Messages

omagh-gael it can be very difficult to be objective when commenting on one's own county (especially after a narrow defeat), but hats off to you, you have managed it admirably. I wish more of us could do the same.

It was an extremely frustrating match as we had it well within our power to win. The carry on by some of our defenders has left a source taste in my mouth for a long time and the messing after the first ball in was infuriating. I mean, if it served a purpose and was functional you could live with it. It's just so fecking pointless and, in fact, no doubt motivate the attacker more when the next ball came in.

County referees up and down the country are watching that and in the future may be reffing our games. Now put yourself in their shoes when something untoward has happened and they're not 100% who is at fault. The fact that we have a reputation for underhand tactics (when there are many guilty parties, including Mayo, out there) is bound to have an impact on their decision making. The aesthetics of Ronan McNamee etc burn deep in the consciousness.

To be fair, we have cut out a lot of the cynical dross this season and this has been acknowledged by a lot of media I have noticed. However, I think Mickey needs to sort this roaring, posturing bullshit out once and for all.

I think it's pretty harmless stuff, the players shake hands at the end of the match and get on with it. It may not be pleasant but there was a lot of needle from both sets of players, just like it will be when any of the top 5/6 teams play, they all look to cross lines to get an advantage.

The difference is when the abuse crosses the line but I don't think it did Saturday.

Every side has its pups, we are no worse than any other side in this regard despite what the media may like to portray.

I couldn't agree less. It is not harmless, there are young children watching these games and week in and week out they are seeing county footballers (who they aspire to be) roaring into an opponents face when they miss or when their own team score. Is it right that these kids think this is acceptable and the Norm? Ive seen it creeping into my own clubs senior team as well. I despise it. The sooner its out of the game the better.

Young lads have been watching county players breaking each others noses and violently attacking opposition players since the game started. Is it right that they think this is acceptable or the norm?

Compared to that I think roaring at a player is pretty harmless and my point is that while it is not pleasant the game has far bigger problems than this.

omagh-gael it can be very difficult to be objective when commenting on one's own county (especially after a narrow defeat), but hats off to you, you have managed it admirably. I wish more of us could do the same.

It was an extremely frustrating match as we had it well within our power to win. The carry on by some of our defenders has left a source taste in my mouth for a long time and the messing after the first ball in was infuriating. I mean, if it served a purpose and was functional you could live with it. It's just so fecking pointless and, in fact, no doubt motivate the attacker more when the next ball came in.

County referees up and down the country are watching that and in the future may be reffing our games. Now put yourself in their shoes when something untoward has happened and they're not 100% who is at fault. The fact that we have a reputation for underhand tactics (when there are many guilty parties, including Mayo, out there) is bound to have an impact on their decision making. The aesthetics of Ronan McNamee etc burn deep in the consciousness.

To be fair, we have cut out a lot of the cynical dross this season and this has been acknowledged by a lot of media I have noticed. However, I think Mickey needs to sort this roaring, posturing bullshit out once and for all.

I think it's pretty harmless stuff, the players shake hands at the end of the match and get on with it. It may not be pleasant but there was a lot of needle from both sets of players, just like it will be when any of the top 5/6 teams play, they all look to cross lines to get an advantage.

The difference is when the abuse crosses the line but I don't think it did Saturday.

Every side has its pups, we are no worse than any other side in this regard despite what the media may like to portray.

can any one explain what tyrone last free was for . O shea was clearly push to the ground when he went down on it . It game Morgan a free straight in front of the goal , but  being stupid or fannying around with the ball killing time,legally, is no excuse for a wrong decision that would have changed the result of the game

There was a late hit on the Tyrone player after he touched the ball but it seemed like a genuine tackle and I don't think it was a free. I thought the McCurry equaliser (free) at 12-12 was very soft too but Mayo had a few soft ones through the game as well.

The Cavanagh decision was definitely manifested by the earlier foul he made on Higgins where he possibly could have got a booking but he let him off. Once he made the next tackle Gough had his mind made up, Cavanagh was extremely unfortunate though as it wasa genuine tackle on the ball and he tried to pull out when his hand bounced off the ball.

Post-match analysis is even hard. Tyrone had plenty of chances to win it but yet Mayo were the better team: stronger midfield, big players had big games, experience/cuteness.

Tyrone will be disappointed at the missed chances but I still don't think they have refined their forward play enough yet. This was evident in the Ulster final too where their shots and decision making up front was poor to say the least and Sean Cavanagh ended up getting them out of jail. They could have easily lost that match. The lack of a real free-taker is also very problematic. They desperately need a Cillian O'Connor. Matches are often won and lost on frees especially the deeper you get into the business end of the championship. Tyrone won't win an All-Ireland without a consistent free-taker.
Looking at it overall I thought Mayo were the better team. They were just more clinical in front of the posts and worked hard throughout. The management got it very right as well. The whole team looked very hungry for the win and seemed genuinely relieved at the end. Physically they were the much more imposing side too. At one point I saw O'Shea in full forward with the Tyrone full back and the height disparity alone was almost comical. One gripe I do have is with the fannying about at the end with the passing the ball back and forth. That's kamikaze stuff and could have back fired badly if Tyrone's shooting wasn't so terrible.

I'd agree with that. I think Mayo had that bit more physicality on us and really tried to impose that from early on.

I watched the game back and at 11-11 we had 6 decent scoring opportunities from then on in - McCann, McCarron, McCurry (x2), Morgan and Sludden despite having Cavanagh sent off. I think Mayo might have had one in that time, we had it there, we just weren't efficient enough in front of the goal - apart from the McCann and Morgan efforts they were all chances you need to be taking in those situations. Keegan hit two great scores near the end, Mayo seemed to have the mettle to take them but in typical Mayo fashion they gave the opposition the chances to throw it all away.

On a tactical viewpoint, we have definitely succeeded against Kerry and Mayo in our last two Championship defeats, we have done exactly what we needed to beat them but we just didn't have the composure and mettle to put those chances away. You simply cannot afford to pass up when you are playing against opposition of that standard.

I don't know if we have anyone within the county to convert those. Lee Brennan maybe? I hope Sean Cavanagh gives it another year, he's been the best player in the game over the past 15 years (for my money) and I don't want to see it end on that note. I think we need to mould a target man in the full forward line next year (to give us variety in there), the two most obvious options are Niall McKenna and Danny McNulty but the questions will remain whether they are up to it?

How many fouls did Aidan O'Shea make yesterday?

Mayo players seem to try and apply an awful lot of pressure on the referees, O'Shea, Boyle and O'Connor are particularly vocal and in the referees face over any flashpoint or foul - very much like Barcelona/Spain in soccer they try and apply an awful lot of pressure on the referees.

Gough did a decent job overall but he didn't discourage the cynical Mayo fouling high up the field, it's very obvious that the likes of O'Shea, Parsons, Doherty, Moran, O'Connor etc can't tackle and make very little effort to tackle the ball, it's all about swinging lads around the hips, putting their hand in over the shoulder and pulling the arm back. It's all about disrupting the momentum of the player moving forward with the ball in an illegal manner and while Gough did play the advantage, these incidents were happening again and again and again without punishment for the player. Mayo have been doing this for years but nothing has been made of it.

In the Dublin-Donegal game it was also very evident of the cynical checking and infringing of Ryan McHugh off the ball all day long, again this was happening right in front of the referee and he did nothing to discourage it.

Cavanagh has got many a man carded in the past with diving antics so yesterday seemed a case of just desserts, maybe if Tyrone all played football like Peter Harte and Mattie Donnelly instead of mouthing like McMahon, McCarron, McNamee constantly maybe Tyrone would go somewhere. Donegal with the McGee`s be in the same boat too

Problem with the manager who must condone this behaviour cause hes the only one can eradicate it. The negative system Tyrone brings to the table also plays against them as it holding very good footballers back, Meyler must be way of the pace, cause he should been coming on yesterday.

Cavanagh has got the same treatment that he got from Keegan yesterday all throughout his career, he learned to look after himself and Sean Cavanagh is certainly more sinned against than sinner.

Now I wonder will Lee Keegan have his track record of underhand tactics and gamesmanship put under the microscope in the coming weeks.

Very disappointing result and our performance just lacked what was needed. I didn't think either side hit the levels they can but Mayo just had that bit more composure in the second half.

I don't like picking on individuals in terms of scapegoating but Cathal McShane is nowhere near ready for this level yet, his decision making is deplorable and the amount of times he shoots from ridiculous angles when he should have been looking at keeping the ball and working an opening was simply unforgivable, he should have been hooked a lot earlier as he was a liability and I think this was a big error on Mickey's part.

I also thought McCurry should have started over O'Neill on the basis of the impact he made in a few games previously.

Overall the same things that cost against Kerry last year cost us again this year, our long distance frees were 0/4 and we had a brilliant goal chance through McAliskey and another half chance with the one the ball over the top he was an inch or two away from getting a hand to in the first half. We got nothing out of those opportunities and that's why we are out.

Seemed to be plenty of needle in it from both sets of players.

Cavanagh's first yellow card was an absolute joke and his second was harsh as his hand seemed to move up from the ball. Lee Keegan has plenty of high profile previous in his underhand tactics in targeting opposition players, it doesn't really seem to get that much attention in the way guys like Neil McGee, Ryan McMenamin etc have got in their career which I think tells you all you need know about media balance and motive.

The match ups will be interesting Sunday, would suspect Rory  Brennan on Diarmuid O'Connor, McCarron to pick up Aidan O'Shea, McNamee on Cillian O'Connor.

From the Mayo side I probably expect Higgins on Harte, I'm not sure who they have to put on Cavanagh though, possibly someone like Vaughan? The key for us will be getting the open space for our inside forwards, if O'Neill/McCurry/McAliskey can get the ball in space there they can do serious damage to a suspect looking Mayo full back line.

Two contrasting styles in that when Tyrone lose the ball up the pitch they all look to retreat back to their own half whereas Mayo like their forwards to press the ball carrier and give fouls away in the opposition half with the hip grabs and little jersey tugs, allowing them to commit men forward but they are quite good at cynically stopping the counters.

Mayo's ability to dominate the midfield has been the base for their success in recent years but they seem in a bit of bother there this year through injury and form. I think Tyrone have improved greatly there this year and I hope we are willing to vary it and go long if Mayo target our kickouts. Too many times in the recent past have we seen keepers muck it up with short kickouts. It cost us v Kerry last year.

It will be interesting to see our bench tonight. Meyler looks like he will miss out but I wonder if Richie Donnelly, Joe McMahon and Lee Brennan will return to the 26.

Kerry and Mayo fans getting a bit ratty at the prospect of Tyrone joining them at the big table and possibly usurping them when it comes to taking Dublin.

I've heard a number of people suggest that Ronan O'Neill could be under pressure for a starting spot but I think Mickey will give him another shot. No full forward gets much joy out of the Donegal blanket and he had a thankless task. Mayo will have McLaughlin back sweeping but there'll be more room in there for the FF to work. Like above, I think Mickey will start the team that started in the Ulster final.

On a separate note, does anyone know the craic with Frank Burns? No sign of him this year at all. I was of the opinion that'd he'd be one of the first u-21s to make the breakthrough

He has failed to score from play in his last two games and McCurry has made impressive contributions coming in so its natural he is under pressure. I'd like to see Richie Donnelly in for McShane as they are very similar in style but Richie is more polished at this point.

["For all the talk of Donegal ageing, the team continues to get younger"]

"For all the talk of Donegal ageing, the team continues to get younger"


Jim McGuinness points out that Donegal are getting younger, not older.

Highlighting one of the great achievements of his successor at the Tir Chonail helm, McGuinness expresses his admiration for the subtle manner in which Rory Gallagher has replenished what many wrongly consider to be an ageing side:

"For all the talk of Donegal ageing, the team continues to get younger, which is interesting in itself," the 2012 All-Ireland winning manager writes in The Irish Times. "Since he has become manager, Gallagher has introduced new players who have subtly but significantly altered the profile of the team.

"Eoin McHugh and Marty O'Reilly can inject serious pace while Odhrán MacNiallais and Ryan McHugh have become very important players.

"So what he has managed to do is to quietly assemble a new team even while people are banging on about an old Donegal team."
http://hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=259010

More mischief by McGuinness.

The bulk of that team and the players being utilised by Gallagher are four years older than when Donegal won the AI.

They were players who were in their peak years (25-28) at that time.

Beating Donegal in the Ulster Championship is no mean feat. While Donegal may not have the legs for Croke Park anymore,  they are a formidable outfit in Ulster and it was a gutsy performance against a team whose style we have found very difficult to counter.

The way Mayo play and our solid defensive shape gives me a lot of confidence though there's no doubting Mayo will be a huge test.

I'd like to see Niall McKenna on the bench as he offers us a good aerial presence in the full forward line if we want to mix it up.

Doubt we will see it. Wonder if Big Joe will be back.

What are you basing this McKenna thing on, ure championing it thas while now

He offers us a different threat in the full forward line to what we have.

I'd like to see Niall McKenna on the bench as he offers us a good aerial presence in the full forward line if we want to mix it up.

Doubt we will see it. Wonder if Big Joe will be back.

Having read the Dara ó'Sé article about injury time and the importance of a strong subs bench means now with refs often adding on 5 or 6+ minutes I thought I'd look at the subs Mickey Harte has used this year and the younger lads that have claimed starting jerseys.

Sludden, McShane and McNabb seem to all have been the main benefactors in each of the games played so far with getting a starting place. McNabb and Rory Brennan seem to be fighting for the same jersey with nearly all of the other defensive spots more or less accounted for.

Mark Bradley and McCurry seem to be the two forwards that are closest to getting into the starting lineups but are both great players to be bringing in when opponents' legs are getting tired. Munroe seems to also have jumped ahead of some of his team mates and is seeing a good amount of game-time. I've watched his tackle on Frank McGlynn several times and it was fair shoulder to shoulder and was significant as it was saying move over Frank, the new kids are on the block now. No fear!

Kieran McGeary (the U21 captain last year) looks like another lad who can't wait to become a regular and like the others listed always adds to the team when he comes on rather than just a sub for someone tired or injured. With Justy getting on a bit now it's also good to have him and Hampsey there to come in and fill his shoes.

With Meyler out injured and Richie Donnelly also there with a point to prove now as well as McNulty (who is 6'4'') I think it is fair to say we do have a very strong bench that Mickey uses very well as he's not scared to make a change.
I don't think we'll see Lee Brennan this year unless we're beating somebody comfortably but you never know with Mickey. Football outside Ulster's thick blankets might suit the young lad more.

In the past I think Tyrone often played a different brand of football when they get out of Ulster but the 'System' of play now seems very set in stone, at least when we don't have the ball. I think though you might see more kick passing depending on how defensive the other team are.

Can any of ye see any other players making a significant contribution?
Peter Harte has been my best player of the year so far and I was delighted for him when that huge kick went over the bar v Donegal. A lot of praise went Sean Cavanagh's way after that game but more often that not Petey is the supplier for Sean's scores (and vice versa of course).

We've very strong squad wise, McShane has certainly improved this year but he is still a little too erratic for me. I would like to see Richie Donnelly come in for him in the QF if fit. Think they are similar type players but Richie is more polished at present.

Great to see McNabb make such a swift recovery, he's always looked like being a top player but last year was the first year he really made the impact expected due to injury so it was a big blow for him to pick up such a serious injury after all the trouble before that. I think he could be under threat along with O'Neill and McShane the next day, would imagine the other 12 starters against Donegal are nailed on starters.

Mickey is good at picking players for certain opponents, think Bradley is the type of player who could get a lot of joy against Mayo and he may start.