Tyrone County Football and Hurling

[square_ball]

I see Niall Morgan has confirmed he is to return for another season. Only for him and Canavan I would dread to see where we would have ended up this season. His comments about Jim McGuinness interesting too.

NIALL Morgan has guaranteed to return with Tyrone in 2025 and ruled out any more attempts at landing an NFL contract.

The 32-year-old goalkeeper ranked the 2024 season as his best yet in a Tyrone jersey, though it was another disappointing campaign for the group overall following an All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final exit.

Morgan described it as another season 'not wasted, but left behind I suppose', acknowledging that they have had 'three difficult years' since collecting the Sam Maguire Cup in 2021.

But supporters will be heartened to hear that he fully intends on returning to the county set-up again for a 13th year.

"Absolutely, yeah," said Morgan when asked if he'll keep going.

"I have no notion of retiring yet. Goalkeepers seem to be able to go on a bit longer. It is tough and it's a lot of commitment, I have a wife and two kids.

"Christy is now starting to play football for Edendork, so I'm not one of the U6 coaches! I actually get tasked with the U5s, which is even more difficult.

"I don't want to miss out on it because only for my Dad being there and pushing me on, I wouldn't have gotten to where I am now so I have to consider them as well."

Morgan attended an NFL international combine in England after the 2023 inter-county season. Down's Charlie Smyth was there too and eventually earned a lucrative contract in the US. Morgan said that there won't be any second attempts to play in the NFL.

"I went to Birmingham in October and performed really well," said Morgan, a primary school principal.

"I was probably in the top two selections over there. But I had a bad day in Dublin and it just knocked me out of the top five and I didn't get across to America.

"The door is closed now. I tried it, I'm glad I tried it and I have no regrets in terms of trying it but I'm content now with where I'm at with the job and all in school, everything seems to be going well in that regard. I think I'm more content this year than last year."

Morgan lamented Tyrone's inability to string a number of wins together in the period since winning the All-Ireland.

They did knock Donegal out of last year's Championship though, beating a struggling Tír Chonaill by 1-18 to 0-13 in an All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final.

A year on, Donegal look a rejuvenated team under Jim McGuinness, have won Division Two and Ulster titles and will face Galway in Sunday's All-Ireland semi-final. Morgan puts the turnaround down to the influence of McGuinness.

"The belief that Jimmy McGuinness brings to them, it's huge," said Morgan.

"From the minute he was appointed, Donegal were winning things again. Surely, he's not that good!

"It has shown that no matter what he says, they do. We went in at half-time against them in Celtic Park and thought that we were pushing ahead in the game but he just seemed to find an answer to the facets that the game opens up to.

"It must be unbelievable to be in a changing room with him and I just think Donegal have bought into it. To him, it doesn't matter who you are.

"He's not afraid to call you out. You can hear him shouting at different players and telling them what to do and I think that's massively important as well."

[toby47]

I see Niall Morgan has confirmed he is to return for another season. Only for him and Canavan I would dread to see where we would have ended up this season. His comments about Jim McGuinness interesting too.

NIALL Morgan has guaranteed to return with Tyrone in 2025 and ruled out any more attempts at landing an NFL contract.

The 32-year-old goalkeeper ranked the 2024 season as his best yet in a Tyrone jersey, though it was another disappointing campaign for the group overall following an All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final exit.

Morgan described it as another season 'not wasted, but left behind I suppose', acknowledging that they have had 'three difficult years' since collecting the Sam Maguire Cup in 2021.

But supporters will be heartened to hear that he fully intends on returning to the county set-up again for a 13th year.

"Absolutely, yeah," said Morgan when asked if he'll keep going.

"I have no notion of retiring yet. Goalkeepers seem to be able to go on a bit longer. It is tough and it's a lot of commitment, I have a wife and two kids.

"Christy is now starting to play football for Edendork, so I'm not one of the U6 coaches! I actually get tasked with the U5s, which is even more difficult.

"I don't want to miss out on it because only for my Dad being there and pushing me on, I wouldn't have gotten to where I am now so I have to consider them as well."

Morgan attended an NFL international combine in England after the 2023 inter-county season. Down's Charlie Smyth was there too and eventually earned a lucrative contract in the US. Morgan said that there won't be any second attempts to play in the NFL.

"I went to Birmingham in October and performed really well," said Morgan, a primary school principal.

"I was probably in the top two selections over there. But I had a bad day in Dublin and it just knocked me out of the top five and I didn't get across to America.

"The door is closed now. I tried it, I'm glad I tried it and I have no regrets in terms of trying it but I'm content now with where I'm at with the job and all in school, everything seems to be going well in that regard. I think I'm more content this year than last year."

Morgan lamented Tyrone's inability to string a number of wins together in the period since winning the All-Ireland.

They did knock Donegal out of last year's Championship though, beating a struggling Tír Chonaill by 1-18 to 0-13 in an All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final.

A year on, Donegal look a rejuvenated team under Jim McGuinness, have won Division Two and Ulster titles and will face Galway in Sunday's All-Ireland semi-final. Morgan puts the turnaround down to the influence of McGuinness.

"The belief that Jimmy McGuinness brings to them, it's huge," said Morgan.

"From the minute he was appointed, Donegal were winning things again. Surely, he's not that good!

"It has shown that no matter what he says, they do. We went in at half-time against them in Celtic Park and thought that we were pushing ahead in the game but he just seemed to find an answer to the facets that the game opens up to.

"It must be unbelievable to be in a changing room with him and I just think Donegal have bought into it. To him, it doesn't matter who you are.

"He's not afraid to call you out. You can hear him shouting at different players and telling them what to do and I think that's massively important as well."

Interesting indeed

[An Watcher]

Thought the same myself.  A little dig at Tyrone management without actually coming out and saying it.

[clarshack]

When you look at how Armagh put it up to Kerry today compared to us last year a lot of people in the Tyrone Senior setup need to take a good look at themselves in the mirror this evening.

[scout]

A hard look at themselves over the last 3years

[RedHand88]

When you look at how Armagh put it up to Kerry today compared to us last year a lot of people in the Tyrone Senior setup need to take a good look at themselves in the mirror this evening.

I was thinking the exact same today. If Armagh can get to an all ireland final, what's stopping us?

[Mikhailov]

When you look at how Armagh put it up to Kerry today compared to us last year a lot of people in the Tyrone Senior setup need to take a good look at themselves in the mirror this evening.

I was thinking the exact same today. If Armagh can get to an all ireland final, what's stopping us?

The answer to that is fairly obvious!!

[God14]

When you look at how Armagh put it up to Kerry today compared to us last year a lot of people in the Tyrone Senior setup need to take a good look at themselves in the mirror this evening.

I was thinking the exact same today. If Armagh can get to an all ireland final, what's stopping us?

The answer to that is fairly obvious!!

100%

[Quarterbackk]

When you look at how Armagh put it up to Kerry today compared to us last year a lot of people in the Tyrone Senior setup need to take a good look at themselves in the mirror this evening.

I was thinking the exact same today. If Armagh can get to an all ireland final, what's stopping us?

The answer to that is fairly obvious!!

100%

It would seem the answer is fairly obvious but we have bigger issues that need dealt with. Dooher and Logan are doing their best. The thought that a lad can join the county panel, not kick a ball and not be allowed to play for his club is wrong - and this can go on for years.  The reason so many lads are walking away from the setup is because they just want to play football. Clubs invest much into management etc and the lad sitting on the bench for the county comes under serious pressure if he is not playing and hence he may not fulfill his potential.  Solution - The Tyrone championship is the Carrot. Revert back to 1A & 1B - not as much pressure associated with relegation and those teams in 1A and 1B get a crack at senior championship. The recent Sunday, Wednesday Friday fixture list show no regard for the club player.  Dooher and Logan may need to freshen up the thing but the county board could help the situation.

[An Watcher]

The above has nothing to do with not being able to beat roscommon at home, not being able to put 2 good performances together in years and to not being able to win a match when it is in the melting pot

[An Watcher]

I feel for the older members of the squad whose career will finish under dooher and logan.  2 more years of this.   Ah well, in 2 years time the young bucks should have decent experience in time for a decent management team to come in

[GaaGPT]

Would Devlin not be a good addition back in the the management team?

[ONeill]

Hopefully Armagh winning acts as some kind of spark for the county team and supporters.

[NotedObserver]

I hope so and the fact Tyrone have beaten them in recent history should also provide the drive to improve. Tho they have raised it a level this year with all their squad available. The conditioning, tactics and the belief they have is vastly ahead of Tyrone at the moment

[Scoring Zone]

Since 2021, Derry, Donegal and now Armagh have overtaken us ( and Down could be argued are coming but are a fair way away), which in their case it is richly deserved, however the slope down for Tyrone has been rapid, poor conditioning, tactics and players dropping off - huge 6 months in store for these Tyrone players, although I hear there are 4 or 5 players carrying long term injuries so hopefully that is BS