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There is a lot made these days of 'peaking' and the likes training wise. This isn't like the club where they run the shite out of you for 2 months. Go straight into 5 games....then back into another pre season camp if you haven't won 3 of the 5.

At any county, training is tailored accordingly to both individual and position. They'll have been doing their gym programmes over the last X amount of months - to get to the county you need to be of obviously above the norm physical excellence anyway so very little 'peaking' needs to be done, it's more a refinement process bearing in mind you are dealing with the best of the best anyway.

Obviously some lads will need to work on certain aspects to improve their game, but they don't go up to Garvaghy and run sprint after sprint until they are sick - there is a time and place for that obviously but by and large, lots of Tyrone training time is spent on patterns of play / defensive structure etc. I'd imagine if you pick any night to go and watch Tyrone train over the next few months you'd be surprised how little they do. It's more keeping the dog on the leash right now.

I would say the main difference is, if you go and watch their tackling drills etc - the intensity will catch the eye more than anything. The pressure exerted will be up a level to anything at the club and that's really one of the major differences between club and county - there isn't any amount of sprints you can do that will match the sheer empty feeling of tackling drills especially at that level, I'm sure.

Of course their is 'peaking' applied to county teams

There are a couple of changes from the team named to the team starting

United on the verge of completing their first transfer of the summer. Daniel James from Swansea - 15Mill

Think the last 2 championship meetings had around 11 k at them. Far cry from the 30 k at 1996 Ulster semi.

What sort of crowd would you be expecting on Saturday?

I'm not sure you'll get 1000 Derry Supporters. If it had been Live on TV you could cut that figure even further.

hardly be too many there Saturday but I'd say around 10 k on Sunday. Tyrone 1/10 favourites so alot of people will wait for a potential Donegal semi.

Oops, us Derry folk would maybe be better going on Saturday than Sunday

Think the last 2 championship meetings had around 11 k at them. Far cry from the 30 k at 1996 Ulster semi.

What sort of crowd would you be expecting on Saturday?

I'm not sure you'll get 1000 Derry Supporters. If it had been Live on TV you could cut that figure even further.

London Irish have signed fly-half Paddy Jackson for their return to the Premiership from French club Perpignan.

It is just over a year since the 27-year-old's contract with the Irish RFU was terminated in the wake of being found not guilty of rape after a trial.

He and team-mate Stuart Olding were acquitted, but they were sacked over messages exchanged via text and social media, which were revealed in court.




Irish have not revealed the length of Jackson's contract with the club.

He will reunite with former coaches Declan Kidney and Les Kiss at Irish. Kidney awarded Jackson the first of his 25 Ireland caps in 2013, while Kiss has coached the stand-off at both Ulster and Ireland.

"Players of the calibre of Paddy Jackson do not become available very often and both myself and Les are looking forward to working with him in the future" Kidney said.

"He is a player with proven international quality who we feel will add value to our squad, and it is pleasing that Paddy sees London Irish as a part of his future."

Irish returned to the Premiership after a season in the Championship - they won the second tier by 13 points, recording wins in 20 of their 22 games.

In June 2018, IRFU performance director David Nucifora said Jackson and Olding could return to play for Ireland in the future, but currently Ireland only select players who play for one of the country's four Pro14 sides.

"I'm delighted to be joining London Irish next season at such an exciting and pivotal time for everyone involved with the club," Jackson said.

"London Irish have a clear vision for where they want to be and I look forward to being part of it."




From BBC

Can't remember the week of an Ulster Championship match being as quiet.

What about the last 2 times we played Tyrone in the first round??

Weren't quite as bad as this. I mean out and about, around the club & at other games this past week or two no chat of it at all.

Can't remember the week of an Ulster Championship match being as quiet.

This is as stupid as, who's better? Iron Man or Superman! Daft

Agreed, think we should all agree that we had two freaks of nature in the one era

I agree, Messi for me 

Greenlough sacking their managers after winning 3 out of 4 games??!!!

What's the story there?

Enda Lynn has informed his Greenlough teammates that he won't be playing this season, due to the committee's decision to sack the manager.

Yep, sacking Conway has come at some cost!

Sounds like you just need your gluteus maximus resized 😆

Where is the corner forward Liam Quinn? I thought he was one of their better players last year but doesn't look to be about this year.

(I suspect with winning the league last year they may be more worried about peaking for c'ship too.)

Liam Quinn is injured - think he played in their first league game

Fat Ronaldo shouldn't even come into this debate.

Random one.

The near side of my driver seat has ended up with a 4-5 inch rip in it. People probably know where i'm talking about as it seems quite common.

1) I've never understood how the rip occurred/got worse over the past couple of year
2) What's the best way of fixing etc?

I see the Sunday Game schedule is out today and this is not on it. Is the BBC/ SKY schedule announced yet?

SKY released theirs today also