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Some very interesting reading lads and i'd a right bit to wade through but for my worth as a derry man, i'll give my opinions....

Venue;
would much prefer Clones, really has a more championship feel and parking is better. The banter is a lot better around the bars and atmosphere is ten times better. Casement stewards are a disaster too. Clones would have the edge in terms of the GAA trying to promote more family tickets.

Potential suspensions;
On Mullan's it appears there will be little resistance and he will take his medicine. On Doc's I'd be very disappointed if an 8 week ban was implemented, Clerkin who was acting the maggott from the throw-in would get off scott-free would be a travesty IMO. The ref dealt with Doc on the field and I think it should be left at that. Unlike last year against Donegal where he was pulled up by video evidence because the ref didnt action. Failing that, i hope Derry appeal as he would be a massive loss (as seen against Fermagh last year) The blow would be softened if Patsy and Big Enda but very unfortunate all 3 ruled out it may appear

Match itself;
Think it will be a good game and Pat McEneaney would be the logical choice to be ref. Tyrone will be clear favourites with the bookies and most pundits and rightly so. Anyone who thinks Derry are favourites maybe does not know as much as they make out.
Derry IMO are capable of winning the game but it would be a real close affair still if they did. I expect the game to come down to the last 10 minutes and maybe the strengths of the benches and calls of the managers to swing it. Derry may need something special from the Bradley's, maybe need a goal to win it and team selection will be important, as will the man marking roles applied. I think Lockhart would be best equipped for O'Neill.

Really looking forward to it regardless!

P.S - The likes of Hardstation coming onto a DERRY-TYRONE thread and having an opinion on everything is wearing a bit thin.  

I think if derry had have been picking from a full squad they may have very well went full out as cassidy is not a fan of challenge games. So bar, in-house games this would have been the last opportunity for a lot of men to put themselves in the mix for a starting berth. If any man could perform well against the kingdom he would have went a long way towards nailing down a place.

With the injuries in both camps it's hard to gauge what will happen. Would still have to fancy Kerry but thats not to say us Derry folk are only travelling down in hope.

Great opportunity for the likes of Mark Lynch to get some more game time under his belt. The likes of Diver has seemed to slip down the pecking order but with patsy out and muldoon maybe gone too it could be a big chance for him. Things have not been going his way thus far but still a bit asset if he can harness that raw passion and drive in the right manner i feel.

With the injuries it will open the door for other men. Wont be too disappointed if we lose but when you get this far and the cost of going to the games these days i just hope Derry put up a good fight.
(Plus a good chance to check out Monaghan before hand!)

Entertaining game on saturday night. Tyrone's intensity and pace was that wee bit ahead of derry's i thought. The way they turned the screw at the very end was very efficient, however a lot of this stemmed form derry's close range free miss. Could not believe it but its not the end of the world. Derry will still go away knowing they have a lot to work on and i think they will have learned a fair bit about themselves and hopefully are closer to knowing the first choice 15.

One thing i would like to highlight and i was very disappointed in..... 
After Brown missed the free, Joe McMahon must have ran about 30 yards to go over and push him on the head, exchange a couple of verbals then run on. Dont know how many others noticed this but i only saw it because i wanted to see brown's reaction after the free. There is absolutely no place for this. I know its become part and parcel almost but the only way it can be stamped out is if the officials flag it up and punish harshly.

No team is whiter than white and derry has its fair share of players teams love to hate but for McMahon, who is a teacher and should be setting an example is a down right disgrace.

Really looking forward to the game now!! some top duals in prospect. Can see lockhart goin man to man on sean cavanagh.

Interesting to note who tyrone will employ on the 2 bradleys (paddy and eoin)? any idea's?

Fergal Doc and Niall McCusker missing robs derry of a great physical presence and leadership but good opportunity for other men to step up to the plate. Would like to see muldoon striking the free kick's from the deck from range.
Here's hoping for a quality, intense game. No point derry holding back because we are safe, no guarantee we will meet tyrone again this year so hope we can win going flat out and remain in with a chance of a final place after Easter.

For derry's relatively handy win in celtic park last year, it didnt count for nothing come the championship. Individually the likes of paddy bradley had a field day but as for this year I would greatly take a beating from Tyrone in the league if it meant derry bucked into gear for the championship.
Think Cassidy is shrewd enough. Dont think his full hand will be on show as derry dont need the points as such.

But every man will be playing for their place and they will know if they can do well and win their duel agianst a Tyrone player, they will go a long way to securing their place in the first 15.
Tyrone are still the benchmark having won Sam last year so it will be a good test.

I expect a really tight, lively affair. Derry 1-11 Tyrone 0-14 

some fascinating tussles in prospect for the derry v kerry game.
massive task for derry but with home advantage they could get something from the game.

I think lockhart may be tasked with putting the shackles on the gooch.
but then that leaves walsh!  too many good kerry forwards to try and curtail with particular man marking jobs.

Barry McGoldrick could not afford not to go man til man against kerry like he did against westmeath to great affect. Declan O'Sullivan would run riot if not followed with his direct running game. Kerry captain Darren O'Sullivan who i think might be the quickest on the inter county scene would take some watching too, made all the more difficult with the yellow card rule! 

Paddy Bradley may get the nod up front along with Eoin. They will hold no fears of the kerry defence.
if any of the fringe players can deliver a good performance they can go a long way as to cementing a permanent position in the team. Big challenge but big opportunity!

anyone hazard an educated guess at the armagh first 15?

Thoroughly great battle yesterday. Underdog usually misses the boat as it were the first day but the great escape as it were makes for some tussle next week. Cross really controlled the first half, really had their homework done. This was most evident as Wilkinson who was ballinderry's best player this past few games did not get into the game at all. he may start on the wing next time around.

Ballinderry came off second in the physical stakes, but then again most teams do against cross.

Darren Conway let himself down, will be very suprised if John mCEntee doesn't get that turned over. The goal by Niall McCusker was very fortunate but the pressure did tell. Devlin showed glimpses when he escaped the shackles.

Disappointed with the replay being put in enniskillen again. There's only one ref with a bit of common sense and it should be Pat McEneaney doing the replay. yesterday's ref was a disgrace. Typical Tyrone

Prediction time men;

I think Ballinderry v Cavan Gaels wil be a great game of football, weather permitting of course and ballinderry to scrape through by two points.

Cross will be typical Cross. Not set the world alight with their performance but the winning habit will remain in tact. St Eunan's to cause a lot more problems than St.Patrick's but Cross by 4 points.

is the ulster final fixed for 2 weeks time then, sunday 30th? venue confirmed?

Sad state of affairs when an amateur organisation which is a great outlet to any community is targeted.

Fair play to edendork though for their win against pomeroy

Think it's definitely a good idea to preserve the ground around the goalmouth.

I can recall, allbeit a few years back a club in south derry getting a lorry load of stones into their goalmouth and a few die-hard club men shoveling them out level with long tail shovels before the beginning of a minor game! 

I dare say the golaie didnt strain himself too much to dig, otherwise he would have been cut into ribbons!

Good idea for a thread. Punters who are well up on their football will still not have a vast knowledge of games in other provinces which they may thorw into an accumulator on reputation or having the favourites tag.

Wee things like injuries, suspensions etc. which may sway their decision can all be useful.

I talked a few boys form down south out of backing Clonoe & St Gall's this weekend. 

If cross are 1/12, that may be a good price! Just the small matter of gathering up the 12k to throw on them!!!

£12 into Ballinascreen. Again, bit of disbelief from everyone concerned.

Dunno if you can have qualms with the club men at the turnstiles, its technically not their fault but i witnessed a lot of people getting very frustrated and engaging in heated discussions.

The alternative is, not going to the game and voting with your feet. Doing this however means you would sacrifice seeing your team and no one will do that really, ulster council have people by the short and curly's! 
£12 will surely discourage a lot of neutrals from attending id imagine.

should take a hard look at themselves, above all times during a bloody credit crunch.
Let's hope common sense wont be lost for the next round of games.

very short price for clonoe considering two first team players suspended and playing 5 weeks i think on the bounce, including extra time last week, not to mention the celebrations of winning a county title!!

always will be players carrying knocks etc. Althoguh playing at omagh is a plus.

Dont know if i'd touch that game, as they say on sky sports news, "it could be a coupon buster!" 

any other predictions on the intermediate final?

Winners will meet the derry winners Greenlough in the first round of Ulster.