Messages

[Derrylaughan]

Moy v Derrylaughan - Derrylaughan to edge this one in a close contest - was up in Moy last weekend and the Moy fell apart in 2nd half. Colm cav will be a major asset coming back though
Galbally v Trillick - Galbally to run them tight in the early stages but the Trillick machine to prevail in the 2nd half.. They are drilled like robots
Killyclogher v Carrickmore - Up for debate but I think (hope) we will have enough fire power to handle KC main men and push our selves over the line.. Gormley instrumental still and will show it
Loughmacrory v Dungannon - By a landslide I think. Young and tough LMC side but just that year or 2 too early to compete with the bigger teams.
Ardboe v Donaghmore - Ardboe are a notorious championship side and should lift it putting league form behind them - 3 pt victory
Errigal Ciaran v Pomeroy - Errigal by 5 or 6 - Pomeroy as shown before are capable of mixing with errigal and the likes but still fancy EC to have too much
Omagh v Dromore - Draw written all over this one. Tie of the weekend

Call me biased but I've a feeling Carmen will prevail by 2/3 points this evening!! Daly should have the right men assigned to Killycloghers 4/5 danger men - not much else down the flanks. Expecting a massive battle and I do know it could swing either way.

Full house expected in Edendork if stories are to be believed... Cherry pickers/Telehandlers etc may also be spotted for the die hards. Be interesting to see how it is handled and a benchmark set for other clubs to follow in hosting games. 

Who were the players sent off for Omagh and Dromore yest during the brawl? Been a few years from Dromore were involved in fisty cuffs within the stand....

Carmen threw away a 6 or 7 point lead in the second half with Ardboe equalising with a goal in the 7th minute of added time.. Mark donnelly got the ball from the resulting kick out and ran from midfield before gormley slipped him the ball for the winner. Fresher looking team this year with Jonny munroe bubba loughran etc making a return with gormley and daly coming on from the bench to try kill the game.

Cookstown will be happy, should get through to the semi finals without too much trouble and then a great chance of promotion.
Division 2 a mine field as usual but you would fancy Edendork to come through to the semi finals, other 3 teams really could be anyone.
If relegation was included division 1 would have seen some games, 1B would have been brilliant viewing, but not to be unfortunately.

The original ccc memo said only the top team in each group goes to the league final. Has that changed?

I think so! After the first 4 games are completed in the league it was suggested that the first round of the championship would begin. Not sure if this would be a good idea. Say a team is beat in the first round.. unlikely they would want to field the rest of their league games if they are going to be meaningless anyway

[Dromore]

First 3 of us have Carrickmore beat. Must get onto the bookies here and get money on them 

I'll break the trend sure..

Round 1      
Killyclogher   v   Dromore
Ardboe   v   Dungannon
Loughmacrory   v   Pomeroy
Donaghmore   v   Omagh
An Charraig Mhor   v   Galbally
Errigal Ciaran   v   Clonoe
Coalisland   v   Derrylaughan
Moy   v   Trillick

Not much talk of the fixtures given the outrage at how long it took for them to be released.  Few interesting first round fixtures in D1;

Round 1      
Killyclogher   v   Dromore
Ardboe   v   Dungannon
Loughmacrory   v   Pomeroy
Donaghmore   v   Omagh
An Charraig Mhor   v   Galbally
Errigal Ciaran   v   Clonoe
Coalisland   v   Derrylaughan
Moy   v   Trillick

[Gormley probably kept them in the Championship v Edendork last year. This could be the year it all catches up with them.]

I'll have a go at this then for a bit of value, lets see who times proves correct.


Clonoe v Coalisland

I'll have a go with the Rahillys here, Coalisland are an ageing team at this stage and O'Hagan probably won't be the man to finish off players that have served him well in the past. I think Clonoe will benefit massively from McAliskey with the club all year and the McDonnell factor might bring a bite of badness back to Clonoe. Clonoe gave Trillick a good run of it last year but ultimately just didn't have enough, they'll quietly fancy themselves to chin Coalisland. Tie of the round.

Moy v Derrylaughan

Great tie for both teams who I reckon will be struggling badly in the league by the time this game comes around. This one could go eitherway, I'd stick my head on the block for Derrylaughan as any kind of injury to either of the Cavanaghs will finish off the Moy hopes. Won't be surprised if this one ends in the annual brawl that the first round of the Championship usually brings.

Galbally v Trillick

Trillick are Trillick, do the basics so well - don't make many mistakes and have about 4/5 players all capable of scoring their quota. They'll be favourites for this and the Championship so I can't really see past them myself. But Galbally will not be one bit worried about playing them, in a strange way this could be the best tie they could have got. I fancy Galbally to be rightly up in the league come this one being played - I think Trillick will win this by experience but don't think it will be the walkover some might predict.

Killyclogher v Carrickmore

What do Carrickmore have left in the tank? Still playing a right few of the older players, Gormley probably kept them in the Championship v Edendork last year. This could be the year it all catches up with them. Killyclogher are a very good senior side. I would imagine they'll win this one but Carrickmore won't give them anything on the plate that can be certain.

Loughmacrory v Dungannon

Has to be Dungannon, learned hard lessons v Omagh last year. Recruitment of a former Tyrone U20 player. now and the pressure will be on with this draw to go on a bit of a run. Loughmacrory have a lot of very good young players - this could be one of the games of the first round. The Lough will have no fear of Dungannon but Dungannon now have that years experience. Lough might be going balls out in first 8/9 league games to get the points and could be worn down by that stage depending on how Senior football treats them on their return.

Ardboe v Donaghmore

Fancy Donaghmore to struggle in the league. They've always been comfortable without setting the world alight in Senior. Do they have anything about them or ambition? This draw gives them a big chance to take on a good team and make a statement. I think Ardboe will be too cute and probably might just resort to bullying Donaghmore to get the job done.

Errigal Ciaran v Pomeroy

The disaster draw for Pomeroy. With all their county men fit and up to speed they'll give it a good rattle - they'll fancy themselves but Senior will be tough for them this year. Depends how they hold up with injury and how they are doing in the league but Errigal go into this one as heavy favourites and probably the tie you'll put the house on right now if forced to pick a winner.

Omagh v Dromore

Dromore have a huge point to prove to all of Tyrone after last year. That will be ringing in their ears at every training session from now to this tie. I can imagine exactly what they are being told up in Gardrum every night. What happened them last year won't be allowed to happen again. Omagh are a very good team though, this will be a great game. I will call this one a draw with Omagh to go on in the replay for a bit of variety. Both teams need to win this one as their recent Championship records haven't been great and should be one of the ties of the opening round too.

Gormley didn't start vs Edendork or Errigal through injury although he did pop up with a wonder score at a vital time against Edendork.  I am not even sure if he has been out training yet this year. With Jonny Munroe + Ruairi Loughran returning from Oz and a few of last years minors threw into the mix I would have to disagree that it may all catch up on us this year and would in fact hope that this may be the start of a new generation of players kicking on from breeding a few new faces in last year.. Interesting tie vs KC who are in a similar position to ourselves

[Coalisland]

I suppose whats a championship draw without an early season prediction.

Senior Championship First Round

Clonoe v Coalisland

Moy v Derrylaughan

Galbally v Trillick

Killyclogher v Carrickmore

Loughmacrory v Dungannon

Ardboe v Donaghmore

Errigal Ciaran v Pomeroy

Omagh v Dromore

Tyrone Championship draw live tonight on Tyrone GAA Facebook @7.45pm.  Sure to get a few ding dusters in the Division 1 draw as usual. 

Off me head, venues that can hold floodlight fixtures...

* Stewartstown
* Greencastle
* Eoghan Ruadh, Dungannon
* Fintona (Training)
* Dromore (Training)
* Carrickmore (Training)

To add, has the work at Garvaghy on its floodlight pitch been completed, and is Strabane's training pitch suitably floodlight?

Our training pitch wouldn't be great for hosting a match.. With the side pitch next the river under development the training pitch is having to take serious football - I think it is planned for it to be tore up next year and drained which is badly needed.

Championship matches should not be played on training pitches end of story.

Agreed, no training pitches/bogs or silage fields.. Hopefully this takes Dungannon out of the equation

Off me head, venues that can hold floodlight fixtures...

* Stewartstown
* Greencastle
* Eoghan Ruadh, Dungannon
* Fintona (Training)
* Dromore (Training)
* Carrickmore (Training)

To add, has the work at Garvaghy on its floodlight pitch been completed, and is Strabane's training pitch suitably floodlight?

Our training pitch wouldn't be great for hosting a match.. With the side pitch next the river under development the training pitch is having to take serious football - I think it is planned for it to be tore up next year and drained which is badly needed.

Carrickmore the front runner always well run on big match days.

I suppose they let Omagh play county finals on their home pitch, no reason why this year should be no different... 

Championship draw this day week apparently. With Healy Park out of action from the start of the summer. Who is likely to host the big games/ county finals?

whos the dark horses for the championship and top 4 league finish this season?

always find these predictions interesting. ill start it off with Dungannon being a top 4 side this season

and ill start by ringing you a taxi

haha very good, we'll see come the end of the year

In fairness they only finished a few points off top 4 last year but a lot of teams will be hoping to improve this year which will leave Dgn lower in the table IMO.