McKenna Cup 2024

[GrandMasterFlash]

Derry V Monaghan in Armagh
Fermanagh V Tyrone in Clones

Thanks FermGael. By the way, you need to update your strapline, given the fact you've one of the best in the business now in T Corrigan.. 

[illdecide]

Armagh always seem to lose out by the narrowest of margins, same with relegation to div 3 last year but i suppose you make your own luck and if im honest they seem to be motoring along rightly and i'd expect them to get promotion to div 2 and a decent run in the championship. I suppose anything would be better than the last 2 years.

Tyrone look like the winners of McKenna cup again and should win the All Ireland too

[Real Talk]

I'd say Cavan happy enough not to be in the semi's .... Tyrone would have gave them beaten' now they have to wait until the League game in Omagh !!!

[Norf Tyrone]

Just off the phone there to the registrar getting the membership paid and to ensure my order for tickets for the final are in.

[FermGael]

Derry V Monaghan in Armagh
Fermanagh V Tyrone in Clones

Thanks FermGael. By the way, you need to update your strapline, given the fact you've one of the best in the business now in T Corrigan.. 

Calm down a minute.  When we have a free taker as reliable as the Tyrone lads I will reconsider

[GrandMasterFlash]

Armagh always seem to lose out by the narrowest of margins, same with relegation to div 3 last year but i suppose you make your own luck and if im honest they seem to be motoring along rightly and i'd expect them to get promotion to div 2 and a decent run in the championship. I suppose anything would be better than the last 2 years.

Tyrone look like the winners of McKenna cup again and should win the All Ireland too

And when they were progressing to, and won the All Ireland they always seemed to win by the narrowest of margins, never hammering any team.. 

[GrandMasterFlash]

Am I right in saying that Armagh's scoring average actually went down after their 3 point win tonight. Before the game it was 43/28= 1.714 and afterwards it was 61/42=1.45? Seems a strange method to use to decide placings.

I disagree, scoring average is probably the best decision method as in considers both your attacking (for) and defensive strengths (against).

[westbound]

Am I right in saying that Armagh's scoring average actually went down after their 3 point win tonight. Before the game it was 43/28= 1.714 and afterwards it was 61/42=1.45? Seems a strange method to use to decide placings.

I disagree, scoring average is probably the best decision method as in considers both your attacking (for) and defensive strengths (against).

does scoring average not encourage defensive play?

based on my maths, you are better off winning low scoring matches than high scoring matches!

e.g. For 10 points
against 5 points
Average = 2

To get an average of 2 with a high scoring game would mean you have to win by a bigger margin to keep the same average.
e.g. if you scored 30 points, you would have to win the game by 15 points to get an average of 2.

Personally, I don't see the logic in using averages instead of scoring difference.

Am I missing something?

[No wides]

It's a balls of a competition anyways, apart from Tyrone who gives a shit - fair play to Donegal giving the U21's a run out.

[lenny]

Am I right in saying that Armagh's scoring average actually went down after their 3 point win tonight. Before the game it was 43/28= 1.714 and afterwards it was 61/42=1.45? Seems a strange method to use to decide placings.

I disagree, scoring average is probably the best decision method as in considers both your attacking (for) and defensive strengths (against).

does scoring average not encourage defensive play?

based on my maths, you are better off winning low scoring matches than high scoring matches!

e.g. For 10 points
against 5 points
Average = 2

To get an average of 2 with a high scoring game would mean you have to win by a bigger margin to keep the same average.
e.g. if you scored 30 points, you would have to win the game by 15 points to get an average of 2.

Personally, I don't see the logic in using averages instead of scoring difference.

Am I missing something?

Correct, if you win every game by 0.2 to 0.1 you would have an average of 2.0 even though you only have a points difference of +3.  Also is it possible to calculate an average if you keep the other team scoreless?

[Redhand Santa]

It's a balls of a competition anyways, apart from Tyrone who gives a shit - fair play to Donegal giving the U21's a run out.

Derry seemed to care in last years final. Most teams use it to give new players a go but still go out to win the games. Donegal are the only county team that don't take it seriously at all and should be thrown out of the competition. Most of the ulster counties don't win anything most years so maybe they should give it a go. Doesn't do you any harm winning it as Tyrone proved last year by going on to win Ulster.

[Fuzzman]

When did they start using it?
I always thought score difference was the best method after head to head of course.

I think Harte takes it seriously because he likes to get his teams into the winning habit as early as possible.
Winning breeds confidence and if you look at what teams Tyrone have lost to the last two years
2016 Mayo - All-Ireland finalists
2015 Kerry - All-Ireland finalists & Donegal

It is also a chance for the new players to show their worth and it looks like Lee Brennan, Ronan McHugh and Cahir McCullagh has already showed they know where the posts are. With Div 1 being so competitive it could be hard for this players to get a chance otherwise.

[BennyHarp]

It's a balls of a competition anyways, apart from Tyrone who gives a shit - fair play to Donegal giving the U21's a run out.

What benefit exactly would either Donegal seniors or U21 team get from shipping a 23 point hammering last night? And you are praising this policy? Mickey may take it seriously but he always gives 4 or 5 new players a run in each game. Much better to see how they perform in a competitive environment than the shambles that was Donegal last night. It always makes me laugh when people criticize a team for winning matches.

[Captain Obvious]

It's a balls of a competition anyways, apart from Tyrone who gives a shit - fair play to Donegal giving the U21's a run out.

What benefit exactly would either Donegal seniors or U21 team get from shipping a 23 point hammering last night? And you are praising this policy? Mickey may take it seriously but he always gives 4 or 5 new players a run in each game. Much better to see how they perform in a competitive environment than the shambles that was Donegal last night. It always makes me laugh when people criticize a team for winning matches.

Made no sense at all for Donegal to throw their U21s into a senior competition. A trimming like that last night was always possible and the Donegal U21s who would have been one of the favourites to win the All Ireland this spring will now have a damaged mindset and probably get turned over in Ulster

[J70]

It's a balls of a competition anyways, apart from Tyrone who gives a shit - fair play to Donegal giving the U21's a run out.

What benefit exactly would either Donegal seniors or U21 team get from shipping a 23 point hammering last night? And you are praising this policy? Mickey may take it seriously but he always gives 4 or 5 new players a run in each game. Much better to see how they perform in a competitive environment than the shambles that was Donegal last night. It always makes me laugh when people criticize a team for winning matches.

The issue in Donegal is giving the senior squad a rest. The younger seniors are getting runs out with their colleges anyway, whereas the McKenna Cup is of f**k all benefit to the likes of Neil Gallagher, Neil McGee, Karl Lacey or Frank McGlynn. A fair few of these U-21s have an opportunity to push for a senior spot this year and next, because we're heading into a transition period with the retirements and a couple of boys opting out. Plus, there is probably a bit of a jaded view of this competition in Donegal anyway - we won it twice under John Joe Doherty when no one else gave a bollocks, and John Joe's two year term, with all due respect, was not impressive (I've sympathy for him down to the way he got the appointment with the insanity over himself and Mulgrew/Bonner both being promised the job, but we ended each season with the Cork and Crossmaglen debacles, respectively, and a general appearance of tactical cluelessness all around).

I say fair play to Mickey though. It hasn't hurt Tyrone taking it seriously and, as you say, has probably helped overall in that they'll be well ready for the league, whereas the Donegal seniors are likely to be a bit rusty. If it helps freshen the legs in July though, who'll remember?