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Tyrone Playmaker Brian Mc Guigan's injury woes continue with news filtering through that he suffered another bad injury during a club reserve game.  It is believed that after a hefty tackle, mc guigan emerged with facial wounds and seemed badly shaken.  He was kept over night in hospital and it is believed that he may require eye surgery following the injury.  This comes as a serious blow to the red hands as without his footballing genius, tyrone may not be the force they once were.  Indeed our thoughts lie with Brian, his friends and family.  We wish him a speedy recovery. 

What are the bets he will recover miraculously for the game?

Try the other one cause theres bells on it.

I seriously dont think there was a chance of him playing anyway from reserve football to intercounty in a week. .wise up and stop making a show of yourself. 

Quote from: mannix on May 14, 2007, 10:04:02 AM
What are the bets he will recover miraculously for the game?

Try the other one cause theres bells on it.

He has a genuine eye injury you p***k and spent last night in hospital. I was at the game and he was in a very distressed state coming off the pitch as he couldnt see out of his left eye.

Brian has a very very serious eye injury - coming off the field he couldn't see anything - as of this morning he has little vision - he has 8 external stitches - he has damage to the retina. lens, iris etc - so he is in great distress at the minute and I do take great exception to people making little of his injury -

Quote from: mannix on May 14, 2007, 10:04:02 AM
What are the bets he will recover miraculously for the game?

Try the other one cause theres bells on it.

Get this asshole of the board please. Come on all followers of football unite aganist this tube. Hope Brian is ok.

Mannix your a tit.... feck an injury lak that wud scare the crap out of ye, im sure brian was in some distress.

Christ its sad to hear such a great footballer having such  a horrible time with injuries,hes a player id pay the admission for just to watch alone.
i wish him all the best and a speedy recovery

how exactly did it happen?

have heard rumours this morning that he could be out for the season - if true thats tyrones chances of winning the thing are gone in my opinion.

haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

when did serious eye injuries become funny shitzroy?   ::)

Quote from: shitzroy on May 14, 2007, 01:40:20 PM
haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Quote from: shitzroy on May 04, 2007, 08:29:37 PM
William Irwin is my nextdoor neighbour, he told me about it the other day, he was fairly adamant that it actually could happen apparently there is even some agreement about it in the ulster council too, because it would mean more funding from the government and stuff, which would mean more free diknners and trips abroad.

That would make you an Armagh man then.   I think most decent gaels ( Including decent Armagh gaels) would have sympathy for Brian Mc Guigan given his misfortune with injury .

As for you shitzroy, obviously another example of  someone who missed the abortion bucket !!

Quote from: Bensars on May 14, 2007, 01:57:11 PM
As for you shitzroy, obviously another example of  someone who missed the abortion bucket !!

Now that is funny!!

Quote from: shitzroy on May 14, 2007, 01:40:20 PM
haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Get this tube outa here. What a p***k. Ur like an English soccer thug.

Quote from: shitzroy on May 14, 2007, 01:40:20 PM
haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The best part of u ran down your mothers leg!!! U sc**bag!!!

Thats sad news about McGuigan, was hoping to see him back in action this summer, hopefully its not as serious as mentioned above.

He has been jinxed with injury the poor lad for the last 2 year, class footballer, lets just hope he does make it back okay.

Quote from: Bensars on May 14, 2007, 01:57:11 PM

Quote from: shitzroy on May 14, 2007, 01:40:20 PM
haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Quote from: shitzroy on May 04, 2007, 08:29:37 PM
William Irwin is my nextdoor neighbour, he told me about it the other day, he was fairly adamant that it actually could happen apparently there is even some agreement about it in the ulster council too, because it would mean more funding from the government and stuff, which would mean more free diknners and trips abroad.

That would make you an Armagh man then.   I think most decent gaels ( Including decent Armagh gaels) would have sympathy for Brian Mc Guigan given his misfortune with injury .

As for you shitzroy, obviously another example of  someone who missed the abortion bucket !!

Hold on a minute, how can you just think someone who says something as bad as this is from armagh, i am from armagh, word has got about today about the injury and everyone is gutted for him, what a bad injury. can i ask you dont pick on a county without fact. when something bad is said they are not necessarly from armagh.

William Irvine is my next door neighbour. !!!   Also from shitzroy !

dontcare, that shitzroy person is from armagh if you check his previous posts. you get idiots like that in every county. Im sure like you say most armagh people are gutted for mcguigan. If you beat any county in the championship, then you like to beat them at full strength.

Get well soon brian and that goes for francie bellew in armagh!!

I am appalled that a couple of dirtboards on this thread are laughing at McGuigan's injury, as an Armagh man I am very sorry to see that MCguigan is out because he is a must see player, he is a tremendous player and ambassador for the sport and one of the best and most skillful players of his generation and for a couple of knackers to mock him when he has a really bad eye injury is disgusting to say the least.

I hope he retains the full use of his eye and I pray he will be able to resume a normal life after his injuries heal, he is a class act and I wish him well.

Quote from: stew on May 14, 2007, 02:30:00 PM
I am appalled that a couple of dirtboards on this thread are laughing at McGuigan's injury, as an Armagh man I am very sorry to see that MCguigan is out because he is a must see player, he is a tremendous player and ambassador for the sport and one of the best and most skillful players of his generation and for a couple of knackers to mock him when he has a really bad eye injury is disgusting to say the least.

I hope he retains the full use of his eye and I pray he will be able to resume a normal life after his injuries heal, he is a class act and I wish him well.

I AGREE AND AM ALSO AN ARMAGH SUPPORTER

Have to agree, its sick that people are laughing at him. The fella in my opinion, is one of the best Tyrone players of recent years bar none.  He has not got the recognition that he deserves at an all ireland level, by missing out on an Allstar to his team mate, who did not deserve one on that particular year.

So I wish him all the best in his recovery, and hope to see him back as soon as possible

Signed - Armagh gael

This sort of pr1ck should be banned from the board, hopefully admin will do the needful
Mc Guigan is having a terrible run of luck
Hope he makes a full & speedy recovery - a class act on the football field even if he is from the wrong side of the river

One of the best players in the country but unfortunately one of the unluckiest. Anyone who knows or cares anything about football would be wanting to watch players like McGuigan week in week out. I hope its not serious.

Mickey Harte says that McGuigan will need an operation on the eye injury.  The cub must be sick of hospitals.

Just because this slabber states he is from Armagh in other posts does not mean that is true. BT systems said he was from Monaghan and sure he ended up from tyrone, you never know where people are from on this board nowadays.

That said I hope Brian has a speedy recovery and I look forward to hearing that he is going to be back to 100% soon.

Yeah - he's getting an eye operation on Wednesday

God help the man, hope he keeps positive because he is an amazing talent.
The best centre half forward I have seen in my honest opinion, Greg Blayney was a bit before I became a GAA diehard before anyone starts debating this.
Hope he can get back to his best sooner rather than later, although this will undoubtedly be to the detriment of my, and many other, counties.
As Jose would say chin up

Sadly for McGuigan Mickey Harte has been told McGuigan requires surgery, and doctors have told them he will be certainly out for between six weeks to two months I've heard.
Long recovery due to the complicated nature of the injury and surgery.

Quote from: shitzroy on May 14, 2007, 01:40:20 PM
haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheeky, ignorant, begrudging f**ker.
Wish Brian a speedy recovery and hope to see his undisputed talent back on the field of play before long.

Just ignore arseholes like that one - no further comments please - Brian is a legend - long live the legend !

Quote from: stew on May 14, 2007, 02:30:00 PM
I am appalled that a couple of dirtboards on this thread are laughing at McGuigan's injury, as an Armagh man I am very sorry to see that MCguigan is out because he is a must see player, he is a tremendous player and ambassador for the sport and one of the best and most skillful players of his generation and for a couple of knackers to mock him when he has a really bad eye injury is disgusting to say the least.

I hope he retains the full use of his eye and I pray he will be able to resume a normal life after his injuries heal, he is a class act and I wish him well.

Well said Stew.

Quote from: ExiledGael on May 14, 2007, 05:51:13 PM
Sadly for McGuigan Mickey Harte has been told McGuigan requires surgery, and doctors have told them he will be certainly out for between six weeks to two months I've heard.
Long recovery due to the complicated nature of the injury and surgery.

I cant believe this. Above and beyond the fact that the guy has left a huge hole in the Tyrone team over the last couple of years this must be a huge blow for him personally, a double legbreak after which he worked so hard to get fit then two abortive comebacks due to further injuries. Hope he can get over this latest blow and get back enjoying his football again.

I was laughing at something funny that happened earlier, i must have inadvertently typed it into the comment box!

Ah well, looks like he won't be Micky Harte's star pupil this year

McGuigan has had his fair share of bad luck at this stage. Hopefully he will be back shortly.

Quote from: shitzroy on May 14, 2007, 09:11:56 PM
I was laughing at something funny that happened earlier, i must have inadvertently typed it into the comment box!

Ah well, looks like he won't be Micky Harte's star pupil this year

You're quite the wit.

gunner brady

Why was he eligible to play for his club's reserves?

QuoteWhy was he eligible to play for his club's reserves

In Tyrone you can play either first-team or reserve - it's up to the management.  The reserve team isn't the same as a second team playing Junior or something.  They're the first teams reserves.

Does anyone know how the actual injury occurred?
Who was the Aghyaran player who did it?

Sounds like he'll be out for another 2 months at least though eye injuries are very delicate and could be a long term problem.

Quote from: Fuzzman on May 15, 2007, 12:26:28 PM
Does anyone know how the actual injury occurred?
Who was the Aghyaran player who did it?

Sounds like he'll be out for another 2 months at least though eye injuries are very delicate and could be a long term problem.

Happened very quickly - he was running through on goal with the ball and shot, I followed the flight of the ball and didnt see fully what then happened next but it appeared to me that as he was shooting a couple of Aghayarn players converged on him and not sure what the impact was. Must have been pretty hefty to cause this type of damage. He appeared to be cut above the eye and very distressed as he came off.

Good luck to Brian Mc Guigan and i hope he recovers fully.  LSL did he score as he got injured ,not that it matters?

Hope he makes a full recovery.Brian is an great player and seems like a really nice fella too.

_{In Tyrone you can play either first-team or reserve - it's up to the management.  The reserve team isn't the same as a second team playing Junior or something.  They're the first teams reserves.}

Yeah but as Bummer had mentioned earlier you'd have thought that Brian would have been on the 12 named players that each team have to name at the start of the year as Senior only players.

The news isn't good.

He has a detached retina and he may only regain up to 50% vision in the affected eye and even then it may take 12 to 18 months to do so.

Well and truly gutted for him.


f**king forget about football for the minute - get well soon Brian - and just get better.

God help him, one of my favourite players in the game.
Is that the official diagnosis then?

yeah - that's the news I heard from home this morning

BBC are reporting that he will miss the entire Ulster Championship at least, cruel world!

Micky Harte speaking on RTE on 5:30pm sports said he'd be out for 2 months min. A pity.

A lot of clubs ,name several retired, or long term injured players in their list of twelve players,  leaving nearly  everyone able to play senior or reseve league football ,   but if you play in either  the senior ,   intermediate ,or juniorchampionships, you cannot play in the reserve championship.

the boy shitzroy's name seems to be a hybrid of what comes out of his mouth and where he lives in belfast.  no doubt he's out on the avenue of a thursday night disgracing the armagh jersey on his back by screaming sectarian abuse at the poor pensioners living there.  thought we'd never see the scum element who ruin soccer try to do the same to the gaa.  what a p***k.

I live on Fitzroy over the bar, am I sectarian too?

Quote from: corn02 on May 15, 2007, 09:43:38 PM
I live on Fitzroy over the bar, am I sectarian too?

I don't think Over the Bar was being specific about Fitzroy residents. He just means that element of students who have disgraced soccer across the UK, creeping in and disgracing the GAA in Ireland. It's a terrible element to sport, which I hoped would not become a part of the GAA.

Enough with Fitzroy f**king avenue!

The latest I've heard on Brian is that he faces two operations, first one on Friday which could restore up to 50% of his vision in the damaged eye.
He is still suffering from extreme blurring in the eye and doctors have told him it could be at least a year at worst before he could return to football.

My aim concern is his well being and health. I hope to God that he makes a full and speedy recovery. Football is only an after though now, but it would be great if he is able to make a return to Tyrone for the All-Ireland competition or in 2008. Again, as I've said, his well being and health is of utmost importance now.

The outlook does not look good for him this year unfortunately. Hope he makes a full recovery.

McGuigan set to miss rest of season - from the Indo today

STAR Tyrone centre-forward Brian McGuigan looks set to miss another championship season because of serious injury, it has emerged.

McGuigan missed Tyrone's 2006 championship campaign after sustaining a broken leg in a club game last April and, in the latest cruel blow to Tyrone's All-Ireland hopes, it has emerged that the eye injury he sustained while playing for the Ardboe reserves against Aghyaran on Sunday is more serious than originally feared.

The classy playmaker was on the receiving end of a heavy challenge from an opponent and was caught so hard that the initial damage required eight stitches from medics at Altnagelvin hospital in Derry. But the damage is now much more serious than initially suspected with some speculation in Tyrone last night putting his recovery period at up to 12 months because of the dangers of another blow in such a sensitive area.

McGuigan is due to have surgery on Friday to repair internal damage to the retina and already there is apparent improvement in his vision.

McGuigan was uncontactable yesterday but Tyrone manager Mickey Harte did confirm that his influential centre-forward would be out for the entire Ulster campaign and the first two rounds of qualifiers.

"He's out for a minimum of two months and it could be longer," confirmed Harte, who appeared to dismiss suggestions he could be out until 2008.

In addition, Enda McGinley (shoulder) has joined Tyrone's injury-list ahead of Sunday's game against Fermanagh.

Stephen O'Neill and Martin Penrose are also out because of injury. McGinley, Owen Mulligan (hamstring) and Raymond Mulgrew (knee) are all considered extremely doubtful for the Fermanagh clash.

With the help of God he will make a full recovery.  The poor lad has had terrible luck with injuries over the past year or so and I really hope the Tyrone county board or whoever is responsible for player welfare up there look after him this time.

Very sorry to hear about Brian McGuigan's latest misfortune.  He is a smashing footballer and Tyrone are just not the same team when he ca'nt play.  Hope he makes a full recovery and that the powersthat be in Tyrone see that he is properly looked after and that he gets the best of care.

Hopefully he will make a full recovery and we will get to see him playing for Tyrone again.

Quote from: Kerry Mike on May 16, 2007, 08:26:31 AM
The outlook does not look good for him this year unfortunately. Hope he makes a full recovery.

McGuigan set to miss rest of season - from the Indo today

STAR Tyrone centre-forward Brian McGuigan looks set to miss another championship season because of serious injury, it has emerged.

McGuigan missed Tyrone's 2006 championship campaign after sustaining a broken leg in a club game last April and, in the latest cruel blow to Tyrone's All-Ireland hopes, it has emerged that the eye injury he sustained while playing for the Ardboe reserves against Aghyaran on Sunday is more serious than originally feared.

The classy playmaker was on the receiving end of a heavy challenge from an opponent and was caught so hard that the initial damage required eight stitches from medics at Altnagelvin hospital in Derry. But the damage is now much more serious than initially suspected with some speculation in Tyrone last night putting his recovery period at up to 12 months because of the dangers of another blow in such a sensitive area.

McGuigan is due to have surgery on Friday to repair internal damage to the retina and already there is apparent improvement in his vision.

McGuigan was uncontactable yesterday but Tyrone manager Mickey Harte did confirm that his influential centre-forward would be out for the entire Ulster campaign and the first two rounds of qualifiers.

"He's out for a minimum of two months and it could be longer," confirmed Harte, who appeared to dismiss suggestions he could be out until 2008.

In addition, Enda McGinley (shoulder) has joined Tyrone's injury-list ahead of Sunday's game against Fermanagh.

Stephen O'Neill and Martin Penrose are also out because of injury. McGinley, Owen Mulligan (hamstring) and Raymond Mulgrew (knee) are all considered extremely doubtful for the Fermanagh clash.

Was it a boot or fist?
Did the other lad get booked or sent off

I was at the match - there was a pensioner refereeing the match called John Hackett from Eskra who couldn't run even bewtween the two 50's - he couldn't keep up with play - he says he saw NOTHING, he didn't even give a free and he didn't stop play and he didn't allow a blood sub on and had to ask at half time what happened ! Refereeing in Tyrone is at an all time low and it's about time penioners stopped refereeing - now I'm not saying it still wouldn't have happened cos the Aghyaran defenders simply took him out and that was the end - I believe there is goig to be an investigation so it will be interesting to see what comes out of that. Any guesses as to what will be the outcome ?

He must be a fit pensioner so, because when I did the refereeing course (at 29 and playing first team football) I almost failed the physical!

i hear there's going to be an investigation into the Brian Mc Guigan incident ? surely Tyrone's top players need protection when they're on the field even if it is only a reserve match ?

Quote from: orangeman on May 16, 2007, 01:57:55 PM
I was at the match - there was a pensioner refereeing the match called John Hackett from Eskra who couldn't run even bewtween the two 50's - he couldn't keep up with play - he says he saw NOTHING, he didn't even give a free and he didn't stop play and he didn't allow a blood sub on and had to ask at half time what happened ! Refereeing in Tyrone is at an all time low and it's about time penioners stopped refereeing - now I'm not saying it still wouldn't have happened cos the Aghyaran defenders simply took him out and that was the end - I believe there is goig to be an investigation so it will be interesting to see what comes out of that. Any guesses as to what will be the outcome ?

ever thought about taking up the old refereeing if you believe the standard is that low?

here's hoping Brian makes a full an speedy recovery...anyone would want to see this man back playing again at his best...an thats coming from a derry man..

Any updates from the Tyronite on McGuigan, did he have an operation on the eye? Let hope his vision is not effected.

Quote from: Kerry Mike on May 18, 2007, 02:19:44 PM
Any updates from the Tyronite on McGuigan, did he have an operation on the eye? Let hope his vision is not effected.

Operation was earlier today so I would say they might have a better idea of the prognosis after doing it.

He did have the operation to repair the retina today and by all accounts things went as well as could be expected - let's all keep out fingers crossed that he will regain 100% vision and that he will grace the fields of Ireland once again and that the next time he takes the field, there won't be any hallions around and that there willa referee who will give him a bot of protection !!!!!!

Quote from: orangeman on May 17, 2007, 01:37:04 PM
i hear there's going to be an investigation into the Brian Mc Guigan incident ? surely Tyrone's top players need protection when they're on the field even if it is only a reserve match ?

Why do their top players need protection? why should they get any more protection than the reserve players they were playing against???? If McGuigan had injured some poor tyrone reserve player this badly, i'm sure we wouldn't be hearing anything about it. I imagine the incident was probably dirty or maybe just hard hitting but I think we can be sure it was no dirtier than felonies committed by mcguigan and co. down the years at club and county level.

Quote from: shitzroy on May 18, 2007, 06:49:57 PM

Quote from: orangeman on May 17, 2007, 01:37:04 PM
i hear there's going to be an investigation into the Brian Mc Guigan incident ? surely Tyrone's top players need protection when they're on the field even if it is only a reserve match ?

Why do their top players need protection? why should they get any more protection than the reserve players they were playing against???? If McGuigan had injured some poor tyrone reserve player this badly, i'm sure we wouldn't be hearing anything about it. I imagine the incident was probably dirty or maybe just hard hitting but I think we can be sure it was no dirtier than felonies committed by mcguigan and co. down the years at club and county level.

Why dont you f**k off, you have some nerve coming back on here after the shit you've posted earlier!!

It's a strange one that. You do feel that county players get a hard time with nobodies trying to make a name for themselves. On the other hand, county players also seem to get into trouble themselves rather easily. Perhaps one follows the other.

One thing for sure, stay away from Aghayaran!! First Penrose....

"Felonies"  :D
Your almost saying that justice has been done here somewhere you asshole!
The point for me is that McGuigan is an outstanding talent in our game. He's obviously different from your standard reserve player but the only thing you say correctly is that both deserve the same treatment.
McGuigan, and other top talents in our game, are targetted in many matches by players with far inferior ability and that is what's wrong. Because they are excellent footballers they should not be subjected to any kind of punishment.
You are a disgrace to the GAA and I'm ashamed that your even a fellow countryman

Fingers crossed for Brian.  The lad has had no luck this past 2 years.


I see shitzroy has been banned from the board.  Good riddance to the cancerous little toe-rag.

Quote from: Over the Bar on May 20, 2007, 08:19:12 PM
Fingers crossed for Brian.  The lad has had no luck this past 2 years.


I see shitzroy has been banned from the board.  Good riddance to the cancerous little toe-rag.

Good to see that people cant get away with sayin things like Shitzroy.Is it hard for people to start under a different name?

no it is not hard for people to start under a different name, but all efforts should be made 2 keep people like shitzroy off the board. cant believe anyone would want a name with reference to probably the worst street in the holylands either. looks like other counties will have a mcguigan to contend with anyway on yesterdays display.

McGuigan could make Ulster final   

Tyrone have received a boost with the news that playmaker Brian McGuigan could be back in action much sooner than anticipated.

The Ardboe forawrd was expected to miss the entire Ulster SFC before undergoing surgery last Friday for an eye injury suffered in a club game.

Following the successful operation it is now hoped that he will be back playing in six to eight weeks.

That means McGuigan could play in the final on 15 July - if Tyrone make it.

He had been playing for Ardboe reserves, in a bid to accelerate his rehabilitation from a broken leg sustained more than a year ago, when he picked up the eye injury.

The double All-Ireland winner and former Allstar had already suffered a setback in his recovery from the injury, and had to have an operation to rectify a related ankle problem.

McGuigan has not played for Tyrone since the 2005 All-Ireland final, in which he starred in the victory over Kerry.

Tyrone's injury crisis is showing further signs of easing, with Stephen O'Neill expecting to be fit for the semi-final after missing Sunday's win over Fermanagh with a hamstring injury.

Gerard Cavlan, Owen Mulligan and Enda McGinley, all unable to start due to injury, were introduced as substitutes and came through without any problems.

McGuigan's return could give manager Mickey Harte welcome selection problems.

His younger brother Tommy was handed the famous number 11 jersey for the clash with Fermanagh and he made a sensational debut, scoring three superb points from play.

Sourced BBCi: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/6677467.stm (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/6677467.stm)

Good to hear some positive news about Brian McGuigan.  I am from Armagh and have the utmost respect for him - he is genuinely a class act, but has been having some awful luck of late.  I wish him a speedy recovery and hope to see back on the field of play soon.

Would be very sceptical about the accuracy of this, I hope it is accurate but from what I gather it will be quite some time before this problem is sorted never mind before he will be in a potential position to play football. The BBC dont have a great track record with producing accurate GAA stories.

Again, I would be very sceptical about this story regarding Brian - at this point in time, Brian has not regained his vision and everything is still a blur - so this story is wide off the mark - I hope I'm wrong !!!

For Gods sake don't rush him back anyway. We've all seen it at club level when lads get a bad run with injuries. They kill themselves to get back and pick up another injury straight away. You can't drop a lad into championship football cold. Witness Ciaran McDonald yesterday coming back from injury. A player normally very strong in possession, he was getting knocked around like a rag doll. Brians interests should come first. He's still a young man, he should concentrate on his health and getting himself right first and foremost.

I don't know where this story came from - Brian's vision is still a blur - I hope that the story turns out to be true but I think it is nothing but mere speculation at the moment  - The BBC website runs funny stories - it ran a story about a riot involving spectators, players and officials a few weeks ago which was completely wild and without foundation. This sounds like another one.

Tommy McGuigan did say on the BBC championship last night that Brian had received some sort of good news regarding the injury on Friday and Id imagine he's a reliable source! Sounded like it was good in comparison to some of the news earlier in the week. Id find it hard to believe that he'd play any part in an ulster final  but maybe he'll be back for the All Ireland semi or final (Im taking the micky for all you anti Tyrone thicko's out there - we've temporarily lost our arrogance!)

These stories regarding Brian are wide off the mark, his vision is still blurry and I dont think the option of him playing football in 6-8 weeks are in any way accurate at the moment. I see Francis Mooney's name attached to the story on this topic in the Irish News. I would definitely take this with a pinch of salt. By all accounts he was the plonker who told the BBC there was a riot at a club game a few weeks ago - another story without any substance.

Quote from: loughshore lad on May 22, 2007, 09:11:18 AM
These stories regarding Brian are wide off the mark, his vision is still blurry and I dont think the option of him playing football in 6-8 weeks are in any way accurate at the moment. I see Francis Mooney's name attached to the story on this topic in the Irish News. I would definitely take this with a pinch of salt. By all accounts he was the plonker who told the BBC there was a riot at a club game a few weeks ago - another story without any substance.

he also reported that "ardboe breezed through stewartstown" even though i know for a fact he wasnt even at the game.

Unfortunately, more media outlets are picking up on this: TodayFM this morning were repeating the BBC assertion, that Brian could be ready for the Ulster Final should we win the next one. Way, way too premature.

Forget, Ulster final or whenever, the bottom line is that he has recieved some positive news.

From what was reported initially it was speculated it could be up to 2 years to recover.  He'll be back when hes hes good and ready and some of these fools in the media should have more sense than in putting in target comeback dates.

One thing i am certain off is that Mickey Harte or the Tyrone county board would not have come out with the statement regarding the ulster final. Firstly its presumuous in the the extreme to believe tyrone will have a right of passage to it.

As has been stated here already we all know how Mooney likes to be sensationalist. Reeks of sloppy journalism.

Quote from: Bensars on May 22, 2007, 09:33:12 AM

One thing i am certain off is that Mickey Harte or the Tyrone county board would not have come out with the statement regarding the ulster final. Firstly its presumuous in the the extreme to believe tyrone will have a right of passage to it.

As has been stated here already we all know how Mooney likes to be sensationalist. Reeks of sloppy journalism.

My thoughts exactly. Nowhere in any of these stories do you see anybody quoted as saying Brian recieved positive news, time frames quoted etc etc.

Francis Mooney earns a living from writing this shite and being sensational - he and the secretary of Tyrone Competitions Control Committee fed the press a pile of shite about a riot involving ourselves and Dromore 5/6 weeks ago. He circulated the story around every paper and internet site - I know the club are going to take issue about this whole episode and I'd say that heads might need to roll, either Mooneys or Harkins or both -Harkin did send an apology to all the clubs apologising to Ardboe and Dromore saying that he had been misquoted by Francis Mooney - who do you think you're kidding Aodhan ( cos you said the very same things and more to the Ulster Herald ) - So be pepared ! Mooney should be boycotted and I do believe it's him that is writing all this dung and getting paid for it - and did you ever see him ? He can't look at you - typical  -
So Brian isn't going to be ready anytime soon, so wise up and stop talking and repeating this rubbish. It's also unfair to Brian in raising his hopes. Surely Brian should be given the advice and direction of the surgeon who performed the operation and not the rubbish written by a local gutter journalist.

Quote from: orangeman on May 22, 2007, 09:52:54 AM
Francis Mooney earns a living from writing this shite and being sensational - he and the secretary of Tyrone Competitions Control Committee fed the press a pile of shite about a riot involving ourselves and Dromore 5/6 weeks ago. He circulated the story around every paper and internet site - I know the club are going to take issue about this whole episode and I'd say that heads might need to roll, either Mooneys or Harkins or both -Harkin did send an apology to all the clubs apologising to Ardboe and Dromore saying that he had been misquoted by Francis Mooney - who do you think you're kidding Aodhan ( cos you said the very same things and more to the Ulster Herald ) - So be pepared ! Mooney should be boycotted and I do believe it's him that is writing all this dung and getting paid for it - and did you ever see him ? He can't look at you - typical  -
So Brian isn't going to be ready anytime soon, so wise up and stop talking and repeating this rubbish. It's also unfair to Brian in raising his hopes. Surely Brian should be given the advice and direction of the surgeon who performed the operation and not the rubbish written by a local gutter journalist.

You're being a bit premature there orangeman. Can you be so certain that the Herald wasn't just repeating some other spurious source, as opposed to quoting Aodhán verbatim? Is it an amazing coincidence that Aodhán said the "very same things", which he denies he ever said at all, to the Herald?

Why send an apology to all the clubs then ? Sounds like he made the incorrect statements, woke up the next morning and said "jesus, did I say all that ? " - I'd better sort this out, send a letter saying he had been "misquoted" and hope it will go away - but when the Ardboe club have been  perversely accused of being the source of the leak, I'd say there will be more about it - apparently there's going to be an investigation so we'll see what comes out of it - The facts are that Aodhan DID speak to Francie Mooney and other sources and merely repeated the allegations that swept round the county -

But this story about Aodhan Harkin is a sideshow and not really important - the important thing is that Francie Mooney is making wild claims ( in this case about Brian Mc Guigan making the Ulster Final ) - he should stop it and only report facts that he is sure about ( and come to think of it, so should Aodhan Harkin !!! ) Brian's hopes are being raised without any foundation and this is unfair ti him - he has been through enough - sure he can't even see out of his - everything is just a blur !

Quote from: orangeman on May 22, 2007, 11:36:01 AM
Why send an apology to all the clubs then ? Sounds like he made the incorrect statements, woke up the next morning and said "jesus, did I say all that ? "...

Maybe the apology was for having said anything at all, thereby being misquoted and aggravating the discomfort that both clubs were justifiably suffering.  "Sounds like" isn't really a sound basis for conviction, and you're engaging in something of the same that you're accusing others of: making judgements and coming to conclusions without being in full receipt of the facts.

Totally correct about the reporting about Brian, reckless in the extreme.

Sure we'll see what happens and as they say, it will all come out in the wash.
But you're right about the reckless reporting - what planet is this man on ? Making inaccurate and sensational headlines might sell newspapers but the public should be aware when speaking to Mooney, that they will be misquoted, so the best thing is to say nothing - that way people won't have to send apologies and accusations can't be levelled. I feel sorry for Aodhan Harkin if Mooney invented the headlines but to accuse the Ardboe club of telling Francie Mooney that there was a free for all etc etc is just typical of a county board who never had any love for Ardboe and who shafted them every chance they got -

I didn't say it was Harkin that implied Ardboe was the source of the leak - but the facts are that he spoke to Mooney on the Sunday night and gave his version of events - who do you think it was then that accused Ardboe of talking to Mooney ?

I do agree with you that Mooney is well behind on quality reporting - but the pen is always mightier than the sword and facts are that Mooney has the contracts with all the national papers and they seem to get the headlines -

The story about the so called riot isn't important - but there is a principle involved - the story about Brian making the Ulster Final is again without foundation and isn't worth repeating - Brian can't see at the minute and how would he play football in a few weeks time ?

I hear there's a very scathing letter in this weeks Tyrone Times about Brian's injury which was written by Frank senior - His criticisms are reserved for the individual responsible, the Aygharan club as a whole for failing to make contact to enquire as to his condition and the referee who was just not up to the job of refereeing at any level. Has anyone else seen this letter ? Can anyone put it up on the site ? Any thoughts ?

You're getting a bit excited there Orangeman!

Frank Snr would need to stop fighting his son's battles. Rather embarrassing I'm sure.

If you had a son and had this befall him,I'd say you would defend him as well would you not ? And by the way, who mentioned a batlle only yourself ?

Mid-August would probably be the earliest Brian could play football.  It's not the Ulster Final but it's a lot better than some of the initial predictions.  At least in the meantime he's able to exercise and train to some extent.

Quote from: Star Spangler on May 23, 2007, 10:55:47 AM
Mid-August would probably be the earliest Brian could play football.  It's not the Ulster Final but it's a lot better than some of the initial predictions.  At least in the meantime he's able to exercise and train to some extent.

Dont think this may necessarily be the case, as far as I know he has to take it easy for the immediate future.

QuoteDont think this may necessarily be the case, as far as I know he has to take it easy for the immediate future

He'll be restricted in some ways alright - particularly running and ball work- but it'll have limited impact on gym training.

Quote from: orangeman on May 22, 2007, 02:32:45 PM
I hear there's a very scathing letter in this weeks Tyrone Times about Brian's injury which was written by Frank senior - His criticisms are reserved for the individual responsible, the Aygharan club as a whole for failing to make contact to enquire as to his condition and the referee who was just not up to the job of refereeing at any level. Has anyone else seen this letter ? Can anyone put it up on the site ? Any thoughts ?

Any Aghyaran response to this that you know of orangeman?

Stangely but sadly silent. It's a real shame that they didn't make some contact. 

Any update on Brian?

No significant improvement from what I hear - antoher few weeks and things should start to improve - he was a big miss for us against Cookstown -

And by the way , I see that Mooney has had to retract the shite he talked about Brian being back for the Ulster final - he's such a gutter journalist who makes up shite and gets shite printed just to sell papers ...........

Any update on Brian ?

Quote from: orangeman on May 31, 2007, 11:52:51 PM
Any update on Brian ?

Sight still blurry out of the injured eye and is improving slightly but it is a very, very slow process. Apparently the operation to repair the retina went as well as could be expected but the operation to fix the damage at the front of his eye cant happen until 6-8 weeks down the line after the retina has reattached.

What was your thoughts on the performance last friday night orangeman?

Hopefully Brian will be ok and knowing Brian, nothing will deter him and will he'll be back soon -
The performance against Cookstown was just awful - they seemed to just want to play football - they don't know how to win matches any more - surely it's better to win ugly than lose nicely - i think we need to go back to the old days and the old methods - there's a saying that nice players win nothing - maybe this is where we're at now - changes are needed in personnel and atttitude - 

is he able to work?

Able to work ???? You must be joking - sure he can't even see - how would he be able to work ? No chance - work will be a long way away unfortunately and he is really pissed off at not being able to do anything.

Quote from: Star Spangler on June 01, 2007, 11:10:08 AM
is he able to work?

As orangeman says it will be quite a while before he is back at work. 8 weeks for the retina to reattach and then he will probably have to get further surgery after that to fix the problems with the lens and pupil so it could be quite a while before he will be back working. He is a joiner so it could be months.

Quotesure he can't even see

I assumed his other eye was okay.  My mistake!

Given the rumours about issues with lack of funding during his time laid up with his previous injuries, I hope the county board and supporters club and even the GPA are doing what they can this time to ease the financial burden on McGuigan.

Hopefully he will continue to make progress and get back to his normal life of working and playing football ASAP.

Insert Quote
Given the rumours about issues with lack of funding during his time laid up with his previous injuries, I hope the county board and supporters club and even the GPA are doing what they can this time to ease the financial burden on McGuigan.

Hopefully he will continue to make progress and get back to his normal life of working and playing football ASAP.


Doing what they can. They run a night for him in Ardbo recently and he made enough money not to need to work for a coupkle of years yet !!

What you on about Amigo ? Are you anti Tyrone as well as anti Brian ? I hope you never suffer a seriuos eye injury or any injury for that matter - and I hope you are looked after as well -

Does anyone know the name of the player(s) who did this to McGuigan

Was there no retribution after the icident or game?

I saw Brian at the Galbally match yesyerday - any word on the vision - is it improved any ?

Quote from: orangeman on June 04, 2007, 10:15:48 AM
I saw Brian at the Galbally match yesyerday - any word on the vision - is it improved any ?

No real improvement orangeman unfortunately. Its going to be a very slow process. What did you make of the match yesterday?

lads theres some serious questions to answer in the Tyrone thread.  Your club is in the dock.

Our club is NOT in the dock - away and stir shite in your own club, wherever that is !

Brian had another operation today to attach the retina - so we'll have to see the outcome of this operation - hopefully all goes well for him -

Any word on how the operation went?

Dreamer - apparently the operation went well - he was very sore after the operation but was kept 2 days in RVH Belfast but is now home - he has to lie on his side for a full week - so he's not getting it easy - but hopefully the vision will return - it will be a very slow process unfortunately -

Thanks for the update. Hopefully he'll make a full recovery. The lad has had a terrible year with 2 very serious injuries.

Let's hope that we him back out again soon - and hopefully he can avoid another injury -

Orangeman how did your clubs u14 final  on Sat go.

I feel for McGuigan and hope he gets well soon, he is a brilliant footballer and a wonderful ambassador for gaelic games and we are all the poorer for his not being able to compete.

That said could he ever get his da to ever shut the hell up, he is a whinging ballix this past few years.

Stew - I don't see the relevance of bringing Frank senior into the debate - as I said before, if we had a son who sustained a nasty injury like this, we would stand up for him. He's just doing what any normal parent would do surely ?
But thanks for the kind comments about Brian -he is a class act and a nice lad.

Quote from: orangeman on June 17, 2007, 10:20:32 AM
Stew - I don't see the relevance of bringing Frank senior into the debate - as I said before, if we had a son who sustained a nasty injury like this, we would stand up for him. He's just doing what any normal parent would do surely ?
But thanks for the kind comments about Brian -he is a class act and a nice lad.

I am not talking about him sticking up for his son over this incident, he whinged when his son was wrogly passed over for an All Star, the problem I had with that was he makes his son seem like he is weak as he appears to tke up for him a lot and the other thing was it was divisive as the man who stole the All star for him was his captain on the tyrone team.

I have a lot of admiration for Frank McGuigan, he was a brilliant player and his son is an incredible talent also, but he needs to let his son deal with adversity himself, that is just my opinion, that said i will celebrate when he returns to the field of play because he is easily the class of Tyrone and Ulster be it on the field or off.

was impressed with the level of support that brian mcguigan is getting from the tyrone fans!

it was visible today at clones with the amount of supporters wearing the brian mcguigan limited edition jersey!

a hell of a player and i do hope that it is before long to see him back on the playing field again!

I hear what your saying Stew but like the Diesel man, all I am hoping for is a return to full health and therefore the football field for Brian in the future whenever that is -

From BBC

Dad worried about McGuigan injury

The father of Tyrone's Brian McGuigan fears his son might never play again because of a serious eye injury.
Frank McGuigan, a former Tyrone player and All Star, has revealed that Brian is facing further specialist surgery to repair damage to his eye.
The Ardboe forward has had two recent operations on an eye that was severely damaged in a reserve club game in May.
"Having spoken at some length with his consultant, my personal fear is that he may never play again," said Frank.
"My son went through an operation on Wednesday afternoon in the Royal Victoria Hospital and had to lie on is side from then until Thursday morning.
"He then returned home but has still had to lie on his side until Tuesday of this week."
Brian McGuigan had recovered from a broken leg sustained more than a year ago when he suffered a setback with a related ankle injury.
It was while making a recovery from the ankle problem that he turned out for his club in a reserve league game against Aghyaran in an effort to get some match time under his belt.

Apparently Frank has sent an open letter to a Tyrone paper on this matter, criticising the media at length, anyone see it?

Jesus thats a terrible development, we all always just hoped that the bad run would come to an end, if not this season certainly next.

But to never play again would be a travesty to our game, no doubt.

I'll pray it dosen't come to that

Hope this isn't true and he makes a full recovery.

I hope the ;atest report is being more than a little pessimistic and that Brian will indeed play again if not this year, then next year.

I think it's got to the point now where I say I hope Brian makes a full recovery, even if that means he doesn't play inter-county football again. He's been getting too many serious knocks lately. His safety and health is my over-riding concern.

Fingers crossed for Brian, sounds like the next few weeks will be critical for his eye, best to him. 

Quote from: ExiledGael on June 19, 2007, 10:55:08 PM
From BBC

Dad worried about McGuigan injury

The father of Tyrone's Brian McGuigan fears his son might never play again because of a serious eye injury.
Frank McGuigan, a former Tyrone player and All Star, has revealed that Brian is facing further specialist surgery to repair damage to his eye.
The Ardboe forward has had two recent operations on an eye that was severely damaged in a reserve club game in May.
"Having spoken at some length with his consultant, my personal fear is that he may never play again," said Frank.
"My son went through an operation on Wednesday afternoon in the Royal Victoria Hospital and had to lie on is side from then until Thursday morning.
"He then returned home but has still had to lie on his side until Tuesday of this week."
Brian McGuigan had recovered from a broken leg sustained more than a year ago when he suffered a setback with a related ankle injury.
It was while making a recovery from the ankle problem that he turned out for his club in a reserve league game against Aghyaran in an effort to get some match time under his belt.

Apparently Frank has sent an open letter to a Tyrone paper on this matter, criticising the media at length, anyone see it?

I haven't seen the Tyrone Times, but the Irish Star had this story today:

"My Brian May Never Play Again"

Tyrone Legend Frank McGuigan has revelaed his fears that son Brian may never play football again.

Brian was forced to lie still in his bed for almost a week after the latest in a series of operations aimed at repairing a detached retina and saving the sight in his left eye.

Luckless Red Hand star McGuigan watched last Sunday's Ulster semi-final win over Donegal from his bed.  He sustained the injury in a club reserve game last month against Aghyaran, as he continued his comeback from a horrific broken leg.

Frank wrote an open letter to a local newspaper this week to clear up misinformation about his son's state.  "My son went through an operation last Wednesday and had to lie on his side until Thursday, when he had a follow-up operation", wrote Frank.  "He then returned home but has still had to lie on his side until Tuesday of this week at least.  "Having spoken at some length with his consultant, my personal fear is that he may never play football again", contiuned the letter in the 'Tyrone Times'.

McGuigan went on to slam a story which stated that his son could return in time for the Ulster Final.  "That puts into perspective the ridiculous story which appeared a couple of weeks ago in some newspapers, on teletext and websites, which suggested that Brian might return in time for the Ulster Final, should Tyrone make it there", he said.   "The author did not get that information from anyone who has anything to do with Brian and we were far from happy at its appearance."

Frank has been critical of the Aghyaran club for their lack of interest in Brian since the injury occurred.  It has never been revealed how the injury actually happened.

"Initially Brian was taken to Altnagelvin Hospital and, after some emergency treatment, he was home for a few days before going to the Royal Victoria, where they worked to try and put the retina back," the letter continued.  "The Consultant explained that it was being held together by two wee bits at 12 o'clock and six o'clock positions.  On Wednesday they inserted a 'bubble' to try and move everything back into its proper place - a very painful process as it was only under local anaesthetic".

Frank revealed that his son's primary concern is that his sight returns in his left eye.  "As for the future, Brian hasn't mentioned playing football, which was all he talked about when it was his leg or ankle that was injured.  Now he's only concerned about getting the sight back in his eye".

- Karl O'Kane, The Irish Star


Dear help him.  I knew it was bad, but I didn't realise it was that bad.  This story puts things into perspective - really your health is the most important thing.  Brian McGuigan is without doubt one of the most talented footballers ever seen in this country, and he has been badly missed.  I hope to God he gets some good luck now, after all the bad luck he has had to endure in recent years.  I wish him a speedy recovery - hopefully we will see him play again soon.

Just  wondering, what actually happened in the game that caused such a serious injury? Not that it makes any difference. Tyrone have had too many freakish yet disasterous (im struggling for the correct words here) things happen going back as far as the late paul mcgirr, through cormac mcanallens untimely death and the loss of brothers and sisters of panel members through accidents. While we all want to see brian back in the colours of ardboe and tyrone, i wouldnt blame him if he just wants to be able to live a normal life for a while, without the constant misery of injury, finances and speculation. Games are second fiddle to the health and welfare of every member of the tyrone panel.

QuoteEnd of road for Brian?


By Kevin Hughes
AS his Tyrone team-mates coasted impressively through to the Ulster Final on Sunday, Brian McGuigan watched from his bed, the luckless Ardboe ace forced to lie still for almost a week after the latest in a series of operations as top surgeons bid to save the sight in his left eye, writes Kevin Hughes.
McGuigan, who in terms of injury is arguably the unluckiest player in top flight football this millennium, is recuperating from his double-operation last week as his consultant tried to attach the retina, endeavouring to keep his head perfectly still a key part of what is evidently a very tricky procedure.
But these are just the latest operations McGuigan has had to endure since he suffered horrific injuries to his head, and specifically the eye, as he lined out for his Ardboe O'Donovan Rossas club in a reserve league match against Aghyaran St.Davogs in the middle of last month at the north Tyrone venue.
Ironically, it has never been revealed how the injury happened. But McGuigan's father has been openly critical of the Aghyaran club for their lack of interest in the player's well-being since the incident happened in the opening minutes of the match.
A couple of weeks ago in a letter to this newspaper, former county star Frank Snr expressed his disappointment at the failure of the club to enquire as to his welfare. And, in another letter on page 55 of this issue, he is again critical of the north Tyrone club's attitude.
But the main purpose of the letter was to inform the public as to the ongoing fight to save his son's sight. Whether he will ever play football again is not the primary concern at this juncture.
"My son went through an operation on Wednesday afternoon in the Royal Victoria Hospital and had to lie on his side from then until Thursday morning, when he had a follow-up operation. He then returned home but has still had to lie on his side until Tuesday of this week at least.
"Having spoken at some length with his consultant, my personal fear is that he may never play football again.
"That puts into perspective the ridiculous story which appeared a couple of weeks ago in some newspapers, on ceefax and websites, which suggested he might return in time for the Ulster Final, should Tyrone make it there.
"The author did not get that information from anyone who has anything to do with Brian and we were far from happy at its appearance as it totally misrepresented his current situation" added McGuigan Snr.
Brian, who has previously sustained serious knee and shoulder injuries, was out for a year with a double fracture of the leg and was just back when he had his ankle badly damaged. It was during his attempted comeback game after this that he was the victim of the collision which has him now fighting valiantly for the sight in his left eye.
emergency
"Initially he was taken to Altnagelvin Hospital and, after some emergency treatment, he was home for a few days before going to the Royal where they did come work to try and put the retina back, the consultant explaining that it was being held together by two wee bits at 12 o'clock and six o'clock positions.
"On Wednesday they inserted a 'bubble' to try and move everything back into its proper place - a very painful process as it was only
under local anaesthetic.
"There are other operations to come, but so far the medical experts seem to be relatively pleased with how things have been going, I'm glad to say.
"Lying on his side for five or six days is all part and parcel of the procedure - and it's not something easily done.
"As for the future, Brian thus far hasn't mentioned playing football, which was all he talked about when it was his leg or ankle that was damaged. Now he's just concerned only about getting the sight back in his eye.
"Personally, I'm pessimistic about whether he will ever kick a ball again. But I'm not really worried about that.
"Brian was still with his team-mates in spirit, however, as they amazingly overwhelmed Donegal - even though he had to watch on a television positioned at floor level" added big Frank.
I'm sure I speak for all sports people in wishing Brian good luck for his future.
Last Updated: 19 June 2007

QuoteOn Wednesday they inserted a 'bubble' to try and move everything back into its proper place - a very painful process as it was only under local anaesthetic".

I could not imagine sitting fully conscious while someone stuck something into my eye. As someone said above hopefully he makes a full recovery, football can take a back seat when it comes to something like this.

let's wait on the medical opinon

There was a chat with the journalist who drafted the letter on Newstalk there now...Christ ive never heard anything like it,the injury was the worst the eye consultant in Belfast has ever seen..thats saying something. His retina was hanging on at the top ond the bottom by two sinues...they put 8 stiches around Brian's retina and then they had to blow the retina up to give it shape. He has been lying on his side unable to move since the operation and according to the journalist its still touch and go if his sight will return. According to the interview this was a deliberate tackle against Brian..well if this true the other person involved deserves jail! end of

Aghyaran's silence on this issue is most curious, to say the least. Common courtesy would dictate that any player would be asked after by the club against whom he/she was playing when seriously injured. That the injured in this case is a player who brought so much to every club in the county makes it all the more incomprehensible.

I think that's a dangerous route to go down, i.e. baying for blood from the other club involved. I'm sure the actual injury was unintentional though maybe the tackle wasn't. There are plenty of illegal tackles in every game and from what I've heard the consequence of the tackle was not instantly predicted or imagined at the time.

What is happening now to Brian is ultimately heart-breaking. Unimaginable. That's the priority right now.

I agree with O'Neill on this one, this should become a blame game. Brian's return to full health is the main concern.

From all accounts, the tackle was intentional, but the result of it.... wasn't.

It's neither baying for blood nor playing a blame-game lads. Like I said t'would be common courtesy, nothing more or less, and would not imply guilt or otherwise. 

Quote from: Fear ón Srath Bán on June 20, 2007, 11:43:00 PM
It's neither baying for blood nor playing a blame-game lads. Like I said t'would be common courtesy, nothing more or less, and would not imply guilt or otherwise. 

Sorry, didn't make it clear that I wasn't replying to you.

Quote from: ONeill on June 20, 2007, 11:53:10 PM

Quote from: Fear ón Srath Bán on June 20, 2007, 11:43:00 PM
It's neither baying for blood nor playing a blame-game lads. Like I said t'would be common courtesy, nothing more or less, and would not imply guilt or otherwise. 

Sorry, didn't make it clear that I wasn't replying to you.

No worries, wouldn't do to persecute Aghyaran either.

This is my first post to the forum and I post for only one reason. 

I am from Aghyaran and I think perhaps the public should be aware that the reason for the Aghyaran club's silence on this matter is fairly obvious i.e. a short time after the accident the club were told that the matter was being referred to solicitors as Brian intended to take a legal claim for compensation against the Aghyaran young player involved in the accidental collision. 

It has been very difficult for Aghyaran people to sit back and read the absolute lies and propagranda in papers etc written about the accident.

It was a total accident regardless of what anyone writes.  I was only yards from the incident and no one at the time ref, umpires etc who all had a clear view of the incident thought it was anyway deliberate.  Frank McGuigan senior wasn't even in the ground when the accident happened. He only arrived later.

Aghyaran club and members sent there best wishes to Brian after the accident, one official spoke to Brian on the telephone and Aghyaran were also in contact with Ardboe officials in the days after Brian's injury to enquire about his well being but somewhere along the line Frank senior seems to totally blanked this from his memory!!!

I can assure you that everyone in Aghyaran wishes Brian a full and speedy recovery.

Sonny - sorry but one word response - RUBBISH !

Orangeman everything I have stated is fact and I can produce witness, copies of letters, emails etc to verify everything I have said.
As the matter is heading for the courts I have been very very careful with the content of my message.

You're not a meath man then?

You can't imagine my disappointment.

Quote from: sonny on June 21, 2007, 10:16:14 AM

Aghyaran club and members sent there best wishes to Brian after the accident, one official spoke to Brian on the telephone and Aghyaran were also in contact with Ardboe officials in the days after Brian's injury to enquire about his well being but somewhere along the line Frank senior seems to totally blanked this from his memory!!!

This is compete rubbish. Aghayarn did not contact either the Ardboe club or Brian about this "in the days after Brian's injury".

Lads can we leave the bickering there. Best of luck to Brian.

Uladh - like you, my heart soared for a moment.

It's not bickering - but I can't let this go unchallenged - Sonny's claims are completely false  - at the same time I don't want to get into an arguing match about what was said and what wasn't said, who telephoned and who didn't etc.

I just hope Brian recovers his sight and that he may be able to play some football in the future. The most important thing is that he recovers his vision.

Quote from: Hardy on June 21, 2007, 10:48:44 AM
Lads can we leave the bickering there. Best of luck to Brian.

Totally agree. I have been very reluctant to post on this thread as I know how bad the injury is and how gutted Brian feels about it. Some posts just get my back up and I cant help but reply. The Aghayarn club were wrong not to at least contact either the Ardboe club, Brian or some of his family members to enquire about his well being after the seriousness of the injury emerged - anyone in the know is fully aware they didnt so lets just leave it at that. Also Frank snr was in my opinion wrong to act in the manner he has, he is leaving both himself and probably more importantly Brian open to criticism and speculation. I hope this dies down and Brian is left to make a full recovery in peace.

Well said Loughshore Lad - couldn't agree more - we'll leave it like that -

Quote
I am from Aghyaran and I think perhaps the public should be aware that the reason for the Aghyaran club's silence on this matter is fairly obvious i.e. a short time after the accident the club were told that the matter was being referred to solicitors as Brian intended to take a legal claim for compensation against the Aghyaran young player involved in the accidental collision.

I think this is perfectly understandable but I also think the Aghyaran club could have avoided a lot of the negative reaction by coming out and saying this in the first place.

Quote from: Star Spangler on June 21, 2007, 11:26:59 AM

Quote
I am from Aghyaran and I think perhaps the public should be aware that the reason for the Aghyaran club's silence on this matter is fairly obvious i.e. a short time after the accident the club were told that the matter was being referred to solicitors as Brian intended to take a legal claim for compensation against the Aghyaran young player involved in the accidental collision.

I think this is perfectly understandable but I also think the Aghyaran club could have avoided a lot of the negative reaction by coming out and saying this in the first place.

Agreed SS, let's all leave it at that and let due process take its course. There's unanimity about Brian's health and welfare, and that far outweighs anything else in importance.

Maybe we should leave it there but I think there needs to be a meeting between managers and the county board discilinary committee and maybe Mickey Harte.

There does seem to be a common theme happening here more and more with county players coming in for a lot of stick from both other players and even referees who tend to target county men and their BIG egos.

Surely if Mickey Harte and the players are committed enough to continue playing for their clubs in the height of the championship season then they should not have to put up with this "Out to take him out" agenda that many players or even management have.
If clubs were to take action against their own players for such rash tackles etc then maybe we can rid this out of ourt game early on.

A lot of games I've been to i've saw Dooher targeted for special treatment as is Stevie O'Neill.
Of course you don't expect them to stand back and let them walk through ya but surely something needs to be done of late.
How many players are currently out of action because they got special treatment?

Same in ever County, nail you in a club game, then roar you on when you playing for your County.

Just read this article from the Tyrone Times website
Lots of Tyrone lads have been slagging of this writer and personally I dont know much about him but I though this was an interesting read

Hughes' Views
By Kevin Hughes
Was Mickey Harte really accusing club players of deliberately inflicting injury on their fellow Tyrone men? I'm not sure. But I will tell you this much, if he did intend to do that, he wouldn't be on his own. I've had plenty of calls fairly recently from people who feel county men are bearing the brunt of more than their fair share of hefty challenges.
Now I want to make it clear from the outset that I'm not pointing the finger at anybody and I am in no way suggesting that injuries sustained by any of the Tyrone players in our league matches have been caused by deliberately reckless or needlessly over-robust tackles - and I say that even though there have been people who have been sent off for offences involving injury to some Red Hands players.
The question of intent is always a difficult one to quantify and a man has to be deemed innocent until he's proved guilty of any offence - and, when such incidents as those which would be described on the streets as sheer acts of thuggery happen on the field of play, they that can be infinitely harder to prove as being caused deliberately.
So what did the county team manager mean when he was quoted as saying Tyrone 'try to accommodate the clubs as much as possible. And if, in the middle of that accommodation, some of our players are targeted unnecessarily, then that is not helpful either.'
The problem for referees, who always seem to be in a no-win situation, is that very often they can often be accused of going overboard in their apparent quest to protect county squad members, especially the very evidently more high profile players, the ones with their faces plastered all over the papers on a regular basis.
One of the best-known referees around these parts told me he habitually advised teams before the start that he simply would not tolerate personal fouling as he believed officials must play a part in letting games flow as the paying spectators were entitled to some level of entertainment. He didn't specify that he would give special consideration to the plight of county men, but would succinctly get his message across when needs dictated.
County players are definitely entitled to be protected, albeit no more so than anybody else; yet the fact remains that some may come in for closer attention than the ordinary five-eight - partially because of their image, but also maybe just because they possess a wee bit of extra skill and thus pose something of a greater threat in the eyes of a much less-skilled opponent.
That's when brawn sometimes takes over from brain and the risk of some sort of an injury being sustained, therefore, is an inevitable consequence.
Is it a coincidence that the top players seem to be victims of injury more often than the rest - or is it may just be the case that we read about them a lot more?
But I still worry about referees and increasingly poor standards. Six players were sent off by Stephen McNamee in the Cookstown-Ardboe league tie last week, although I'm led to believe that was about right - given the row that had erupted. Four players were sent off by Coalisland's Donal Dorman in the midweek Donaghmore-Carrickmore tie, yet I'm assured it wasn't a dirty game. Three weeks ago he dismissed four as Errigal Ciaran beat Killeeshil, and Mickey Hughes sent off four as Killyclogher beat Dungannon. That's an awful lot of reds, especially as there were many others, too.

Any update on Brian at all ?

Orangeman, we all care about Brians full recovery, but you are closer than anyone to know of updates.  Surely speculation and wrong stories are not in Brians interest as you and Frank senior have previously pointed out.  Let the lad and the story alone until real progress can be reported.   

I'm only interested in real progress, not idle speculation ! Ok ? We are all interested in his positive progress -

I see in today's Indo Vincent Hogan previews his exclusive "extraordinary" interview with Brian in which he recalls his "personal turmoil, horror and anger" at the incident and injury, "his disgust at the seven week silence from the club involved" and having his "entire life put on hold".
Should be interesting

Who were the club involved ?.

aghyaran

Quote from: ExiledGael on July 13, 2007, 07:04:54 PM
I see in today's Indo Vincent Hogan previews his exclusive "extraordinary" interview with Brian in which he recalls his "personal turmoil, horror and anger" at the incident and injury, "his disgust at the seven week silence from the club involved" and having his "entire life put on hold".
Should be interesting

Is this gonna be in saturdays independent?

Does anybody have any idea on how Brian is getting on?? Obviously a return to football isnt a priority at the minute but is he making much progress after the eye operations? How is his vision?

From today's Indo ...

Think of his eye as a tomato - sliced by a blade
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    Go  By Vincent Hogan
Saturday July 14 2007


AGHYARAN is in North Tyrone, hard against the Donegal border. The pitch is tight and routinely claustrophobic on a Championship day. It's maybe an hour and 10 minutes drive from Ardboe. That night, Brian McGuigan never did make the journey home.


They rushed him straight to Altnagalvin Hospital in Derry where it took eight stitches to close the gash in his eye-lid. That was the simple bit. The real damage would take more time to uncover. But McGuigan sensed it couldn't be good.

The impact had left him blind in the eye. He recalls it thus: "I remember kicking the ball and watching it in mid-air. And, in the corner of my eye, I can see this boy coming. That's how late he was. I wasn't really paying much attention but, next thing, bang. It wasn't sore.

"But I just remember going completely blind. Just pure black. Straight away. I got up and I was panicking. Went over to the sideline and said to our manager, 'I can't see!'

"They were pouring water on my eye. 'You're split open!' they said. I told them again that I couldn't see.

"'Look', they said, 'it's blood in your eye.' I knew it wasn't blood in my eye. I was just completely blind."

By the Monday, Mickey Harte had taken the initiative.

McGuigan was put in the hands of a respected Dungannon eye-specialist, Mr Sharkey. There would be no sugar-coating of his predicament. "A pure mess," was Sharkey's initial description of the damage. His prognosis was that McGuigan would be lucky to recover 30 to 40 per cent of his vision.

The trick is to think of the eye as a tomato. A tomato that has just been sliced with a blade. Think of the random assembly of seeds and locules on the chopping board.

That, said the specialist, was Brian's eye now.

"Your eye has effectively been stood on, squashed," he said. Reconstruction would be pain-staking.

The most immediate and worrying deduction was that the retina had been detached. So, that Friday, the swelling having abated, Mr Sharkey performed the first operation in the Royal Victoria Hospital.

Two more have since followed. One of them, the insertion of a gas bubble to stop the retina flopping about, had to be done (with considerable pain) under local anaesthetic.

For two weeks, Brian was told to lie virtually motionless at home, a sentence that would leave him with bed-sores. He lost weight. He waited for the phone to ring.

The silence from Aghyaran began to gall the whole McGuigan family. Brian's father Frank became especially irate. When, originally, he had sought clarity on the severity of his son's injury, Frank was told that the damage was akin to what the medics sometimes see inflicted by "a baseball bat in a punishment beating".

Twice Frank wrote letters to the local Tyrone Times emphasizing the severity of his son's injury.

Brian, too, found his humour begin to wane. After three weeks of silence, he took it upon himself to phone an Aghyaran official - "Just to see what they thought of the whole thing."

The official offered a bizarre view that one of McGuigan's own team-mates might have inflicted the damage.

"Which made me sick," says Brian.

Eventually, last Friday week (seven weeks on from the incident) the other player involved in the collision phoned Brian McGuigan in Ardboe.

The conversation was relatively cordial, yet bereft of any plausible explanation.

"He told me he was wearing a glove and that he might have caught me with the glove," says McGuigan.

"I said that last week to the surgeon. And his response was 'Well, he must have had a horse-shoe in it then!'"

'I know there is a chance I'll never play inter-county football again'
BRIAN McGUIGAN is sitting in the living-room of his mother's house, watching Wimbledon. For the second successive summer, he has acquired a virtually encyclopedic knowledge of business at the All England Club. That and the human zoo of 'Big Brother.'

It is a sodden Thursday in Ardboe and tonight, as ever, Tyrone's liaison officer - Jim Curran - will call to the house, ready to ferry Brian's younger brother, Tommy, to county training in Clogher.

It "kills" Brian not to be in that car. Yet, he offers a pretty graphic explanation of why he can't be. "All the wee ligaments holding the lens and the iris together had been totally ripped off," he says.

"Right now, the lens is not even held in. The ligaments aren't holding it. Only the jelly behind the lens is keeping it in place.

"So, if I get a bang on it at all, it's going to fall off. Or float back into the jelly. You're kind of living on your nerves in that way. You're on a bit of a knife-edge."

Last Saturday week, he was rushed back in to the Royal Victoria again when "a black shadow" appeared in his vision. A specialist inspected the eye and he could see the alarm in her expression.

She immediately went to the phone and her words cut through him.

"Is there a bed upstairs, this is an emergency!"

So, he watched the following day's Monaghan-Derry Ulster semi-final from a Belfast hospital bed, wondering if hot days on the Clones hill would ever again involve him. As it happened, the shadow was simply a piece of the retina that had buckled slightly. Nothing sinister. And Mr Sharkey has taken to telling Brian that he's "defying the odds" right now. That Championship 2008 is a reasonable target. But McGuigan knows this isn't work that carries a warranty.

"I know there is a chance," he says quietly.

"I have to think of this. I know there is a chance I'll never play inter-county football again. You have to be realistic. And that's in the back of my head."

So, here he sits, wiling away another summer. The day after his trip to Aghyaran, Brian had been due to commence the planning for a 2009 wedding to his girlfriend of eight years, Jennifer McConville. And they were to begin the pursuit of a house.

Neither wedding nor house has even drawn a mention since.

His work as a joiner is at a standstill too, though - this time - he's a mite better prepared for the loss of earnings. When McGuigan broke his leg, he went six months without receipt of a single penny. The fault, he claims, was largely his own.

The insurance forms came, but he left them aside.

"I suppose it was the fact I wasn't spending any money," he says. "I felt I'd rather the money in one lump sum at the end. So I kind of held off and didn't send away the forms. I didn't really need it.

"If I had been married with children and a mortgage, it would have been different."

In the end, he went back to work earlier than was sensible. The leg was still sore.

"I wasn't fit to work, but I had to get out of the house," he says. Worse, he heard rumours that a Tyrone colleague had had his rehab from serious injury completely funded by the county board. Little resentments began to fester.

He finally collected his insurance money last March and a golf outing in Dublin raised almost €5,000 for his benefit. He also decided to take out personal insurance cover on realization that the existing GAA scheme doesn't even come close to compensating a player his full wage. And, now, he is thanking his stars that he did.

McGuigan says he wants for nothing today in terms of support and encouragement. Every medical and physiotherapy need is immediately funded by the county board. Harte is in constant contact. Brian Dooher comes on the phone daily. Family have been extraordinary. Jennifer too. There have been cards from all over Ireland.

When he was in rehab with his leg, he went four months walking with a cage to support the bones. There's a gym above the local Credit Union and, every day, he's take himself there to work on upper body strength.

Progress was incremental. About a month after the cage was removed, he took to playing soccer with locals, on the proviso that no-one tackled him. By January, he was meeting up twice-a-week with Dooher and Conor Gormley and Collie Holmes at physio in Cookstown, the three of them training for an hour and a half afterwards, Dooher pushing manically.

He was hungry for this summer. Then it was taken.

And the sense of loss has set him thinking. In January 2005, McGuigan flew to Hong Kong with the Allstars. From there, he flew to Sydney with Jennifer and, for the next five months, Bondi was their home. He came home on June 9, played a county training match two days later and barely got a kick.

The following Sunday, Tyrone found themselves in trouble against Cavan in the Ulster Championship. Harte sent McGuigan in and the ship was steadied. Three months later, they were All-Ireland kings.

"I wasn't overly good that day," he says. "But I was fresh and everybody else was wrecked after half a game. They came down to my level and I got a bit of space."

That October, he flew back to Australia on the International Rules trip and stayed 'til the following January. "It was just the perfect year," he says. "Pity I've had two crap ones since."

'Cormac was a massive loss . . . it got me thinking about dying'
THE DAY Tyrone minced Donegal, he was in bed on his side, compelled to avoid all sudden movement. What he saw tugged at him with envy.

The old hunger was so palpable in the boys.

The sense of destiny.

Dooher, who virtually ran the show, came to Ardboe the following day to see him. They talked at length.

Dooher, says McGuigan, is the human embodiment of everything this Tyrone group stands for. Honesty. Manliness. Trust. Ambition.

They are a profoundly tight group, tighter maybe than outsiders understand.

McGuigan thinks it comes from their history, from all the griefs, heartaches and shared traumas.

"There's a deadly bond between these boys," he says. "A bond that will last a lifetime. I see some teams that barely associate with one another once a game is over.

"But these boys are friends away from football. We'll always have that.

"You go back to Paul McGirr dying. The same year, we were preparing for a semi-final and Kevin Hughes's brother died. It hit that team hard.

"Then, for Cormac (McAnallen) to die you start thinking 'Jesus, what is wrong with us? Is there someone with something against us.'"

He continues: "Cormac was a massive loss. There were nights I couldn't sleep after he died. It got me thinking about dying. I remember I was just going out to work when I heard the news. It didn't really hit me. That night a few of us went to the pub in Ardboe.

"I can remember us watching the news, chatting almost as if nothing had happened.

"You just go into shock. The next day, Cormac came home and we went up to the wake. The team all went in first.

"And, seeing him in the coffin, it really hit home. Everybody just broke down. Then we all went into this wee room. And nobody said a word for about an hour.

"It's just something you can never make sense of. You just thought that, if God was going to take somebody away, it wouldn't be Cormac. He was a gentleman.

"There'd be boys who'd mess at training but, when Cormac was standing beside them, they'd never mess. And he'd be the same age. He just had something about him.

"He was a huge help to us winning in '05. He was in everyone's thoughts, but we never really mentioned him. Not until we had won the All-Ireland and Mickey got us all around in a circle in the dressing-room. That was unreal."

'I don't care if I get another penny in my life. As long as I get my sight back'
McGUIGAN will resist the lure of Clones tomorrow.

The wind still gives him discomfort in the eye. And, anyway, he thinks he'd be "tortured" from the questions.

In maybe a couple of months time, they'll try to complete the delicate business of reconstruction and, all going well, Brian McGuigan could be back in a Tyrone shirt next summer. There is, he knows, no certainty.

In the meantime, he must swallow the frustration of another lost year.

"Only the fella who did it knows if there was intent," he says.

"You know I can feel so much anger towards him, but being angry . . . it's not going to get my eyesight back.

"I don't care if I don't get another penny in my life again. Just as long as I get my sight back. Just as long as I can play football."

- Vincent Hogan

A sad tale. That must have been some whelp in the eye.  I really hope he's going to he okay.

Apparently a poke from a glove !! What a load of crap ! And if we have naybodt sent off, Francie Mooney and everybody else is onto it in a flash and has it on BBC teletext  and every other media form - no follow up story from Francie on this one ? I wonder why ???
Not that he would have been able to pen this article by Vincent Hogan.

By the way, we'd love to know who suggested that his injury was caused by a team mate of Brian's - can you imagine the audacity to suggest sometihing like that and how insulting it is ?

I know there is always two sides to every story but I'm still a bit shocked at how people are just accepting this incident and sweeping it under the carpet.


It was unreal how it happened and like most club matches, even people there 5 yds away will see it differently depending on what club they're from usually.
As a neutral who has heard the various versions on here and elsewhere it is hard not to believe that it was NOT intentional.

How many times do you as a reserve player get the chance to DO a man like Brian McGuigan.
We all have Psychos in our clubs and I havent a clue what this guy was like but if he REALLY came in that late at Eye level with his hand or elbow or whatever then surely he meant to do damage. Probably NOT as much damage as he intended but still it stinks of intent INHO.

But of course we will never now for sure as he says himself.
However, what really shocks me is the response of Aghyaran club, committe and the player involved himself.
Someone said on here some time ago that this was for legal reasons but I suspect they just don't have the descency or the balls to make that call and take some responsibilty for what happened.

As he says himself life moves on but I'm just a little peeved at why it has all been swept under the carpet and if it wasn't for articles like this in a National paper, a lot of Gaels around the country wouldn't know what really happened and of Aghyaran's lack of consideration and now downright audacity to come up with excuses such as a flailing glove or maybe it was yer own man.

PATHETIC and I can now understand why his dad had to speak out. He might have been out of line for the lack of Allstar but not on this call I think.

Not too familiar with Vincent Hogan but really enjoyed this piece, fascinating story, and it needed to be told fully.
Obviously hope Brian can make a recovery for his own personal sake but for the sake of our games hope to God we will see Brian gracing the field at Clones or Croker some time in the future

interseting article alrite.  I would love to see him playing for Tyrone again, a great centre forward.

Fuzzman - fair play to you - The silence first of all from Aygharan was just so pathetic - and then the story that it was your own man who did it was just a disgrace -
If Ardboe step out of line, everybody is on to the story immediately -  this story ( except for The Irish Indo ) has gone nearly unnoticed - have CCC started or even thought about an investigation ?? Don't think so - sure it's only an Ardboe player after all !

I' wouldn't normally be the most sympathetic person to Ardboe as I had my share of tough games with them in the past but I know Brian from school and the treatment's he's received is a disgrace!! I hadn't realised there was this silence from Aghyaran after the incident  - and it sounds like not even an apology yet? Brian is a great lad and deserves a lot better treatment than that!

And as Orangeman says, even the suggestion that this was caused by a poke from a glove is an insult!!

I feel for any man born in Tyrone.

U would feel any man born in tyrone ??? :-*

This weeks Ulster Herald.  It's nice to finally hear some positive news.

McGuigan hopes to be back for next season

INJURY-stricken Tyrone star Brian McGuigan is cautiously optimistic of a return to Championship action next season- further good news for all Red Hands supporters in the week that Micky Harte's men reclaimed the Ulster title.

There had been speculation that the supremely gifted Ardboe playmaker might never represent his county again after suffering an horrific eye injury in a club reserve match back in May.

However McGuigan was this week upbeat about his prospects of returning to the county fold in 2008 if given the medical go-ahead to resume his playing career.

The former All-Star was a frustrated television viewer last Sunday as Tyrone saw-off Monaghan by two points at Clones but his plight is clearly never far from the minds of the current panel and that was evident in team captain Brian Dooher's victory speech where he made special mention of the Ardboe man.

However in a radio interview this week Brian acknowledged that he was lucky to be able to see the game at all and recounted the incident in the game against Aghyaran when his eye was damaged.

" It was just over two months ago in a reserve game. I was just trying to get a feel of the ball again in my first game back after breaking my leg. I thought playing the reserve game would give me a bit more time on the ball.

" Its hard to tell what happened. I kicked the ball away and a fella came in from the side and caught me on the eye. I tried to get up but the left eye was completely blind, things were just pure black

" I went over to the sideline and they were putting water on it. They were asking if I was okay because the eye was split open and blood was seeping out.

"I knew something was wrong. Our manager rung an optician he knew and explained the symptoms and was told that it sounded like it was a detached retina.

" By the time I got to hospital in Derry the surgeon confirmed that there was a lot of damage inside the eye. He said I had a detached retina and dislocated lens, with a lot of the ligaments ripped."

Not surprisingly Brian admitted it was an extremely frightening experience.

" It was scary. I was completely blind in one eye for about an hour but slowly I could start making out colours so I was hopeful that my sight would come back gradually. It was worrying though and a complete shock that something like this could happen on a football field."

He then outlined the slow recuperation process that he is currently undergoing.

" I have had three operations so far and the specialist said I would need at least one more probably two. Everyday it seems to be getting slightly better but the improvement day to day is quite minimal. If I covered the other eye, then I can see in front of me but it is quite blurred. I can't read or write as yet."

Brian though was obviously heartened last weekend as he watched his erstwhile colleagues annex the Anglo-Celt Cup and said that he had sought to remain involved with the camp.

" This last couple of weeks I've started going to their training sessions, catching up with the boys. They are back at Croke Park now after winning on Sunday so hopefully I'll be able to travel with the team, it would be great to be involved in some capacity.

" It's frustrating alright, especially having sat out last year with the broken leg and then working so hard to get back from that injury. Then suddenly you find you are back to square one again.

" But I have to stay upbeat and hope to be back next year. The specialist hopes to have me back for the Championship, which is my aim. It's a waiting game right now to see how the healing process goes.

" Psychologically you don't know how it will go coming back from it but I know it will be a gradual process to get back playing again."

That's the first slightly positive news I've heard and seen  -so hopefully he'll be able to return next year. I hope his progress continues.

he must have got some belt in the eye to do all that damage, its a disgrace that it happened and in a reserve game too, was anyone at this game and tell us what exactly happened.

It must have been some shocking dirty clatter.

Its about time the lad got a bit of a break.Onwards and upwards and his brother can do him proud till he gets back.   

Neutral - thanks for the support for Brian - do you mean his brother can do him proud in the Ardboe jersey till he comes back ? Or did you mean the Tyrone jersey ? Please tell me you're an admirer of Ardboe and not a critic ! PLEASE !

Apparently Brian was back in hospital this week again having another operation for another tear in the retina - not having much luck at all - hope he gets a bit of luck soon.

Brilliant News!

McGuigan set for spring return


Wednesday, August 22.

Tyrone footballer Brian McGuigan could make a return to the game as early as next spring, according to his father.
The Red Hand star sustained a career-threatening eye injury during a club match in May and played no part in Tyrone's 2007 championship campaign.
The 27-year-old two-time All-Ireland medal winner underwent vital surgery on his eye just weeks after he had completed a successful recovery from a double leg fracture he sustained in 2006.
However, McGuigan's father, Frank, a former inter-county star himself, has allayed any fears that his son will never play the game again.
"The surgeon says that, touch wood, he may be able to go back to football training as early as next spring," McGuigan told the Star.
"That is optimistic, but it's great news because before he could talk only in hopeful terms. Things, unfortunately, took a turn for the worse three weeks ago...when Brian began to see shadows and was recalled to hospital.
"They did a scan of the retina and carried out another operation in order to hold the retina in place. He will in due course have an artificial lens placed in his eye," McGuigan added.

Excellent!

I feel guilty wishing he does come back playing football. Its weird. The most important thing is the lads vision is fixed and he can have a normal life. If he chooses to come back playing football after that then that's the icing on the cake.

This news is very encouraging and welcome.

Brilliant news IF it is true given that he has just recovered from another retinal tear surgical operation. I hope the news is good - I hope that all the news from here on is good news. It would be fantastic to see one of Ireland's best ever playing again.

Quote from: orangeman on August 22, 2007, 03:08:23 PM
Brilliant news IF it is true

I don't think it would be like Frank McGuigan to make out things were better than they were.  In fact....

Excellent news regarding McGuigan but I hope he doesn't rush it, even if it means missing next years championship. If there is any risk, even if just a small one of a repeat injury, I would advise him to call it a day. He is an amateur player and there is a long life after football. It'll be a big call on his part to make. Will he ever come back the player he once was?

Well here's hoping, it's about time he had some piece of encouraging news, I'll hopefully look forward to him destroying us in the future

Once a genius ALWAYS a genius !!

Is there any update on  Brian McGuigan?  I haven't heard anything for a while now.

Apparently he is getting a lens in shortly and this may restore some of his vision - if all goes to plan he might be able to resume training in the winter.

That's good to hear orangeman. Thanks for the update.

Hopefully there won't be any setbacks !

Hopefully not.  Glad to hear his sight is improving.  When you think of the leg break, rehab process then the eye injury and subsequent terror he must have experienced through not being able to see and then all the operations and laying on his side for days on end - I'm sure he will just be glad to be going about his normal business again!

We take a lot of things for granted in football - Brian has come through a lot and it will be a major relief to see him back.

Hope to God he can recover fully to play again, and if he does I will do everything I can to be there when he returns to the county fold.
Would be the mother of all receptions

Absolutely - he'd take the roof off any stand !

Dooher got a brillaint reception coming on against Monaghan in a midweek mckenna cup match in Cavan in front of a few thousand this year after being out near a year. Id imagine if McGuigan gets back the reception will be unreal.

Given the pain and heartache he has experienced I'd say it would be a very emotional return. He's such a great palyer and a nice fella into the bargain. It would be unreal - we can dream of his return over the winter.

I'd be happy to see Brian back playing club football. The county can wait as long as Brian wants.

Indeed, it'd be a veritable dream to see that man line out for Ardboe Seniors again, I'll be there. Best to Brian.

Donegal's Paddy McConigley is in a similar boat to McGuigan at the moment, basically being blind in one eye, facing operations, and unsure if he'll play again. He was injured in a paintballing accident in a team-bonding weekend earlier in the summer.

Feck, that's tough, best to him. Heard about it at the time, but didn't realise it was that serious.

I didn't realise Mc Conigley was as badly injured as that - Jesus that's tough luck considering it happened at a so called team bonding session. I hope he gets well again soon - I'm sure he's going through the same torture that Brian has been.

That's wile about McConigley. Didn't realise his injury was as bad.

Hopefully he'll make a full recovery.

Harte welcomes McGuigan return

Tyrone's Brian McGuigan
28 September 2007


Tyrone football boss Mickey Harte has expressed his pleasure at the fact that ace playmaker Brian McGuigan is back doing light training.

The former All-Star has had a series of bad injuries over recent seasons but Harte says he is now making steady progress.

"He is much happier than he's been for a long time," said Harte. "Brian has had an awful time of it with injuries in the past couple of years.

"The consultant will see him again in a few weeks time and he's back training on his own."


Sourced www.hoganstand.com/tyrone

Thats brilliant news. ;D

Hope the recovery continues unhindered.

He deserves more than many a wee rub of the green

Great news about Brian, but I just hope he isn't taking on too much too soon. I for one, could do another year without him, if it meant he was to get back to his previous best and top health. I'd hate for him to try too much too soon and end up making the situation worst.

All said and done, the signs are improving.

Quote from: ziggysego on September 28, 2007, 02:42:39 PM
Great news about Brian, but I just hope he isn't taking on too much too soon. I for one, could do another year without him, if it meant he was to get back to his previous best and top health. I'd hate for him to try too much too soon and end up making the situation worst.

All said and done, the signs are improving.

Completely agree Ziggy. The most important thing is for him to get the eye problem sorted (its not fully sorted yet) never mind foolish talk about training and playing football. He should be left to his own devices away from the media glare, he doesnt need the added pressure of speculation as to if and when he will play again. Dissappointed in MH making these comments in the media (if he did so - as you know these comments attributed to people have a habit of snowballing)

These sometimes ill informed comments from journalists seeking a bit of attention - Brian does seem more upbeat to be fair to MH but he has a long way to go but seems to be going in the right direction at last - long may that progress continue !

I am delighted to see that he is well on the mend and will be back playing soon. I hope he comes back as good as he ever was but the main thing is that he has his health and to hear that he is a happy camper these days is great news. he is a wonderful footballer and i wish him all the best, easily the class of the tyrone panel.

He does seem to be upbeat at the minute and I hope his recovery continues.

Any more update on how Brian is doing?

He has got the artificial slens inserted and is determined to be back next season -

that should read "lens"

is that a permanent measure orangeman or is further surgery still required ?

No further surgery required - he'll need an artificial lend now permananently.

Is he doing much training?

To the best of my knowledge he is doing very little training. It is very early days and it will take time for him to get used to the lens. All this talk of comebacks etc is a bit premature and not fair on him.
There would be no doubting his enthusiasm to get back but hopefully he will take his time and only come back if and when he is fully able to do so.

glad to hear he back on the pitch. but it more important that he sorts his health first

I know the spirit is good and that he is very determined to get back again.

Brian Mc Guigan is liig out in an all star select team marking the opeing of Ballinderry's new lights !!! Gooduck to Brian and hope he s ok and has  great future playing for Ardbo and Tyrone !

Great watching Brian on UTV tonight. Making a powerful recovery and seems determined to put on a Tyrone jersey at some stage again. I look forward to that day, just don't rush yourself Brian. Good things come to those that wait.

But things are definately looking more positive for you.

Great stuff, good luck Brian.

Can't wait to see his return -

I have to be honest and say I'm not remotely worried about McGuigan returning for Tyrone. I'm sure he has many mountains to climb yet and just hope he can continue his life as close to normality as possible.

But wouldn't it great see the best at work again ? These boys only come along every 10 or 20 years - I hope there is more to come from him.

McGuigan has helped deliver 2 NFLs and 2 Sams. I've enough memories to tell the grandchildren. It'd be great surely to see him in the shirt but I'd rather see a fella who has enriched all our lives greatly regain his sight fully and lead a normal life.

Can we be greedy and wish for both ?  :D

Quote from: ONeill on November 30, 2007, 10:00:07 PM
McGuigan has helped deliver 2 NFLs and 2 Sams. I've enough memories to tell the grandchildren. It'd be great surely to see him in the shirt but I'd rather see a fella who has enriched all our lives greatly regain his sight fully and lead a normal life.

I know exactly what you mean ONeill. However Brian appears to be itchy to get his Arboe and Tyrone top back on.

He was playing tonight for an All Star select against Ballinderry at the turning on off our new floodlights. Obviously severly lacking match practice, but great to see him back on a football field.

Do you have the All Star lineout please Doire Abu ? Thanks

anyone know how Brian got on last night? great news if he is back on a football field

Quote from: ONeill on November 30, 2007, 10:00:07 PM
McGuigan has helped deliver 2 NFLs and 2 Sams. I've enough memories to tell the grandchildren. It'd be great surely to see him in the shirt but I'd rather see a fella who has enriched all our lives greatly regain his sight fully and lead a normal life.

I'm not sure what that means.  Do you think he'll have to choose between playing for Tyrone again or having his sight fully regained?  If he plays for Tyrone again it will be because he's fully fit again.  The two go hand in hand.  Therefore anyone who has compassion for the man would dearly wish to seem him play for Tyrone again.

My over-riding wish is for Brian to regain normality in terms of his health. Playing for Tyrone, never mind Ardboe, wouldn't cross my mind. I think people seriously underestimate his condition.

QuoteI think people seriously underestimate his condition.

So whta is his present condition?  I would have thought that if he was playing a charity match of then things must be looking good?

His chances of playing football again at a high level would appear to be good -but then again, you don't know until you actually go out and in his words take a few hits. Brian would be positive about playing and would be very keen to play but is naturally cautious.

If Brian wants to quit football today, then I for one would thank him for his years with Tyrone GAA. He was a great ambassator for the association, sport, game and team. I wouldn't try and change his mind, for he has come through a lot in recent years because of playing football.

However he has said that he wants to continue playing for Arboe and Tyrone. That being the case, I fully support him. That's of course if he isn't being stubborn and going against medical advise.

To be fair to Brian he has listened and followed the advice offered to him by his consultant - but for his determination and drive to get better, I'd say football would have been out of the question now - but fair play to him - he has stuck at it and has endured a lot of pain in the process - I slaute him and mong may he reign !

Quote from: ONeill on December 03, 2007, 01:15:10 AM
My over-riding wish is for Brian to regain normality in terms of his health. Playing for Tyrone, never mind Ardboe, wouldn't cross my mind. I think people seriously underestimate his condition.

This is probably the most sensible statement that has been posted on this thread and one I would be in 100% agreement with O'Neills post. A lot of people have no comprehension of what he went through, the most important thing is Brian makes as complete a recovery as possible. The football comes second - dont get me wrong I would love to see him back in action but only if he is willing and able. There is far too much pressure on him and he should be left alone to continue his recovery.

If he plays again, that by implication will mean that he will have recovered 100 % - therefore I hope he plays again !  :D ;)

BBC website


McGuigan cautious about comeback

Tyrone's Brian McGuigan is not sure if he will be able to make a return to competitive football despite playing in a charity match on Saturday night.

The two-times All-Ireland winner had not played since sustaining a serious eye injury in a reserve game for his club Ardboe in May 2007.

McGuigan captained an All Star team in the exhibition match at Ballinderry.

"I cannot make any promises about a comeback. I am not 100% healed yet," said the 2003 All Star winner.

"It was nice to be playing again even if it was a charity match and the pace was slow.

"I was just glad to be out there getting a feel of the ball and keeping the fitness levels up.

"Life is treating me well at the minute.

"At the start things were not so good with the eye but the surgeon Mr Sharkey has done a fabulous job and I am starting to go forward.

"I will be taking things slowly but hopefully I will get to having the eye nearly right, although you cannot be 100% sure.

"When I broke my leg I said I would be back but this time I am just going to play it by ear and see what happens."

see brian named in mckenna cup squad
great news

Quote from: sam03/05 on December 19, 2007, 08:36:39 PM
see brian named in mckenna cup squad
great news

Personally I think its very unfair on Brian that he has neen named in the McKenna cup squad, it unneccesarily heightens the expectations on Brian's shoulders and puts him under added pressure. He is nowhere near a return to intercounty football

I would have to agree with you. It will heighten everyone's expectation for him and put un-needed stress on him. Let him recover in peace and his own time.

I know what your saying but I sure it was Brian's decision.  Perhaps he wants to get back into some sort of team training again to help his confidence. I can't imagine anyone in the Tyrone set-up putting him at risk if there was any doubt.

And one thing's for sure, it should gave everyone on the panel a big lift to see him there.

I think he'll be doing quite a bit of work come the new year - the eye has healed but the visio is only a blur without the lens - but I hope for Brian's sake that he'll be resuming full training soon cos that will mean that he will be fully fit - naming him in the squad also will give HIM a lift personally.

McGuigan returns to Tyrone squad
Friday, 11 January 2008 13:23

Brian McGuigan could make his first appearance in more than two years for Tyrone this weekend.

McGuigan, whose career has been devastated by a broken leg, followed by a serious eye injury, has been named in the subs for the Dr McKenna Cup clash with Donegal.

It's the first time the double All-Ireland winner and All-Star playmaker has been included in the match-day squad this season.

Manager Mickey Harte has once again rung the changes for Sunday's trip to Ballyshannon.

He has made seven changes from the side that started in midweek, with only the full back line remaining intact from the win over Down.

Johnny Curran becomes the third goalkeeper to play in as many games, with Davy Harte returning to the half back line.

A new midfield partnernship sees Colin Holmes team up with Conal Martin, and up front there are starts for Gary Reilly, Martin Penrose and Shaun O'Neill.

Tyrone (SF v Donegal): J Curran, PJ Quinn, C McCarron (Dromore), M Swift, D Harte, D Carlin, P Jordan, C Holmes, C Martin, G Reilly, C McCarron (Omagh), A McCarron, M Penrose, T McGuigan, S O'Neill

http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2008/0111/mcguiganb.html (http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2008/0111/mcguiganb.html)

Delighted for him.

Thats great news.  Cant believe it, didnt think he was anywher near that level. 

Quote from: Homer on January 11, 2008, 02:44:13 PM
McGuigan returns to Tyrone squad
Friday, 11 January 2008 13:23

Brian McGuigan could make his first appearance in more than two years for Tyrone this weekend.

McGuigan, whose career has been devastated by a broken leg, followed by a serious eye injury, has been named in the subs for the Dr McKenna Cup clash with Donegal.

It's the first time the double All-Ireland winner and All-Star playmaker has been included in the match-day squad this season.

Manager Mickey Harte has once again rung the changes for Sunday's trip to Ballyshannon.

He has made seven changes from the side that started in midweek, with only the full back line remaining intact from the win over Down.

Johnny Curran becomes the third goalkeeper to play in as many games, with Davy Harte returning to the half back line.

A new midfield partnernship sees Colin Holmes team up with Conal Martin, and up front there are starts for Gary Reilly, Martin Penrose and Shaun O'Neill.

Tyrone (SF v Donegal): J Curran, PJ Quinn, C McCarron (Dromore), M Swift, D Harte, D Carlin, P Jordan, C Holmes, C Martin, G Reilly, C McCarron (Omagh), A McCarron, M Penrose, T McGuigan, S O'Neill

http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2008/0111/mcguiganb.html (http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2008/0111/mcguiganb.html)

Delighted for him.

I'm not exactly what you would call a Tyrone fan, but it would be good to see him back. I don't like to see any player getting an injury like that and it would definately benefit the game to have him back playing as he's exceptionally talented. I hope his health permits him to play again, but in my opinion if there's any risk to his eye sight he should call it a day - difficult as it may be for him. But as they say, your health is your wealth.

If Brian McGuigan is back and healthy, and the brother stays fit as well, Tyrone will win the All Ireland this year.

Brilliant.   I just hope he gets the games he needs to build himself up again, and most importingly, he gets to enjoy being on the field after 2 years of misery.

Quote from: rrhf on January 11, 2008, 02:48:50 PM
Thats great news.  Cant believe it, didnt think he was anywher near that level. 

Neither did I and am pretty certain he is not....

Maybe orangeman knows more  ???

Think yer a little Hasty their AZOffaly with that prediction.
He needs good forwards to hit his passes into and at the moment there's no obvious contenders like there was in 2003 & 2005

I think He's had a hard enough time and has obviously worked hard to get where he is now.
I think it might be physically too soon for him but mentally he needs to see he's making progress and to make the squad will give him that reward he deserves.

Good luck to him and its better getting 10 mins now to ease into it rather than 30 mins in NFL matches

I know it's hasty, and very early days, but it comes with a host of caveats, namely that he stays fit, the brother stays fit and also that Stephen O'Neill gets himself back in.

He is the best 'playmaking' centre forward around though, and if he comes through Tyrone will be significantly stronger, and I don't think they are a significant distance from winning an All Ireland, hence my prediction.

If he's well fit for it and feels he can make his comeback for Sunday, then this is brilliant.

I don't know the man, but I was chatting to a former county player a few weeks ago. I was under the impression that he still has a long way to go. I do fear it could be too soon and Brian could risk setting himself even further or permanently.

Orangeman, can you shed some light on Brian for us?

Quote from: ziggysego on January 11, 2008, 03:51:26 PM
If he's well fit for it and feels he can make his comeback for Sunday, then this is brilliant.

I don't know the man, but I was chatting to a former county player a few weeks ago. I was under the impression that he still has a long way to go. I do fear it could be too soon and Brian could risk setting himself even further or permanently.

Orangeman, can you shed some light on Brian for us?

Ziggy I was talking to the him recently and as I posted earlier (unless things have changed dramatically in the last week or so - maybe orangeman knows more) I am pretty certain he is no where near ready to play any type of competitve football yet.

As Loughshore lad says, we were all under the impression that he has some way to go - I know he's trainnig fairly hard at the minute and would be pleasantly surprised to see him take any part in Sunday's game - but maybe there is Go after all !!!!!!!!!!  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

great news to hear that he is back, just hope he takes things slowly on his comeback

The word about Brian returning tomorrow against Donegal would seem to be VERY wide of the mark  - he may not be on the subs bench evem let alone taking part in the game. So I don't know what happened here but it seems more than a bit premature, AI'm sorry I have to report.

I thought the report on the back page of he IN was scandalous. Not one quote in sight but they've tried to whip up sales by leading with that story.

UTV/BBC/Irish News - Is there no sensible reporting left?

Was very surprised to hear Brian was back already. Had a similar injury myself some years back and had to give up contact sports altogether. Boxing was my game then, but the advice was not to take the chance with any and mess around when the eyesight was at risk. Best of luck to you Brian!

I have already referred earlier in the year to the sensationalist style journalism we have here - in May it was predicated that Brian would make the Ulster final last year -

What's going on here lads ???

Any as predicted there was no sign of Brian today.

Quote from: orangeman on January 13, 2008, 09:57:22 PM
Any as predicted there was no sign of Brian today.

Not the underfoot for rehabilitation om, so whatever chance there might have been on a firm sod, there was zilch today.

My information and I believe it is reliable is that it was NEVER going to happen yesterday even if the pitch had been as hard as the road and outside temperatures of 85 degrees.

Quote from: orangeman on January 14, 2008, 09:56:59 AM
My information and I believe it is reliable is that it was NEVER going to happen yesterday even if the pitch had been as hard as the road and outside temperatures of 85 degrees.

I think you are very much on the money there and anyone who thinks anything else needs a reality check.
As I have repeatedly said there was no chance he was going to be involved in the McKenna cup at any time or even yesterday.  The media "circus" surrounding this whole thing is an absolute joke and in my opinion Mickey Harte is not helping things by naming him in the original McKenna cup squad and subsequently in the panel for yesterdays game.  From my understanding it will be a long time yet (if ever but fingers crossed this is not the case) before he is involved in competitive football of any type.  Hopefully now the media will get the message and leave the lad to his own devices.

I understand where youre coming from. However Mc Guigan needs encouragement as well. I dont think for one second that Mickey Harte would be screwing around with his mindset or physical condition.

Whether he was playing or not, (I would imagine IMHO) that it was good for him to tog out with the lads again

Quote from: Bensars on January 14, 2008, 11:49:48 AM
I understand where youre coming from. However Mc Guigan needs encouragement as well. I dont think for one second that Mickey Harte would be screwing around with his mindset or physical condition.

Whether he was playing or not, (I would imagine IMHO) that it was good for him to tog out with the lads again

That was my take on it as well. We all know how hard McGuigan has worked over the last couple of years to get over a number of injury setbacks now, isnt Mickey just getting him involved again with the panel and making him part of things to give him a morale boost? As for the media thing thats probably past now because theyre hardly going to go big guns on it if he is named on the bench again over the next few weeks, it could actually mean that there will be less media spotlight on him if and when he actually does get back onto the pitch. I would also imagine that if McGuigan felt it was wrong for him to be named in the squad he would have told Harte that himself.

Quote from: Bensars on January 14, 2008, 11:49:48 AM
I understand where youre coming from. However Mc Guigan needs encouragement as well. I dont think for one second that Mickey Harte would be screwing around with his mindset or physical condition.

Whether he was playing or not, (I would imagine IMHO) that it was good for him to tog out with the lads again

He wasnt togged out or even at the game.He had no intention of togging out !!!!!

Something definitely wrong here ! From making a huge return to not togging out out and not being in Ballyshannon yesterday ???

Keep naming him in the subs and squads and then when he's ready spring him and you will avoid the media frenzy/build up to his return. Quite clever I'd say.

Quote from: orangeman on January 14, 2008, 09:56:59 AM
My information and I believe it is reliable is that it was NEVER going to happen yesterday even if the pitch had been as hard as the road and outside temperatures of 85 degrees.

Wasn't suggesting that the media reports were fonts of unalloyed truth om, merely suggesting that there was no possibility regardless.

I know what you're saying FOSB -

By all accounts he was in Galway on Sunday so even someone of his undoubted ability would have found it difficult to make an appearance in Ballyshannon!

I know he's a bit of a magician ok but that's taking the piss !!!!!!  ;D ;D

According to Paddy Heaney in the Irish News this morning, Brian McGuigan is to make his comeback for Tyrone on the 15th, in the home game against Laois. He has been given the all clear from his consultant and Mickey Harte says he is doing great work at training.

Orangeman... is it true? Are Tyrone's fortunes about to change?

If so, expect big crowds at the game. Prehaps even a large neutral crowd! :D:D

hope to see brian back in tyrone jersey,one of the most naturally gifted footballers i've seen.Could be the making of tyrone again,and this from an armagh supporter!the lad deserves a injury free run for a while.

Quote from: ziggysego on March 06, 2008, 10:00:13 AM
According to Paddy Heaney in the Irish News this morning, Brian McGuigan is to make his comeback for Tyrone on the 15th, in the home game against Laois. He has been given the all clear from his consultant and Mickey Harte says he is doing great work at training.

Orangeman... is it true? Are Tyrone's fortunes about to change?

If so, expect big crowds at the game. Prehaps even a large neutral crowd! :D:D

Yes he got the green light from his consultant to start playing again by all accounts. Would be sceptical about him playing any part in a game as soon as the 15th definitely at county level any way (hopefully he returns for Ardboe first  ;D). He has hardly played in almost 2 years and had 2 terrible injuries so it will be a massive ask to get back to speed at club level never mind county level but if there is anyone up to the task its him.

I'd say any part he plays will be purely symbolic, but man wouldn't it be great? A 10 minute run out at the end of the game is what everyone wants to see. That is, if Brian's fit and wants to. Mickey seems sure he will.

McGuigan set for Red Hand return

Brian McGuigan's long-awaited comeback looks like it will finally materialise in the Allianz NFL game against Laois in Omagh on 15 March.

McGuigan has been training with Tyrone for several weeks and has got the all-clear to resume his career.

The Ardboe man suffered a career-threatening eye injury in a club game last May.

He was included in the Tyrone squad for a McKenna Cup game but didn't play and has yet to line out in this year's NFL.

McGuigan has not played for Tyrone since the 2005 All-Ireland Final victory over Kerry.

He suffered a broken leg and subsequent ankle injury in 2006 prior to the serious eye problem last year.

Sourced BBCi: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/7280941.stm (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/7280941.stm)

Brilliant news - good luck to him and I hope he simply is able to enjoy his football again !

Shows you what a tower of strength the man must have. To come back from an injury that would stop most people, not once, but twice! An inspiration to what and goes to show you with the right frame of mind, you can overcome anything.

Have to agree with you there Ziggy - he just loves football - but there has to be a very deep courage and commitment within him - he is indeed a great example of human courage -  I really hope it goes well for him.

Quote from: orangeman on March 06, 2008, 11:32:38 AM
Have to agree with you there Ziggy - he just loves football - but there has to be a very deep courage and commitment within him - he is indeed a great example of human courage -  I really hope it goes well for him.

Would definitely agree with that!

Great news. Firstly glad to see it looks like there's been a full recovery and secondly it might just be the shot in the arm needed to kick start Tyrone's season. Tho I would say Mickey will be looking to ease him in gently. I would imagine a late cameo role will be all he'll get this time round if even.
And like stated above fair play to him for sticking at it.

To see Brian back playing is not only a welcome sight for Ardboe and Tyrone, but to every Gael in Ireland and beyond.
He will surely geta rousing response.
Welcome back Brian

Well done to him, you have to take your hat off to the man, he's an inspiration.

With Brian on the verge of a comeback - i hope stevie o'neill looks at him as an example and overcomes his injury problems!

All of sudden things dont look that depressing!  ;D

Just like to join everyone in congratulating Brian on the effort, determination and desire he has shown to overcome the troubles of the last couple of years. Hope the rest of the playing career can stay injury free and Brian can enjoy the game for a while again.

Quote from: Deal_Me_In on March 06, 2008, 01:13:46 PM
Hope the rest of the playing career can stay injury free and Brian can enjoy the game for a while again.

Thats the main thing IMO, he has had such terrible luck over the past 2 years that I just hope he manages to avoid serious injury for the rest of his career. If he can get back near to his old form thats a bonus but you wouldnt put it past him having shown such determination to get over his injuries.

Now to get Dooher fit then tempt SON back...there will be no stopping us ;D

this is great news, brian mc guigan is an exceptional man, im contemplating queing up at healy park already to make sure iv a seat!!!  ;D

Regardless if we dont win another game this season, this makes it worth giving it a lash.  Lets fill Omagh for Brian.  Who gives a flute if they lose - they are all heroes.

Quote from: rrhf on March 06, 2008, 05:18:25 PM
Regardless if we dont win another game this season, this makes it worth giving it a lash.  Lets fill Omagh for Brian.  Who gives a flute if they lose - they are all heroes.

I know I'll be there. I hope everyone will stand and clap when he takes to the pitch. Laois supporters too and even both teams. He deserves nothing less.

great to see such a talent back, and thats from an ardent armagh fan who has cursed him many times!

Great news and will be great to see him back. If its next Saturday hopefully there'll be a much bigger turnout than the last home game and there's no doubt he'll get a great reception no matter how many is there. Suppose we'll not know to next week if him making a 5-10 minute appearance is realistic. His return could go a long way to turning round Tyrone's season.

Quote from: BennyHarp on March 06, 2008, 12:52:47 PM
With Brian on the verge of a comeback - i hope stevie o'neill looks at him as an example and overcomes his injury problems!

All of sudden things dont look that depressing!  ;D

ONe miricale at a time Benny ;)

Great news. He is quite a man.

Even though he had a major part to play in Down losing the 2003 Ulster Final(The Gregory McCartan incident), it is still good to see him overcome these injuries & getting back onto the playing field.

I will be delighted to see Brian playing again, he is a wonderful gaelic footballer and shure a man cant help where he is reared.  :-\

Great news, that'll be an introduction to the field of play to savour, and never a more welcome return to the jersey. Maith thú Brian.

Quote from: stew on March 06, 2008, 09:26:28 PM
...and shure a man cant help where he is reared.  :-\

That's right, we forgive you stew.

Can any of the Clann na nGael lads confirm if SON did in fact re-injure himself / break down in training recently? I was down home last weekend and everyone I spoke to had a different version of events!

Great news alright about Brian and I hope he takes it's easy and does not take too many risks in trying to be too keen.

From what I hear neither Stevie nor Dooher are anywhere near come backs so I think we'll have to battle on without them. Their recoveries are taking much longer than expected.

Personally I can't see Stephen coming back at all or at least not this year. 

Wouldn't it be great if TG4 televised this game? I'm sure a lot of people would want to see it.

if i didn't have a club fund raiser next saturday night i would probably go myself!
great to hear he has been given the all clear to return to football, been a long time coming!!
good luck Brian!

Logie confirmed tonight on UTV that Brian will play for some of the game next Saturday night.

I see on the BBC site that Brian made his return to action yesterday as second half sub for Ardboe :)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/7280941.stm

He did indeed make a return - great to see him back !

First game back and sets up a goal, you got to admire the man!  :)

anyone at the game? how'd he look? did he play for long?

He was rusty and will need a few games under his belt in order to get up to the speed of the game but he did show some of his old brlliance. Hopefully he can progress from here but I think it is foolery to talk about him playing for Tyrone at the weekend.

Quote from: ziggysego on March 07, 2008, 06:32:39 PM
Logie confirmed tonight on UTV that Brian will play for some of the game next Saturday night.

Logie 'confirmed' it? Would have thought Mickey Harte would be the man needed to confirm it.

Quote from: tyssam5 on March 10, 2008, 04:44:40 PM

Quote from: ziggysego on March 07, 2008, 06:32:39 PM
Logie confirmed tonight on UTV that Brian will play for some of the game next Saturday night.

Logie 'confirmed' it? Would have thought Mickey Harte would be the man needed to confirm it.

Don't shoot the messenger. ;) Anyway, isn't Logie in tight with Mickey and the Tyrone ones?

isn't Logie in tight with Mickey and the Tyrone ones?

I'm not sure what being "in tight" actually means but I don't think he's on the selction panel !  ;D ;D ;D ;D

I should choose my words more carefully lol

 ;D ;D ;D ;D We don't want to start any rumours now do we ??  ;D ;D

Not sure what thread this post falls under (Ulster League or Tyrone pages?)
Just wondering if Brian played last night in the Ulster League - and if so, how'd he play?

Quote from: wherefromreferee? on March 13, 2008, 09:53:16 AM
Not sure what thread this post falls under (Ulster League or Tyrone pages?)
Just wondering if Brian played last night in the Ulster League - and if so, how'd he play?

See post in Ulster league thread.

Two years of misery, pain and torture came to an end tonight with the introduction of Brian Mc Guigan amidst roars of delight together with a standing ovation from everyone in the crowd including the Laois supporters !!!

Welcome back Brian !

Unfortunately I couldn't make it to the game, but I was listening to the 2nd half on Q101.2. It was some roar from the crowd when Brian took to the pitch and you could tell it was from both set of supporters.

Welcome back Brian, onwards to more glory.

900 days since he last pulled on a Tyrone jersey or whatever length of time it is, I'd like to wish Brian well in his future endeavours - purely from a human perspective, it's great to see him back and good luck to him.

Best of luck to him. One of the great playmakers from the 40, I hope his luck improves with regard to injury. Looking forward to watching him during the summer again.

Quote from: AZOffaly on April 11, 2008, 12:22:51 PM
Best of luck to him. One of the great playmakers from the 40, I hope his luck improves with regard to injury. Looking forward to watching him during the summer again.

I hope we can rename this thread " Brian's Mc Guigan good luck " !!!

Delighted to see Brian back playing, at the end of the day your health is your wealth, but fair play to the him, gentleman on and of the field.

Best of luck to Brian,Delighted one of the true greats of the modern era is back playing at the highest standard. i look forward to him torturing myself and other Cavan fans a fair few times in the coming years.

Welcome back Brian. We've missed you.

i like (yuk ;D) the look of the tyrone team this weekend
i think they could do the business

Tyrone boss hails brave McGuigan 

Brian McGuigan's return delighted Mickey Harte
Tyrone boss Mickey Harte heaped praise on comeback star Brian McGuigan after he returned to the starting line-up for the 0-15 to 0-13 win over Mayo.

McGuigan, twice an All-Ireland winner with the Red Hands, had battled back from serious leg and eye injuries.

"Looking at his display today, it was as if he was never away. It was just vintage McGuigan" said Harte.

"He is a class act and it is brilliant to see him back. It is even more encouraging than the two points today."

Harte said it had taken a lot for the talented Ardboe clubman to get back to senior football.

"To have the resolve and courage to come back from those injuries is quite something. No-one can measure the quality of the man," added manager Harte.

"You cannot understate how frustrating it has been for him.

"He has been brave to come back and play competitively at this level."


Credit to Brian's courage, determination and strength of character - he really has been an inspiration to all of us, having come through serious injury not once but twice in a very short space of time.
Most people would have packed it in but Brian is really made of stern stuff and I applaud him. I was so pleased for him and all his family and friends - he's such a great lad - footballing fame never changed him in any way and it never will !

Brian's luck has now changed and I hope he gets through the rest of his career injury free.

Hopefully Brian's experience can be an example for us all.

Congratulations to all the Tyrone team but a special word must go to Brian Mc Guigan for having the courage,determination and hunger to come back from 2 very serious injuries, particularly the eye injury. After having suffered setback after setback, it was a triumph for courage in the face of adversity when on 21st September 2008, Brian stepped up to lift the coveted Sam Maguire.

Never in Brian's wildest dreams could he have ever foreseen this happening. Brian has set a great example to all who play sport.

Brian I am sure is having a few days of celebration but no one deserves to celebrate more than him.

Quote from: Over the Bar on September 25, 2008, 01:46:38 PM
Orangeman, do you know if the eejit who nearly took his eye out ever apologise?

Honestly don't know.

The main thing is that Brian has a 3rd AI medal and Tyrone are back up there.

Quote from: Over the Bar on September 25, 2008, 01:46:38 PM
Orangeman, do you know if the eejit who nearly took his eye out ever apologise?

I was under the impression it was an accident? No?

Is his eye still giving him bother, or is it something else that caused his stop start campaign this year

Quote from: Onion Bag on September 25, 2008, 02:34:34 PM
Is his eye still giving him bother, or is it something else that caused his stop start campaign this year

I think we'll see Brian resuming full fitness next year - he was out for almost 3 years so this season is a bonus - I know he's looking forward to next year already, as are the rest of the team. It's nice to have 3 Celtic Crosses in the pocket at 27/28.