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There's more to Muldoon than catching high balls, but it is one of his strengths alright. No matter who marks him, he will always get a good share of the high balls and result in scores.
And as for Paddy Bradley....even when well marked he'll be worth 4-5 points for Derry. Maybe Monaghan would be happy enough with this? I dont really see Monaghan being able to shackle these too guys for a full match and reckon they will come out on top no matter who on the Monaghan side marks them.

In saying that, the Monaghan forwards could well come out on top of their markers too as there is a distinct lack of pace in the Derry full back line and Hanratty and co will exploit that I would imagine.

All in all, an evenly balanced game I think, but with Derry's experience, Bradley and Muldoon getting more supply of ball than Monaghan forwards as Derry should dominate the middle third should take make it 4-5 points to Derry.

Notice a lot of "should"'s in that comment!

By all accounts Paddy Bradley will be fit to start on Sunday. If this is the case, I reckon Derry by 4-5 just pulling away in the last 10 mins.

From Hogan Stand...........................

Bradley in the clear

Derry's Paddy Bradley
08 June 2007


Paddy Bradley will be available for Derry's entire Ulster SFC campaign, according to newspaper reports.

The Oak Leaf County's star attacker was facing the prospect of having his 12-week ban re-imposed earlier in the week, but it is now believed that he may not even have to face the Derry Hearings Committee again.

Bradley's appeal to the Disputes Resolution Authority was referred back to the Derry board on the grounds that they breached "fair procedure". His case hung on the fact that a member of the Derry Hearings Committee was an umpire to the referee who sent Bradley off in Glenullin's league clash with Loup in April.

But it's now understood that recent comments made by Derry referees administrator Mickey Convery have prejudiced the case against the forward. Convery indicated that he expected the ban to be re-imposed and Bradley's legal representatives are set to argue that he has no chance of a fair trial as a result.

The case was due to be heard after Derry's refixed Ulster SFC quarter-final against Antrim on Sunday, but is unlikely to take place now, leaving Bradley free to play for the rest of the summer.

By all accounts Bradley will start. He had an injury but played a full part in training on Sunday.
I reckon there is no chance his ban will be re-imposed, partially because of what the link above says and partially because Crozier took him on for a few mins against Antrim. If there was any chance he'd have his ban re-imposed it would now run from when he last played a game, so playing that recently would have ruled him out of a potential Ulster Final. There's no chance Crozier would have risked not having him for that, so I reckon he already knew he would be clear to play the rest of the season.
I think with Bradley playing Derry should win by 4-5 points. If we had Kevin McGuckain playin it would be a lot more, but witout him our defence will struggle with a fast forward line like monaghan have.

Any word on the PB injury? Will he be fit to start agains Monaghan?
What about Kevin McGuckain?

Who would Tyrone rather meet in the Ulster final....Derry or Monaghan?

Personally, I'd prefer Derry, for much the same reason as you've preferred ourselves -- don't think there'd be any shortage of motivation for the challenge.

I think this would be a good game...too close to call too. A lot would depend on the injury front on both sides and of course who the ref is!

Who would Tyrone rather meet in the Ulster final....Derry or Monaghan?
As a Derry man I'd prefer to play Tyrone than Donegal, not because I think Donegal are a better team, but because I think Derry will find it easier to lift their game against Tyrone. That is provided we beat Monaghan, by no means a certainty.

Jarlath Burns said the other night on The Championship that there is a gulf in class between Derry and the likes of Monaghan/Down/Antrim.

Anyone else think this is the case?

I know on paper Derry should win this game, but I dont think there is any reason to think there is a major difference between the 2 teams apart from perhaps the physical nature of the Derry team.

I have a feeling there will be a good crowd regardless of the fact the game is on tv.
Although no-one in Derry is overly confident I think there is an underlying feeling that this year Derry could win ulster and as such will probably get a decent turnout. Monaghan are always well enough supported so I think we'll see a decent attendance.

Have to say though I'm still glad to see some gaa coverage (regardless of the quality of the coverage) on the bbc. Not before time.

 
I can hardly believe it!

Go to gaa.ie. They have a template and if you send them your club colours and crests etc they set the whole thing up for you and give you detailed instructions as to how to keep it updated and how to customise it to suit yourself.
It then affiliates you with the GAA site through a link in there. There seem to be dozens of clubs all over the country that have used this service and while a lot of the sites look similar it's an ideal way to get a club site up and running if you have no experience.

Sammy, every NI soccer match is broadcast live on tv as is the cup final

So now you've moved the goalposts to include intenationals  OK lets go with your ridiculous comparison,that's approx 4-5 a year live, how would showing 8 live GAA matches be 'parity'. And remember that the GAA had blanket live coverage before they sold the rights to Setanta, which is hardly the BBC's fault.

and you have a sports magazine during the week

Which covers football, GAA, rugby, ice hockey and anything else that's happening

and live matches on Radio Ulster FM.

When?

The GAA as the most popular sport in the north by some distance, should have the same,

By what measure is the GAA the most 'popular'.

Participation - it would be beaten by angling, golf, football, and probably rugby.
Attendance - it would be beaten by motorsports and if you leave out a few 'big' matches it would be at least equalled by football and rugby

and given the huge part the GAA has played in terms of providing community infrastructure, the BBC as a public service broadcaster should be acknowledging this by helping us promote the games.

I don't see how the BBC can't do much more to help 'promote' your games. Given that you sold the rights to a different company, the BBC actually give you loads of coverage.

First point....participation....I come from a small South Derry club....we have 380 club members who participate in football, hurling, camogie and ladies football. There are at least a dozen teams in South Derry. Perhaps two dozen in all of Derry. So taking an average of even 250 members per club, in Derry alone there are 6000 participants. Just count the six counties and you are talking over 30,0000 participants. I would hazard a guess that is a lot more than particpate in "real football" (real my arse...they're never done pulling up their socks and fixing their hair or rolling around pretending to cry).

Secondly....attendances....any Senior Club Football League game in derry easily attracts a hundred or more supporters. Championship games in Derry easily 5-6 thousand. And as has already been mentioned 17,500 at a first round county match last weekend. Now take into account all codes, football, camogie, hurling and ladies football. Add up the attendances for those. Easily in one year just across the 6 counties there are 10 times larger attendances in total at all gaelic games than at any of these "real football" matches.

Now that is pretty simple maths. In that regard, the coverage given to gaelic games should in fairness be more extensive than that given to soccer.

Will be sadly missed but never forgotton.
A Derry Gael through and through.
RIP Eamon, and thanks for all the memories.

This gets worse by the day.
I can see Bradley playing on Sunday and maybe even getting to play in the next game (provided we win).
Then gets his supension re-issued and misses an ulster final.

Derry County Board are a joke.
This boy convery must think he has some amount of power too!

How Gilligan is on any Derry team is beyond me

I used to have this opinion but having seen him in the league a few times this year, he seems a different player than his last stint with the county. I just hope he continues to show up when it comes to the bigger games.

So Loughshore Lad, Tyrone have great quality players (and this is why they won 2 all-irelands), but take one of these players away and they have no chance?

Derry are missing a top-quality manager, Tyrone have one, and this is why they will always be amongst the favourites to win Sam.

Tyrone have 5 players who are exceptional - Ricey, Gormley, Cavanagh, O'Neill and Mulligan. Then you have McGuigan who makes the difference and can control the game in the really tight situations.
In order to win the really tight games Tyrone need all these guys in peak shape and for this reason I think McGuigan will be too much of a miss.
Derry have two exceptional players in my opinion - Kevin McGuckin and Paddy Bradley however neither of these two guys have consistently did it at county level against the likes of Tyrone, Armagh and Kerry

A bit harsh to say Derry only have 2 exceptional players....what about Lockhart, Diver, Gilligan, McCloy (best full back in the country for 2/3 years in my opinion)? We have as many exceptional players as Tyrone. The difference is defo the management and the non-existant tactics deployed in derry teams of recent years. If we got our tactics and management right I think we could seriously push for Ulster and All-Ireland honours. As it stands, Ulster is a possibilty but nothing more.