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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?

Havent been following this thread lads but was just reading an article in Belfast Tele and they were saying that the beaten semi-finalist are in the same draw of the qualifiers as the 1st round defeated teams, barring the Tommy Murphy gang.

So when Derry lose this Sunday they could meet Armagh, Donegal, Meath, Mayo, Dublin or Down or Cavan?

Is this right?

I have never met the infamous Fat boy slim Tony Fearless Fearon but my image of him is now something like this



Wonder would Tony have stayed til the end if the score was reversed?

Tyrone win Ulster in 1956, '57, '73, '84, '86, '89, '95, '96, '01, '03
2003 Down
2001 Cavan
1996 Cavan
1995 Down
1989 Donegal
1986 Down
1984 Armagh
1973 Down
1957 Derry
1956 Cavan

Surprisingly in the 10 Ulster titles Tyrone have that 4 were against Down and 3 v Cavan
Anyone have any stats on the finals we lost?

Hard to believe how long it is since Derry last met Tyrone in the Ulster final.
1957 - Tyrone 1-09  Derry 0-10

As I went to school in Derry we had mad rivalry there for years up until 2002 when we really hated each other
Now Armagh have gladly taken that mantle though the sound of thon South Derry boyz Sur shuld get anyone going.

Best day out for me was when I drove 2 Derry lads and me and another Newtownstewart lad to the infamous 1995 semi final.
It was a long journey home for them lads as we stopped off at Kellys for refreshments and more singing...
We beat Derry with 13 men do dah
and there's no London in Tyrone.

Likewise I have bad memories of the 1987 Ulster final v Monaghan, as it was my first final and even though Paddy Ball played well Nudie Hughes ran the show

Hope We can stay injury free between now and then and Aghyaran behave themselves


Can you fill in the blanks

Tyrone win Ulster in 1956, ‘57, ‘73, ‘84, ‘86, ‘89, ‘95, ‘96, '01, '03
2003 Down
2001 Cavan
1996 Cavan
1995 Down
1989 Donegal
1986 Down
1984 Armagh
1973
1957 Derry
1956

Derry 1958, 1970, 1975, 1976, 1987, 1993, 1998

I heard someone talking about the goading of players after they score and yes it seems to be on the increase.

I thought our discipline was much improved yesterday and noted how many times we didnt whinge at a bad decision but got back into position and then threw the ball back.

When we won a free we often took it very quickly rather than looking for yellow cards so its good this is being removed from our game.
Still think Jordan, who had a good game is terrible for winning easy free. He seems to trail his leg as a man comes to tackle him and once he gave an awful roar as he got a slap but not that hard.

Also noticed how much more big Sean was passing it earlier yesterday and with the exception of Dooher and Carlin, thought the rest released ball much faster which means when forwards make their runs at least they are getting good ball.

I'd rather meet Monaghan as I think it would a more open game. I thought the game yesterday was open and that a lot of Tyrone scores were made by players running down the middle.

Did anyone see the punch on Colm Cavanagh?

Aye you're right Uladh

I'll have a word with the rest of the crew and tell them to be more like the mighty humble Orange Army.

Did you hear at the end of the Sunday game last night some Armagh Texter who said
"Maybe this will stop all the nonsense now and people will realise its still the Big 3. Kerry Armagh and Tyrone"

Oh I meant to say that actually

Fair play to the GENUINE ADULT posters who congratulated Tyrone yesterday from both Armagh and Kerry as well as they other counties.

I find the best way to respond to those others sad little c***ts is with
       

Ah Lads did the Fuzz not foretell ye this last Week

http://gaaboard.com/board/index.php?topic=3009.255
I think if we start this match like we used to do in 2003 and blow them away early with loads of fast passing moves and fast ball into FF line then Donegal could crumble. Teams expect us now to build slowly from the back and run the ball into scoring positions. My attitude is kick much more and if the FF line is making good runs into space then the pass doesnt have to be that accurate. Even if they play a sweeper just use a diff corner to kick it into


http://gaaboard.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=132;sa=showPosts;start=30
BTW I think Dooher has the legs and watch him get better. He was awesome for us against EC but I know County is a step up. He'll be fine but a wee bit slower.
I think McGinley will struggle too against any descent FF. Is Joey injured again or just being fat and lazy?
...
I can see a cracker game and maybe 2.18 to 1.17 to Tyrone.
No more negative defensive football.


What did you say Fear on Srath Ban on Friday?
..."I'll have a pint of that too please! "

Was great to watch as a Tyrone fan in the middle of a lot of Donegal fans.
Even the trip back to Dublin was smooth as no traffic and got to watch the Dubs game in nearby bar
The Monaghan locals there seem very confident of beating Derry and reckon could really put it up to us.

Was very impressed with Dooher and thought Mugsy's ball to Stevie was awesome as was his pass to Mulgrew. Best game for Mugsy since 2005 final.
Must not get carried away of course but think that should stop some of ye so called loyal fans giving out about our lack of scorers.

Very impressed that Mickey made the quick call on McGinley. Even Enda had a bad off day but I'd say training will interesting for next month.
Nice to see we can be that good without Big Sean and Stevie not that involved.
Was surprised though how Donegal just lay down after 2nd goal and had no leaders to stand up and fight(metaphoracally)

Did anyone else think Donegal were very dirty yesterday?
Did anyone see the hit Colm Cavananagh got to the stones. I saw him go down but heard later it was a punch to the gonads. Thought they targeted him a bit as did the Dubs in the NFL game. Think the attitude is to scare the young talented lads before they do any damage. Mulgrew took his goal very well though was close to too many steps I thought

Here's the match report from the lazy journalist in the Irish Indo.
They didnt even bother to put the author's name on it but it is scattered with errors and inconsistencies.
Still at least they gave it a bit more glory than they did on Sunday game and the Take your points RTE chat show



Ulster SFC semi-final

Tyrone find form
Dooher's Red Hands inflict first defeat of year on league champs


Tyrone 2-15 Donegal 1-7


DURING a break in play to allow medical attention for an injury to Donegal's Paddy Campbell, a short silence fell across St Tiernach's Park in Clones.

However, a lone voice could be heard reverberating across the field of play. Tyrone's menacing defensive presence Ryan McMenamin was using the time-out to send an important message to those in close enough proximity to hear him.

Gesturing to colleagues and clapping his hands intently, McMenamin was snarling what most of the 21,985 crowd for this Ulster semi-final were sensing.

"We have them. We have them. They can't handle it, they can't handle it," laughed McMenamin with that grin that has sent many a chastened opponent's temperature soaring.

To some there may have been an element of distaste to what he said, but he spoke the truth. They had them. Donegal couldn't handle it.

It will be Donegal's epitaph from Clones yesterday and maybe for some time to come. They finished the game with 13 players as frustration told in the actions of Colm McFadden and Kevin McMenamin in the closing stages.

McFadden felled Colm Cavanagh with a punch to the face for a straight red on 68 minutes; McMenamin, already on a booking, fired a ball at his Tyrone namesake two minutes later, netting a second yellow. Referee David Coldrick didn't realise a red card was due for more than a minute as play continued.

Any headway Donegal were making at that stage was on individual initiative. In contrast Tyrone were a team. Everything they did had team ethic written all over it, Raymond Mulgrew's goal on 52 minutes a case in point.

If there's a better construction of a goal in this year's championship then we'll be privileged to see it. The impressive Colm McCullagh's deft pass to Stephen O'Neill provided the opening, O'Neill's exchange to Owen Mulligan had Mulgrew primed in space for the killer touch. He delivered. More than that, he showed that the downpayment of potential he banked since the 2004 All-Ireland minor championship is now nearing maturity.

Spinning

Mulgrew's goal on 52 minutes pushed Tyrone 2-11 to 1-5 clear and had them spinning for the exits. Brian McIver figured they could have made the same charge after just 20 minutes, so bad were Donegal.

There weren't any explanations, only that Donegal couldn't live with Tyrone's pace. Mickey Harte offered the best and somewhat abstract reason for why Donegal collapsed.

Sometimes, mused Harte, the more you win, the closer you are to defeat. It had to happen. Donegal were sitting targets and Tyrone took lethal aim.

After winning their last 10 competitive games, defeat could come as a release of pressure for Donegal. It was only their fourth defeat in 26 competitive (league and championship) games under McIver. But it has already been a long season.

Harte warned afterwards about rising expectation. In his four previous years as manager, only one Ulster title has been claimed so the motivation for now is clear.

But their prospects have brightened. They have the right men coming right at the right time. McMenamin controlled centre-back, where he had tracked Adrian Sweeney; Conor Gormley threw the shackles on Brendan Devenney; Philip Jordan and Davy Harte got forward, Kevin Hughes had too much mobility for Neil Gallagher, while McCullagh, Mulgrew and Mulligan showed lovely touches.

But one man stood head and shoulders above them all. Brian Dooher gave a performance that belied his 32 years and, more significantly, his recent history of injuries.

He finished with five points, two off a left foot that few can remember him doing much with before, but it was his appetite that had Harte drooling afterwards.

He got the show on the road with a rare left-footed stroke and by the time he had kicked his fifth on 51 minutes, he was on his third marker, with Karl Lacey detailed to do what Eamonn McGee and Paddy McConigley had not managed.

In between, Donegal had one brief spell of dominance when they exposed Cormac McGinley's frailties by peppering Colm McFadden with quick, long ball. An modh díreach.

McFadden had the ball in the net for what looked like a superb goal after fielding above McGinley, but Coldrick had already blown for a penalty on eight minutes, which Tyrone 'keeper John Devine saved from the St Michael's man.

However, McFadden had a hand in the Donegal goal that counted two minutes later, when he spun past McGinley, floated a pass for Rory Kavanagh to catch on the edge of the square and Kavanagh put Kevin Cassidy in for another championship goal.

It provided a 1-2 to 0-2 lead, but also false security. Donegal didn't score again until added time in the half. But worse, they reverted to type, tried to work the ball in short by their more traditional route and allowed the ravenous cover to swallow them up.

By that stage the Dooher show had moved into overdrive and Tyrone had 1-6 on the board for a three-point interval lead.

The penalty from McCullagh on 34 minutes for a throw by Donegal 'keeper Paul Durcan in the square was not a harsh decision, but it is a harsh rule that penalises such an offence with a penalty.

Donegal's lethargy didn't abate after half-time. Dooher and Bonner traded points but Kevin Hughes (with what should have been a goal), Dooher again and McCullagh, from a free, opened a gap.

Donegal wilted. For Tyrone it was show time, a chance to stretch the legs. Their reassertion as prospective champions was firm and clinical.

SCORERS - Tyrone: B Dooher 0-5, C McCullagh (1-0 pen, 1f), R Mulgrew 1-1 each, O Mulligan 0-3 (2f), S O'Neill 0-2, K Hughes, D Harte, S Cavanagh 0-1 each. Donegal: K Cassidy 1-0, B Devenney (1f), C Bonner 0-2 each, K McMenamin, R Kavanagh, C McFadden all 0-1 each.

TEAMS AND PLAYER RATINGS

TYRONE - J Devine 8; D Carlin 7, C Gormley 8, C McGinley 4; D Harte 7, R McMenamin 8, P Jordan 7; K Hughes 7, S Cavanagh 7; B Dooher 9, R Mulgrew 8, E McGinley 5; C McCullagh 7, C Cavanagh 8, O Mulligan 7. Subs: J McMahon 7 for C McGinley (13), S O‘Neill 8 for E McGinley (47), R Mellon for Dooher (66).

DONEGAL - P Durcan 6; N McGee 6, P Campbell 5, K Lacey 6; P McConigley 6, B Monaghan 6, E McGee 5; N Gallagher 5, K Cassidy 7; C Bonner 7, A Sweeney 6, R Kavanagh 6; C McFadden 7, B Devenney 6, B Roper 5. Subs: K McMenamin 6 for Sweeney (47), R Bradley 5 for Roper (47), N McCready 5 for Campbell (60), S McDermott for Bonner (66).

REF - D Coldrick (Meath).

The game at a glance
Man of the match
Brian Dooher (Tyrone): He's been criticised for not having a right foot, never mind the left, from which he launched two of his five points.

Turning point
Just before half-time, Donegal 'keeper Paul Durcan was adjudged to have handled the ball on the ground in the square. Referee David Coldrick awarded the penalty, which Colm McCullagh converted for a four-point lead. Tyrone never looked back.

Talking point
Tyrone's pace blew a lethargic Donegal away. After so many injuries, they can survive without Peter Canavan and it seems, are coping without Brian McGuigan too.

They said
Mickey Harte (Tyrone manager): "They put a huge effort in since October and went through the league undefeated. The more games you go undefeated, the nearer you are to a defeat. It's going to happen some day somewhere."

Brian McIver (Donegal manager): "Tyrone were excellent, we never turned up. We were never at the races. You could have blown that match up with 20 minutes to go."

Match statistics
Wides: Tyrone 10 (5) Donegal 7 (4).

Frees: Tyrone 25 (16) Donegal 24 (13).

Yellow cards: Tyrone 1 (C McCullagh 68) Donegal 6 (B Roper 14, P McConigley 35, P Campbell 43, K McMenamin 53, 70, N Gallagher 62).

Red Cards: Donegal 2 (C McFadden 65, K McMenamin 71).

Attendance: 21,985.

What next
Tyrone advance to the Ulster final on July 15, against the winners of Monaghan and Derry. Donegal go into the All-Ireland Qualifiers.

I''m off for the weekend now so hope ye enjoy the games lads and I reckon Mugsy will score 1.5 and we'll win by 4 points

I think if we start this match like we used to do in 2003 and blow them away early with loads of fast passing moves and fast ball into FF line then Donegal could crumble. Teams expect us now to build slowly from the back and run the ball into scoring positions. My attitude is kick much more and if the FF line is making good runs into space then the pass doesnt have to be that accurate. Even if they play a sweeper just use a diff corner to kick it into.

I agree Nrico as I'm tired listening to folk saying
"Aye I know Tyrone have bad injuries but you's still expect them to..."

Feck me if you are missing 1 or two of your best players then maybe you can still manage but every team will struggle if they are constantly missing 5 or 6 players. I'm not looking for sympathy of course for our injury woes and of course it gives our fans the safety net of saying
"Och aye but we'd half our team missing"

But realistically We've not had a settled forward line for years now and if we do stay in it until August time then how many times will SON, Mugsy, Cavlan and McGinley be out injured again and now even our new lads are getting taken out of games.

Think the county board and Harte & Co. need to have meetings with club managers and discuss why there is a sudden increase in injuries within our county. It can no longer just be co-incidence and with the B.McGugian incident really look at stopping this tactic of taking county players out of games.

I can see a cracker game and maybe 2.18 to 1.17 to Tyrone.
No more negative defensive football.

Whats this PJ Quinn like?

Where would he play? CB or HB?
Is he tall, strong or small and nippy man marker?

Think it's better to bring Stevo O on in a match rather than off apart from the time Armagh bribed the Cork ref in 2005 Ulster final of course.

Think the wet weather may have eased off by Sunday according to BBC & RTE weather for Clones.

Will Gerry Arthurs be sold out I wonder or can you buy tickets there at the ground?
Thank God I'll be coming from Dublin and not with all the Donegal and Tyrone traffic on the one road

[First Choice 2nd Fiddle]

Just back from Prague to see I havent missed much news on the big game this weekend.

Havent been speaking to any of the local lads back home but by the sounds of all reports SON sounds like he's in for another season troubled with injuries.

I think we've a good chance in this game as Dooher and Co will have kicked some asses after the feeble Fermanagh performance and will telling loads of lads that it's time to shake off this lazy we don't need to try to hard any more mentaility.

I hear Mugsy is flying in Training as is Calvo so our forward division might not be as bad as first feared.
I reckon this could be our starting teams with a strong enough sub bench to come in.

First Choice  2nd Fiddle
Devine        Mc'Connell

Ricey          McCaul
McGinley     Joey
Carlin          McGee (inj)

Harte         Gourley
Gormley      Holmes
Jordan        Paul Quinn or Boggs

Sean          Justin or Heaven forbid Peter Donnelly
Hub            Kelvin Hughes

Dooher       T.McGuigan (inj)
Cavlan         Brian McGuigan (inj)
Mulgrew      Penrose or Colm Donnelly (Thought was poor in Dub game)

Mugsy         Mellon or Gormley (inj)
Cavan Jnr    SON (inj) or Paul Rouse
Enda          McCullagh or McCarron

Think we'll need some sort of tactic to keep big Neil Gallagher from Cleaning up in Midfield. No doubt Hub will be given this task but hopefully he keeps his head and doesnt get silly yellow/red cards again

Did anyone get the Teamtalk mag this week?

Yeah I read that on Aertel last night that new injuries worries for Tyrone with O'Neill having tendonitis on knee and Gerard Cavlan also doubtful with a knee injury and neither trained.

Are these two the most injury proned players in the county?
Do they come back to soon before injuries heal or are they just really unlucky.

I hope Sunday week is a scorcher of a day?
Anyone know i anyone runs a bus travelling to the match from Dublin?
None of us could be arsed driving as fancy a big day out. Hope its a scorching Clones.

Think I'd prefer to see young Mulgrew get his chance though have heard he hasn't been that great in Cookstown games of late.