McKenna Cup 2024

[TabClear]

Great result for Tyrone today. I didn'texpect them to compete with a strong looking donegal  team but it sounds like they were that bit hungrier. Anyone at the game who could post up any stand out performances?

[sam03/05]

Great performance from a young Tyrone team.
Thought Tiernan McCann was superb, great athlete.
Ronan O'Neill was very good, Niall McKenna put in a great shift and covered every blade of grass.

Given that there is about 10 first team starters not even in the
Squad, things look good for the year ahead!

[J70]

Just remember boys, its McKenna Cup.

In January.

[never kickt a ball]

Cavan and UUJ ease to Dr McKenna Cup Section C victories

Goals were key as Cavan claimed a 3-12 to 0-12 win over Antrim in the McKenna Cup Section C opener at Creggan.
Cavan led by 1-3 to 0-4 at half-time, with their goal coming in the opening minute from Kevin Tierney.
This game opened up hugely on the restart, with goals from David Givney and Tierney in a 14-minute spell central to victory for the visitors.
Ten players scored for Down in the 1-15 to 0-7 win over UUJ at Newry with Peter Fitzpatrick hitting the goal.
At a wet and windy Creggan, Tierney's first-minute goal gave Cavan an immediate advantage and all Antrim's first-half points came from CJ McGourty with Martin Reily, Eugene Keating and Givney on target for the Breffni County.
Cavan increased their lead to five after the restart as the conditions improved although two Michael Pollock scores then left only a kick of the ball between the sides.
However, Givney's goal increased Cavan's advantage to 2-9 to 0-9 and Tierney hammered in the Breffni County's third goal after good work by Keating.
At Pairc Elser, UUJ started brightly thanks to scores from Antrim's Niall McKeever and Down's Paul McPolin, but Down registered five unanswered points and never looked back.
Mark Poland led the charge for the hosts with five points, with Down leading by 0-7 to 0-3 at the interval.
James McCartan's charges began the second half in the best possible fashion with Fitzpatrick's goal, as they moved 1-11 to 0-3 ahead by the 49th minute.
Caolan O'Boyle, Danny Savage and Danny McClean worked hard for the students but Down were full value for their 11-point win.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/gaelic-games/25616051

Ah god bless the BBC

[never kickt a ball]

Derry defeat Monaghan in Dr McKenna Cup clash at Clones

Ulster champions Monaghan succumbed to Derry as the Oak Leaf County claimed a 2-15 to 2-11 in the Dr McKenna Cup Section B opener at Clones.
Enda Lynn and James Kielt goals helped Derry move 2-4 to 0-6 ahead before Ryan Wylie netted for Monaghan to cut the margin to a point by half-time.
A Christopher McGuinness goal put Monaghan 2-8 to 2-5 ahead but seven unanswered points put Derry in control.
The other Section B game between Fermanagh and St Mary's was postponed.
Monaghan led by 0-4 to 0-2 after 20 minutes helped by two Paudie McKenna points but goals from Lynn and Kielt helped Derry move 2-4 to 0-6 today.
It could have been even better for Derry at that stage as Mark Lynch also hit the woodwork with a goal effort.
Wylie's goal cut the margin to a point at the break as he finished to the net after keeper Thomas Mallon had made a brilliant double-save to deny McGuinness.
Points from Paul Finlay and McGuinness nudged Monaghan ahead after the restart and while Kielt quickly levelled, McGuinness then netted to put the home side three up after the brave Mallon had produced another pointblank save.
However, Derry responded to Monaghan's second goal by striking seven unanswered points to lead by four, which included three Kielt scores and two points from Lynn.
That remained the margin at the finish as Derry held on to beat the Ulster champions.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/gaelic-games/25615405

[Redhand Santa]

Was an impressive second half from a very inexperienced tyrone team. Lots of good performances across the team.

McKinley and McCann did well going forward. Thought Niall McKenna had an average first half but improved at midfield in the second half. Grugan did well for his debut. Mcguigan picked up a lot of ball, needs to use it a bit better at times but that will hopefully come.

O'Neill and McNeice did well up front. The rest of the team also worked hard. Mcrory made a terrible call for the goal but improved after.

[ONeill]

Why was Kane taken off?

Mickey always seems to hit the ground running in Jan. No turkey in Tyrone.

[Redhand Santa]

Didn't notice an injury. Just didn't seem to be happening for him in midfield. I think he's better suited to the forward line at county level.

[stronghold]

Mickey Harte unrepentant over his McKenna Cup stance

Use accessible player and disable flyout menus

Tyrone manager Mickey Harte insists that he has to play his university contingent during the McKenna Cup to prepare his squad for the National League.

The build-up to this year's McKenna Cup has again been dogged by the issue of the university teams losing many of their players to the various county squads but Harte put forward a strong defence of his stance after Sunday's opening win over Donegal.

"Some of the universities will have played 10, 11 or 12 games since late September. We have played no competitive games since we played Mayo (in August)," Harte told BBC Sport Northern Ireland.

"How can we possibly go out to try and formulate a team for the season with the National League starting in the first week of February if we haven't a chance to put our team together?

"It is an inter-county competition. We don't go into any third-level competition and demand that things should be a certain way. They are really invitees to this particular competition.

"They do give us all an extra game and I'm very grateful for that but I think the terms and conditions that we play under should suit inter-county teams first."

[Wildweasel74]

Funny the only person has a real problem with this rule is himself, tyrone have a large pick of players and am sure lads who dont go to uni and havent played for tyrone and may be a prospect dont get a run out. His problems are no different that any other of the county managers. He rather see the Uni out of the competition all together by the sound of it, where as i thought havent them in, brought the Mckenna cup back to life again

[Rawhide]

Funny the only person has a real problem with this rule is himself, tyrone have a large pick of players and am sure lads who dont go to uni and havent played for tyrone and may be a prospect dont get a run out. His problems are no different that any other of the county managers. He rather see the Uni out of the competition all together by the sound of it, where as i thought havent them in, brought the Mckenna cup back to life again

Did you read any of what Harte said, because what he said made logical sense to me especially about having had no games to prepare for the national league with all the players available whereby the uni's have had approx ten games to date already. Nor did u rebuke any of the very valid points he made.

[Walter Cronc]

He also mentioned the fact the Universities have had challenge matches to prepare for the Sigerson. Just because Tyrone choose not to play them shouldn't mean the Universities suffer.

[Redhand Santa]

Funny the only person has a real problem with this rule is himself, tyrone have a large pick of players and am sure lads who dont go to uni and havent played for tyrone and may be a prospect dont get a run out. His problems are no different that any other of the county managers. He rather see the Uni out of the competition all together by the sound of it, where as i thought havent them in, brought the Mckenna cup back to life again

I'd say hartes emphasis on the McKenna cup during a time when tyrone where successful did a lot more for the McKenna cup than bringing in the universities. Personally I don't think they add much to it and the uni games are the ones I least like attending.

[Throw ball]

Mickey Harte unrepentant over his McKenna Cup stance

Use accessible player and disable flyout menus

Tyrone manager Mickey Harte insists that he has to play his university contingent during the McKenna Cup to prepare his squad for the National League.

The build-up to this year's McKenna Cup has again been dogged by the issue of the university teams losing many of their players to the various county squads but Harte put forward a strong defence of his stance after Sunday's opening win over Donegal.

"Some of the universities will have played 10, 11 or 12 games since late September. We have played no competitive games since we played Mayo (in August)," Harte told BBC Sport Northern Ireland.

"How can we possibly go out to try and formulate a team for the season with the National League starting in the first week of February if we haven't a chance to put our team together?

"It is an inter-county competition. We don't go into any third-level competition and demand that things should be a certain way. They are really invitees to this particular competition.

"They do give us all an extra game and I'm very grateful for that but I think the terms and conditions that we play under should suit inter-county teams first."

Just kick Tyrone out if they do not want to play to the same rules as everyone else!

[never kickt a ball]

Mickey Harte unrepentant over his McKenna Cup stance

Use accessible player and disable flyout menus

Tyrone manager Mickey Harte insists that he has to play his university contingent during the McKenna Cup to prepare his squad for the National League.

The build-up to this year's McKenna Cup has again been dogged by the issue of the university teams losing many of their players to the various county squads but Harte put forward a strong defence of his stance after Sunday's opening win over Donegal.

"Some of the universities will have played 10, 11 or 12 games since late September. We have played no competitive games since we played Mayo (in August)," Harte told BBC Sport Northern Ireland.

"How can we possibly go out to try and formulate a team for the season with the National League starting in the first week of February if we haven't a chance to put our team together?

"It is an inter-county competition. We don't go into any third-level competition and demand that things should be a certain way. They are really invitees to this particular competition.

"They do give us all an extra game and I'm very grateful for that but I think the terms and conditions that we play under should suit inter-county teams first."

Is that Tyrone's new tactic? Makes sense to me. Down with them universities and their fly out menus.