Ulster Semifinal- Derry v Tyrone 21/6/09 Casement Park

[Main Street]

I am a bit surprised at the number of predictions of a comfortable Tyrone win.  
A 2 point lead going into injury time would be luxury, a job well done by Tyrone.
A draw wouldn't surprise me.

Keep it clean lads, the whole country will be watching.

[DennistheMenace]

Derry/Tyrone in a completely clean game is very doubtful.

Derry have everything going against them against the current Sam Maguire holders.

[talktothehand]

my heart says tyrone but my head isn't sure. it is just too awful to imagine being beaten by derry. i was born and brought up there for god's sake!! we need to step up a bit though and need big sean, muggsy, stevie and all firing on all cylinders. big joe as sweeper could cut the supply into the bradleys though. fingers crossed!

[ONeill]

A lot of people seem to think Tyrone are playing at Sept 08 standard. They're far from it. I thought Armagh were fairly atrocious and the back door will prove that. Using one tactic - lump her into Clarke - they clawed Tyrone back to the point of implosion for the Red Hands. Derry's defeat of Monaghan for me was more impressive than Tyrone's over Armagh.

If this match was being played in Croker in August I'd be very confident of a Tyrone win. However, it's June in Casement and Derry, despite their injury problems, were the second best team in the league and had Tyrone on the ropes in the second half in Omagh.

I can see a youthful, fealess and energetic Derry causing Tyrone all sorts of problems.

Tyrone 2-16
Derry 0-9

[Overthebar!]

A lot of people seem to think Tyrone are playing at Sept 08 standard. They're far from it. I thought Armagh were fairly atrocious and the back door will prove that. Using one tactic - lump her into Clarke - they clawed Tyrone back to the point of implosion for the Red Hands. Derry's defeat of Monaghan for me was more impressive than Tyrone's over Armagh.

If this match was being played in Croker in August I'd be very confident of a Tyrone win. However, it's June in Casement and Derry, despite their injury problems, were the second best team in the league and had Tyrone on the ropes in the second half in Omagh.

I can see a youthful, fealess and energetic Derry causing Tyrone all sorts of problems.

Tyrone 2-16
Derry 0-9

perhaps one of the most contradictive posts i have seen....

[ExiledGael]

A think that was the point.
He's a nice neighbour is O'Neill!

[the green man]

I'd tend to agree with oneill. If Tyrone can't beat a reserve Derry team by at least 8 points, then they'd have to ask themselves serious questions about where exactly they're going this year.


EDIT: for atrosh atrocui bad spelling

[loughshore lad]

I will be very surprised if its anything but close on sunday.  Its a derby game between bitter rivals - form and logic usually goes out the window.  

As O'Neill correctly points out Tyrone in June is a different animal to that of Tyrone in August and Croker.  Although they definitely have more individual quality than Derry in a one off game this sunday anything could happen.  Cassidy has talked at length this season on the need to convert Derry into a championship quality squad capable of coping with the scenario they faced last year against Monaghan and now potentially on Sunday.  It perfectly set up for him to challenge his squad to illustrate where they stand.  I think we are in for an intriguing game, the cat and mouse game between the respective managers will be fascinating never mind what transpires on the pitch.

[Oakleafer1993]

I will be very surprised if its anything but close on sunday.  Its a derby game between bitter rivals - form and logic usually goes out the window.  

As O'Neill correctly points out Tyrone in June is a different animal to that of Tyrone in August and Croker.  Although they definitely have more individual quality than Derry in a one off game this sunday anything could happen.  Cassidy has talked at length this season on the need to convert Derry into a championship quality squad capable of coping with the scenario they faced last year against Monaghan and now potentially on Sunday.  It perfectly set up for him to challenge his squad to illustrate where they stand.  I think we are in for an intriguing game, the cat and mouse game between the respective managers will be fascinating never mind what transpires on the pitch.

Look lad - Derry are missing a host of players - you tyronies are talking this game up big time. If Derry had the full team available - I would expect them to win - however sunday is going to be nothing more than a "holding action" for us.

[Tyrone Dreamer]

It's all or nothing with some Tyrone posters. Either Tyrone are going nowhere or they are unbeatable. There's little or nothing to suggest on form this year that Tyrone will win this game by 5 points or more. Tyrone have not really played that well all year. The hope is that they will build up momentum like last year as the championship goes on. Hopefully they will improve from the Armagh game enough to win this but its no certainty. Derry Monaghan was played at a much higher pace than Tyrone Armagh. Players got less time on the ball and there was a lot more hits. Tyrone will have to battle hard to win on Sunday.

[loughshore lad]

I will be very surprised if its anything but close on sunday.  Its a derby game between bitter rivals - form and logic usually goes out the window.  

As O'Neill correctly points out Tyrone in June is a different animal to that of Tyrone in August and Croker.  Although they definitely have more individual quality than Derry in a one off game this sunday anything could happen.  Cassidy has talked at length this season on the need to convert Derry into a championship quality squad capable of coping with the scenario they faced last year against Monaghan and now potentially on Sunday.  It perfectly set up for him to challenge his squad to illustrate where they stand.  I think we are in for an intriguing game, the cat and mouse game between the respective managers will be fascinating never mind what transpires on the pitch.

Look lad - Derry are missing a host of players - you tyronies are talking this game up big time. If Derry had the full team available - I would expect them to win - however sunday is going to nothing more than a "holding action" for us.

Missing a number of players yes, missing a number of top notch players no.  Apart from big Enda and Doherty the rest of those players should be replaceable if you have the squad of players that quite a few Derry football followers proclaim they do.  As last number of years the Derry management took a lot of stick - the general consensus was the right players were not in the squad and the management was not good enough.  Cassidy seems to have picked a good enough panel to satisfy the general public and assembled an acceptable managerial structure as well.

[Oakleafer1993]

so who are tyrone missing? - Mickey Harte is playing with a full hand - if they cannot beat a depleted Derry team - then their is something
badly wrong.

[orangeman]

I know most people will hold their cards close to their chest in these sorts of matches but as a Tyrone fan I am going to be honest and say what I think..... I think Tyrone will win this match easy by 5+ points.  Even if Derry had a full squad available Tyrone would be too strong but they are far from full strength. Tyrone are as injury free as they have been in years and are in a determined mood. Derry have a few great players one of which is suspended but their squad strength is no where near Tyrone's and in the modern game it takes 18 - 20 players to win not just a couple of 'stars'.

It would be a massive shock to me if Tyrone do not win this game convincingly.

Stop the bus lads  -


Tyrone just about managed to beat Armagh. Armagh are not in the same league as Derry. Derry are much, much better than Armagh.

How do we work out that Tyrone should beat Derry 5+ points if they can't beat Armagh by the same margin ?.

The Derry team that will field on Sunday are no better than Armagh and I expect Tyrone to play better than against Armagh..

Next.

Hope you're right !!!!!!! 

[Rick O Shea]

my heart says tyrone but my head isn't sure. it is just too awful to imagine being beaten by derry. i was born and brought up there for god's sake!! we need to step up a bit though and need big sean, muggsy, stevie and all firing on all cylinders. big joe as sweeper could cut the supply into the bradleys though. fingers crossed!

Can i ask why you don't support derry then?   

If i was ever so unfortunate to have to move to tyrone there is nothing that would make me support them... 

[nrico2006]

Look lad - Derry are missing a host of players - you tyronies are talking this game up big time. If Derry had the full team available - I would expect them to win - however sunday is going to be nothing more than a "holding action" for us

What key players are Derry missing, Feargal Doc and possibly Enda Muldoon.  Tyrone will not be starting Dooher and I am not sure if McConnell is available for selection so it seems pretty balanced.  The other players you refer to are hardly key players or are players who have done little if anything in senior champiosnhip football to suggest their absence would have a detrimental affect on Derrys performance.  Why would you expect Derry to win with a full team?  I would expect a close game and to be honest its as tough a game as there is to call.  As mentioned earlier, Tyrone in Croke Park in August or September against Derry and I would fully expect a Tyrone win, but at this stage of the year and with the likely negative tactics that will be employed by Derry akin to 2006 (now that was a Tyrone team decimated by injuries to key players).