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We do look like an extremely "coached" county if you know what I mean. All players excellent at running the ball, retaining possession, accurate passing, soloing, point taking. All the real coachable skills of the game. We have lacked some of the things that could maybe be harder to coach, high fielding and importantly pure goal scorers instinct. Dublin kinda score a lot of their goals through pulling teams apart like only they can at the moment, Kerry and Mayo tend to get goals through more individual direct play.

I could of course be talking utter shit

I've not seen anything like enough of him but what about Canavan?

I agree with what you are saying, seems the downside of being a well coached well drilled side is that we lose the natural flare some players have. Reading a few of the tyrone players books from the 00s and they all said the same thing. They trusted themselves to change the game on the pitch as they saw fit. If they saw a game plan not working they went ahead and changed it.

Sean said in his book that the big games against Dublin when it was clear the game plan was not working they still had to stick to it. He said if that was the team of the 00s they would have just went ahead and changed it regardless of management.

Seems that with too much coaching players lose the ability to think for themselves, instead they rely solely on the game plan.

Aye the last two chances in particular were gilt edged chances that you expect top young players to bury but in fairness to the lad he was out and made himself as big as possible.

Tyrone and taking good goal chances at all levels has been a problem for years. The last boy I would have called a pure goal scorer was Ronan O'Neil. You'd back him 1v1 all the time.

I wonder if it is how they are being coached at a young age? You are spot on about tyrone and goal scores. Since the likes of Owen and stevie left tyrone have a poor goal ratio. The top teams always go for goal where we seem to play the safe option and go for the point.

From a neutral point of view, with not a care in the world who wins the game, I just find it difficult that 20 players will be physically up to a championship level if they have been isolating or coming down with some symptoms of covid..

Was handy that they got covid at the semifinal stage and not before it, as there was no rule to have and extension due to covid problems

Wasn't that handy as they had covid in the ulster final

Tyrone are in a difficult position. If they lose after the extra weeks rest then it will be said that they are just not good enough.

If they win then they will be accused of using covid as an excuse to get extra time.

[Whos going to track Morgan?]

So, who's marking David Clifford, the other Clifford and Sean O'Shea?

I'd go hampsey, Meyler, Mcnamee...

I'd say Meyler will pick up O'Shea, Hampsey on Clifford and McNamee or possibly Mckernan on the other one. I actually think we have got decent match ups for these lads.

Who is going to pick up McCurry, McShane, Donnelly and Canavan?

Never mind McShane or McCurry.

Whos going to track Morgan?

Did anyone keep track on how many scores he gifted to Kerry in the last meeting?

Exactly. If tyrone try this tactic again then it will end in tears. Kerry have shown the intelligence to lob him previously.

I don't get the backslapping over this Kerry statement at all.

To do anything else would be heartless and a spectacular own-goal. Also, the statement is loaded with digs. The lowest one is that...'what are Tyrone at? We have been angels and it's not our fault'. God forbid there's an outbreak in the Kerry camp. They also don't say what they asked Croke. We'll never know.

Only for Kerry's intervention Tyrone would be out of the championship so you would need to rethink your opinion.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-40360100.html

Fair play to Kerry and especially Mayo. No one wants to see the match not played. Hopefully Kerry tank them off the field fair and square.

In regards to the sligo situation last year I was reading about it there now and for some reason sligo wouldn't say how many of their players were affected by it. Surely that had to go against them. If there 4 or 5 players affected by tit then then game should have gone on if over half the panel were affected as in tyrones case then they should have gotten a reschedule.

The media is filled with Paul Caffrey opinions, is it because he's the best person for the media to talk to now that Dublin are back to the flaky team as they were under his management?

Maybe try David Hickeys opinion instead he will inflame the Mayo supporters and the anti Dubs even more.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-40360697.html

Fu cking Hell

Brilliant read, what an embarrassing and deluded outburst

Seems people are forgetting covid was in the camp before the final. About 5 people had it before the final and any celebrations. Its possible more ones had it during the final without knowing it. Lateral flow tests are not 100% accurate

My point exactly too.  This virus has risen its head in the squad before the so called 'celebrations'.

Then why in the holy mother of god would they go to the pub collectively and Logan has said in his interview that mid ulster had some of the highest numbers in UK and Ireland at the time.

Yes. They've won Ulster, celebrate surely. But in a pandemic, with covid on the rise, knowing it already in the squad and you've an all Ireland semi in two weeks.

Absolute stupidity of the highest level. Did they think heading to the pub would help wash it away.

Were they 100% in the pub? Have heard ones say they were and others say they weren't. I don't k ow either way. If they were I assume it was the ones without covid. But sure the pubs are allowed to be open, if they said they caught it in work no one would bat an eye lid but because they potentially caught it in a pub everyone is up in arms.

Plus we don't know if it was the ones who were potentially in the pub that were the ones to catch it.

If they all caught it in a pub then it was a bit stupid alright but  they are too many unknowns to say for certain. Heck they could have all already been infected just before the ulster final and only showed symptoms the week after.

Seems people are forgetting covid was in the camp before the final. About 5 people had it before the final and any celebrations. Its possible more ones had it during the final without knowing it. Lateral flow tests are not 100% accurate

[He has provided a written report to us and the report is clear that it is unsafe to play next weekend, and every day that goes by after that, particularly in another week, would make it significantly safer in terms of the return to play protocol.]

'The net position is that there are 20 or more in the group who have had positive tests'

The GAA will meet today to plan a way forward after Tyrone stated they will not be in a position to fulfil Saturday's All-Ireland semi-final against Kerry due to the high number of Covid incidents within their panel. Declan Bogue spoke to joint-manager Feargal Logan who has appealed for a re-fixture of the showdown

Declan Bogue: Feargal, Tyrone have stated they will not be playing Kerry this Saturday, What would you like instead.

Feargal Logan: Ideally, we would like to play a meaningful, competitive All-Ireland semi-final against Kerry.

We earned the right to do that in three tough games in Ulster. And we are somewhat in the hands of others at this stage.

We have had the full cross-section of Covid at this stage in our panel, from hospitalisation, to boys who have had relatively limited symptoms. But we have a heavy body of players in the middle who have been struck down by this virus and who are now in the return to play protocol. We still have some guys who haven't returned to play and we are six days out from the fixture.

We have had expert medical advice, within our own group of medics in the panel, and Professor Paddy Mallon of UCD and St Vincent's who is a disease control expert.

He has provided a written report to us and the report is clear that it is unsafe to play next weekend, and every day that goes by after that, particularly in another week, would make it significantly safer in terms of the return to play protocol.


Now, this virus is a virus that affects the heart and the lungs and to be perfectly honest I am deeply concerned about the overall position, whatever the consequences. I am also deeply concerned about next January when Tyrone try to line up a team of players and they aren't fit and if there are any residual issues arising through this phase of Covid in our panel.

All things considered, this has been the most challenging thing I have ever been involved in, in football. I have been in a lot of challenging positions right through the Troubles and onwards. But this has been the most challenging.


We battled through an Ulster final and we thought we could stay competitive and we took players out of commission where we felt it would be unsafe.

Now, we are unsafe to proceed in six days' time and that is the difficult position we find ourselves in.

Maybe the experts in Croke Park, their medics, should speak to our medics and the two sets should genuinely sit down and ask: 'What is a safe return to play for all involved?' We are in Croke Park's hands now. Of course, we would love them to give us three weeks. But we understand that life must go on and Tyrone cannot hold everyone to ransom unduly. That's why we hope to get at least another seven, eight days out of it, from where it is at.

DB: How much have the Croke Park authorities been in touch with you on this?

FL: We sent our data down. It is a mess and we deeply regret it. We deeply apologise and regret the inconvenience we are causing Kerry at the moment, and to the Association at large.

But there is a player safety and welfare issue. We cannot cut across it and we find ourselves in this difficult bind. We are bound by this at the moment and we are in no position to tell other people what to do.

We just hope that we can get the benefit of playing the fixture.

DB: Can you tell us the actual numbers of infection in the group?

FL: Well, Croke Park have our spreadsheet of numbers. We have had Public Health in and over the last number of weeks, we have had at least 17 or more positive tests, most of whom have played in this year's Championship. Four or more in the backroom.

So, the bottom line is other guys have had to isolate, other guys have done lateral flow tests and have been sent home from training, and then they came up negative.

We have a serious problem. Genuinely speaking, the Tyrone county board, and Feargal Logan and Brian Dooher do not go to this length, unduly and without a serious issue and serious concerns. Nothing would please us more than to turn into Croke Park next weekend and play a game.

It hasn't been pretty. We have had one player hospitalised. We are not doing this lightly.

We tested everybody in our ability ahead of the Ulster final with Lateral Flow tests. When we went to Killarney, we did 50-something Lateral Flows before we left.

We are monitoring and mitigating as best we can the risk within our camp.

We then went to Croke Park and Public Health because we were concerned about a week or more ago. They came then on the last Saturday and did a fresh set of tests for those that hadn't been tested. Public health set up a mobile unit in Garvaghey.

The net position is that there are 20 or more in the group who have had positive tests, 17 players, a significant number of whom have played in this year's Championship.

DB: Are you satisfied with the preventative protocols and measures?

FL: We resisted meeting as a group at any time, up and until we were properly entitled to by the Association.

That was in honour of the Association's regulations, but also because the public mood and the public opinion in January and February was not good or favourable and we didn't want to trifle with the situation.

Since then and even when we were allowed to open dressing rooms, we didn't open dressing rooms. We stayed outside, there were no shower facilities available. Every meeting we have had has been outside. Open-air video meetings.

If anything did move indoors, such as gym, it was very tightly regulated for any period for players.

We have tried to honour every protocol and every action to do with Covid. Whether people accept that or otherwise is beyond our control. I can assure you of that position.

DB: Are any of these cases due to the group meeting for post-match celebrations?

FL: This is a community-based issue. We have guys on our team who are not given to even going out, they are locked into their football, and they are down with this.

We at all times have endeavoured to stay away and avoid anything to do with this virus as a group, in our work and socially with the players. But regrettably, the best experts in the world have tried to batten down this virus, get to the sources, get to their transmission and we find ourselves in this position, howsoever it arose.

DB: So players who did not attend post-Ulster final celebrations, have it?

FL: It's a whole cross-section of our panel. We remain an amateur sport and it is in the community.

The numbers in this part of the world, Mid-Ulster, are the highest I believe in Ireland or the UK.

DB: Tomás ÓSé has asked why this has affected Tyrone and not any of the other panels left in the competition.

FL: The bottom line is, regrettably, a large part of that is just coincidence and luck. And I hope it doesn't find itself in any other panel because I wouldn't recommend this to anybody.

I am just hoping it will not happen to any other panel as it has been very disruptive in our panel.

We don't feel particularly good about the disruption we are causing across Ireland, but we just have to deal with it.

Ultimately it goes back to a player safety and welfare issue and we cannot trifle with that. We have to act in the best interests of our own panel and our own players. That's the position we find ourselves in.

DB: How are the training sessions right now?

FL: There's an open stand in Garvaghey and the players would throw their bags in that. Now we put a video screen up in that stand and do everything there.

The players park beside the stand and drive away from there.

The main complex in Garvaghey hasn't been opened for virtually a year and a half. The Hub gym, we had some usage of with some strict measures. And we tried to conduct a few things in there, but that is now months ago.

DB: How are you doing your strength and conditioning work?

FL: They are asked to go to their own home gyms, or their private places.

But all of that has been totally gone for weeks now. We had a spell of weather where things were lovely, but the last couple of weeks there's been a few mucky nights up there. That's life, we have to just get into the car and head home.

But there has been no preparation for any game, let alone a game of this importance. And we are going to have to carry that with us, if we do get the opportunity, we are going to hit a point where we have to focus on football.

DB: What are the levels of vaccination in the panel?

FL: There are a series of players in the panel who are vaccinated.

Obviously, vaccination is a personal choice. They were kept updated by us consistently, as to the timings of vaccinations at the different age groups.

That didn't come about until late May, June, until it got in around the age group of this cohort.

In fairness, part of the consideration this year was because it was a compressed league and Championship, we were anxious that if guys were vaccinated they might go under for two weeks. And that might inhibit their performance.

Vaccination has been a conundrum. We didn't make it mandatory across the board. There are some players vaccinated for a variety of reasons, be they on the front line, or work in health.

It's one of those things, even with the vaccination, people are still getting it and with first-hand experience of that, it lays you low.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-40359944.html

The dodging and weaving on the post-match celebrations question particularly telling.

The bit about being anxious that lads might be missing for two weeks if they got vaccinated and being worried that it might inhibit their performance is just car crash stuff.

Think Tomás ÓSé is grasping at straws. Tyrone is a more densely populated area than Kerry. Adding in the fact that NI has the highest transmission rate in the UK its not hard to figure out how the virus raced through the squad.

There will be some outcry if Tyrone turn up with a full deck plus a fit McShane and Canavan lining out and manage to beat Kerry.

Surely, most true Gaels want to see two full strength teams?

There would be no outcry. Our Armagh brethren are scrabbling around attempting to build this into something more. Just like old times.

I hope you are at full strength. Will be funnier when you are beaten

Tyrone are happy to provide entertainment to Armagh in their off season from June -Dec. It would be a long winter for ya otherwise.

Wonder if some of the  Armagh supporters realise how sad they sound when they have to wait for tyrone to be knocked out of the championship in order to find enjoyment

Have to say, as a Derry man with absolutely no love for Tyrone, the Kerry statement lacked class. Tyrone always should have got the extra week they requested. Any talk that they are at it is absolute madness. That's not to say I won't wind up Tyrone ones that they were 

Has been plenty of chat on Twitter about Tyrone's history of mastery of the dark arts and that unless evidence of Covid in the players was produced, there is a high likelihood that it was all a ploy to rest injured players. They are an awful shower  but they have earned the right to play the SF.

Drat, you've sussed the dark masterplan

I would have thought they would have to produce evidence of the covid cases.

There will be some outcry if Tyrone turn up with a full deck plus a fit McShane and Canavan lining out and manage to beat Kerry.

Why would there be? Mcshane has came on the last 3 games. Against monghan he was on for about 30 minutes and I think canavan came on late against monaghan as well

Sunday game showing a few more strikes by the small brothers. Absolute tramps, closed fist off the ball strikes.

Which Tyrone "tr**p" broke Paddy Andrews' jaw? The sanctimonious bull**it from Tyrone supporters is sickening. Come on Kerry.

Morgan tackle just missed his shoulder. Small was a full frontal challenge. Bit of a difference. If you called out Morgan for it then you should have no issue calling out small.