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Who's your money on?

Can't see Donegal doing it again, so I'm going for Tyrone.

I think that the Donegal lads will surprise everyone and pull another Anglo-Celt out of the bag. Fingers crossed. ;-)

Tír Eoghain, I think they're better than they showed against Cill Dara.

Before a ball was kicked this year I hoped we could build on last year and win an Ulster, but given how we've been going and the amount of injuries we've had I just cant see it at the minute.
I actually think Armagh are dark horses. I'm not sure about Tyrone, they waltzed through division 2 but to be fair, the division was poor this year so it's difficult to read to much into that. Down without Coulter, just wont happen IMO. I think teams are onto Donegal now and I dont see them winning Ulster. So given that Cross have won the AI Club again and Armagh seem to be building up a head of steam I'm going for them.

Down may come through to the final but don't look like they have the firepower to overcome Tyrone or Donegal. If Armagh catch Tyrone out I also think they'd struggle for firepower against Donegal. The loss of McDonnell is a big one for them this year I think and it may take them a wee while to fill that hole. The big game is obviously Tyrone v Donegal if that happens, as it appears it will. Will be very tight and a fascinating prospect. The massive unknown is the fitness of Murphy for Donegal. If he's not right, then Donegal won't score enough to beat Tyrone. Like the loss of McDonnell I think the loss of Ronan O'Neill and Coney is massive for Tyrone. New players yes but it would have been new energy and ideas in there. Puts the onus on Stevie O'Neill and Mulligan again with uncertain results. Sean Cavanagh will have to move further forward if Tyrone are to really progress. It's tight between the two. A few months back I said Donegal but the run of injuries to Murphy shifts the thing the Red Hands way, as I see the bookies agree with.

Verdict: Tyrone.

Well if you believe the rumour mill Derry are rowing and bitching among themselves, so count them out. 

Based on last couple of years
Expect a consistent solid challenge from Donegal  my favourites
risers: Cavan, (just a hunch) Armagh, slight improvements in Fermanagh 
fallers : Tyrone, Down, Monaghan, Derry
will stay average : Antrim,
Wish they played in Ulster for the craic.  New York. 

 

Quote from: rrhf on May 16, 2012, 09:57:27 AM
Well if you believe the rumour mill Derry are rowing and bitching among themselves, so count them out. 

Based on last couple of years
Expect a consistent solid challenge from Donegal  my favourites
risers: Cavan, (just a hunch) Armagh, slight improvements in Fermanagh 
fallers : Tyrone, Down, Monaghan, Derry
will stay average : Antrim,
Wish they played in Ulster for the craic.  New York. 

yawn...I've a tenner on them winning the all-ireland, so they had better group hug and be quick about it

If Murphy's fit, Donegal for me. Armagh have a decent chance or god forbide Tyrone dive and feign serious 30 second skull injuries their way to it

Without the strong standard bearing footballing counties like Tyrone or Armagh who are both at development stage, the whole look of the Ulster championship becomes very average.  What you have is that everyone else stays the same its just the standard bearers go through lean years, but theres rarely a sound progression with the also rans - they,ll never win an all ireland and they might bully you into a first round defeat but they have little to offer outside this.  Who wants to see Down without Coulter, Donegal without Murphy, Cavan without Johnston, Derry without Muldoon, Monaghan without Freeman, Antrim without CJ. The door looks to be open for Big Seamie from Fermanagh to take the championship by storm.   

As much as it pains me to say it, Donegal will be very difficult to beat if Murphy is fit.

It has been mentioned that 'everyone is onto Donegal'. Yes we all know how they play, but does anyone have the formula for breaking them down and beating them? Dublin just about overcame them, which in my opinion was more down to slightly higher levels of fitness & conditioning and a bit of luck but they had to play them at their own game to do so. In my eyes all intercounty managers bar the top 2/3 (though they may have to!) will adopt similar tactics. Our game is going to become extremely hard to watch before it gets better!

In my eyes, there is very little between Donegal, Tyrone, Down, Armagh and Derry. Therefore on their day, any of these teams could beat each other. I just wouldn't be having a bet!

I suspect Tyrone are a bit better than they were last year when they were a little unlucky not to win Ulster so I'll go for them.

Quote from: Oak Leafer on May 16, 2012, 10:49:47 AM
As much as it pains me to say it, Donegal will be very difficult to beat if Murphy is fit.

It has been mentioned that 'everyone is onto Donegal'. Yes we all know how they play, but does anyone have the formula for breaking them down and beating them? Dublin just about overcame them, which in my opinion was more down to slightly higher levels of fitness & conditioning and a bit of luck but they had to play them at their own game to do so. In my eyes all intercounty managers bar the top 2/3 (though they may have to!) will adopt similar tactics. Our game is going to become extremely hard to watch before it gets better!

In my eyes, there is very little between Donegal, Tyrone, Down, Armagh and Derry. Therefore on their day, any of these teams could beat each other. I just wouldn't be having a bet!

That explains why Derry have done so well in the championship over the past 12 years. One reason might be that Derry have about 6 genuine county standard players.  :o Winner to come from either Tyrone or Donegal.

I would have been pretty confident of a Tyrone win about 2 months ago but the loss of Coney and Ronan O'Neill, who would have provided a much needed shot of youth, has damped my optimism. Being on the harder side of the draw means the majority of the tougher games will be played before the final. If we can get through those I'd be much more confident of beating the pick of Down, Antrim etc.

Quote from: omagh_gael on May 16, 2012, 01:22:43 PM
I would have been pretty confident of a Tyrone win about 2 months ago but the loss of Coney and Ronan O'Neill, who would have provided a much needed shot of youth, has damped my optimism. Being on the harder side of the draw means the majority of the tougher games will be played before the final. If we can get through those I'd be much more confident of beating the pick of Down, Antrim etc.

Feeling the same regarding Coney and O'Neill.  Now we are basically going out with the team that was shown up pretty badly last year. 

Coney is the big loss. O Neill would not have been a starter IMO. Still a loss though. I thing it is tyrone's title to loss this year. They left it behind them last year by falling asleep against Donegal. A few things happened in that game that will help the motivation this year and the younger guys have gained a fair bit of experience this year. Armagh v Tyrone is the big game from which the ulster champions will emerge. I expect it to be Tyrone.

Donegal again.

I heard Jim McGuinness on Highland Radio last Sunday and he convinced me. 

The winners won't come from the Armagh vs Tyrone game if Armagh win. We're capable of beating Tyrone, we're not capable of putting 3 back to back wins in Ulster!! Its been awhile since Armagh put in 2 good displays in a row in the championship. I fancy Tyrone or Down.

Agree that Ronan O'Neill wouldn't have been a quarter but would be pretty sure he would have made a serious addition as an impact sub. Kyle is a huge loss as those last few games saw him back to the level he was with the minors in 08. His presence would also been a great foil for SoN and Mugsy. 

Shawshank,

Where in my post did i say my assessment was based on the last 12 years?

Read the subject of the thread, the clue is in around the '2012' bit! ;-)

Quote from: Oak Leafer on May 16, 2012, 03:56:50 PM
Shawshank,

Where in my post did i say my assessment was based on the last 12 years?

Read the subject of the thread, the clue is in around the '2012' bit! ;-)

2012 bit???? Beat a joke of a Fermanagh team that Londan beat, played one good game against Armagh(which Derry can always do), but putting two or the three big games together that will result in an Ulster senior title, where the feck have you been living??!!1

Your getting yourself in a bit of a tangle!

12 years now 2/3 big games in a row, i said any of them could beat each other on the day, no mention of Derry winning Ulster!

I suggest you sit back, take a deep breath, and read my original post again.  ;)

I backed Down last year, fell at the first hurdle. They could hardly have hand-picked a better draw this time around with the big boys on the other side of the draw. Coulter is a loss, but Hughes is just as important in my eyes and if he is available, with one or both of Rogers and Gordan they should have enough to progress to a provincial decider when Coulter might return.

Armagh would be my idea of Ulster winners in 2012, but the draw is horrible. Can they really win three coin-flip games against, let's say Tyrone, Donegal and Down? It is a big ask, and likewise for Tyrone if they come out of Armagh with a win. Donegal are difficult to beat as we know and Derry could be dangerous with some of their forwards back as well.

In conclusion I actually have no idea who is going to come out of that side of the draw, so I will vote for Down. (who will probably lose to Monaghan)  ;)

Down it is. Final answer.

I'm actually glad the League final performance has seemingly taken the favourites tag away from Tyrone.  The League final performance was not representative of the football they have played this year and I see them winning Ulster.

Quote from: Oak Leafer on May 16, 2012, 03:56:50 PM
Shawshank,

Where in my post did i say my assessment was based on the last 12 years?

Read the subject of the thread, the clue is in around the '2012' bit! ;-)

Thats true, you didn't.

This is what you said

Quote from: Oak Leafer on May 16, 2012, 10:49:47 AM
In my eyes, there is very little between Donegal, Tyrone, Down, Armagh and Derry. Therefore on their day, any of these teams could beat each other. I just wouldn't be having a bet!

I would like you to explain how, based on what I have seen this year, and the past four years how Derry could beat Donegal or Tyrone., and maybe more importantly how you figure there is little between Donegal, Tyrone or Derry. I would accept your analysis in relation to Derry and Armagh.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANtzExub_Ho&feature=g-all-u (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANtzExub_Ho&feature=g-all-u)

Quote from: nrico2006 on May 17, 2012, 08:29:50 AM
I'm actually glad the League final performance has seemingly taken the favourites tag away from Tyrone.  The League final performance was not representative of the football they have played this year and I see them winning Ulster.

I think the league final was a lot closer to their level than the hysteria about them before that game was suggesting.

D2's standard, outside Kildare, is absolutely awful, and Kildare looked very comfortable dispatching Tyrone when they sent a full team out against them.

All the talk is about Donegal or Tyrone. If Armagh win their first game that will give them the confidence to go on and win Ulster.

They're not the best team, but I think Down would have to be fancied, given their easier path to the final. Once there, they'd have a good chance against any of the other teams.

If Donegal win it, they'll have to beat Cavan, Derry and Tyrone/Armagh just to make the final. They're well capable of doing that, as last year showed, but there's plenty of room for having an off day or a few injuries and going out.

Quote from: J70 on May 18, 2012, 05:06:37 PM

They're not the best team, but I think Down would have to be fancied, given their easier path to the final. Once there, they'd have a good chance against any of the other teams.

If Donegal win it, they'll have to beat Cavan, Derry and Tyrone/Armagh just to make the final. They're well capable of doing that, as last year showed, but there's plenty of room for having an off day or a few injuries and going out.

or getting beat by a better team.

Quote from: EC Unique on May 18, 2012, 07:02:08 PM

Quote from: J70 on May 18, 2012, 05:06:37 PM

They're not the best team, but I think Down would have to be fancied, given their easier path to the final. Once there, they'd have a good chance against any of the other teams.

If Donegal win it, they'll have to beat Cavan, Derry and Tyrone/Armagh just to make the final. They're well capable of doing that, as last year showed, but there's plenty of room for having an off day or a few injuries and going out.

or getting beat by a better team.

Well that remains to be seen. No one stands out right now.

I think the standard in Ulster is lower than before which means the competition is exciting. I go for down this year.

QuoteI think the standard in Ulster is lower than before which means the competition is exciting. I go for down this year.

That would show that the standard was down. 

Well what do people think now? I said the winners of Tyrone v Armagh would be Ulster Champions and I will stick by it. Tyrone's title to loose.

 Down for the final.  Wouldn't like to predict anything further than that.

Given that John Brennan says that Derry are in better shape this year than they were before the final last year then it's obvious that Derry are going to win Ulster.  ;D

I suppose the bar chart begs the question why are there so many tyrone fans on gaaboard.com