against Dublin he gave an exhibition off both feet too

[ONeill]

Oddly, the one All-Ireland Tyrone won without Canavan - O'Neill retired!

Aye, almost the exception that proved the rule. I do remember him setting up a goal in the final though!

True.

Even last night he stuck over a point from the Cusack side which was sublime.

[ross4life]

How many of the Tyrone's line up yesterday was actually over 30? lots of mileage yes but I'd say Kerry have more over 30s. Tyrone still have a few of the 08 & last years minors to come through so i'm not sure have they passed the torch yet. 

[David McKeown]

I dont want to be controversial and this may be the wrong thread but is this Tyrone team really one of the true greats ever in Ireland or even in Ulster for that matter?  An excellent team yes and the best Ulster team of the last 15 or 16 years but they played in an era where very good teams like they undoubtedly were, were able to look better because of the back door.  Would Tyrone have won more or less All Ireland's without the back door? Something we will never know and I suppose it makes comparisons with the great Down and Cavan sides very difficult.  Dont get me wrong I am not trying to knock an excellent team but for me Tyrone were the second best team of the last decade and I cant help but feel that as many fine players come to what might be the end of excellent careers, the media and this board have been overstating how good this Tyrone team truly were.

So the question really is where do Tyrone 03-11 or more 03-09 rank in the pantheon of great teams?

[ONeill]

Great question.

My take is that every other team had the opportunities Tyrone did during the back door option but they excelled best.

Also, it could be argued that the teams who won AIs before the back door won them easily, compared to now.

Tyrone 98-11 (McGuigan at al) were one helluva bunch.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

I've maintained since Canavan retired that O'Neill was simply irreplaceable and he still is.

A game stands out for me: was the League in Cork against the same (about 2006), and I've never seen such a display of lethal shooting from both feet (the Gooch notwithstanding). Simply unmarkable, where we won a game we'd really no right to win save for his brilliance.

Under floodlights in 2009 against Dublin he gave an exhibition off both feet too

True heffo, suppose the earlier game colours the subsequent games a bit for me, but true.

[squire_in_navy_slacks]

Team of the decade by a running mile..........................kerry could not get within a sniff of them