Tyrone County Football and Hurling

[Maor Uisce]

First time poster but a long time reader of the Tryone threads. How do you see the final playing out? Are Derry really a spent force? A glance at their panel would suggest they are quite young, could possibly cause a shock later in the year?

Tyrone are going well. Very early days. Are any of the new men going to push us over the line as far as AI is concerned? I feel back to back ulster titles would be an unbelievable achievement by any county squad given the parochial nature of our championship. Will this be viewed as a success? I agree with posters on here that the level of expectation is ridiculous.

I have heard that Dublin and obviously Donegal are fielding teams for these pre season competitions that will bare NO resemblance to the teams they play in the league. The "first" teams are hidden away getting prepped for the league, aiming to peak for the latter stages in the summer. Interesting tactic and obviously easy for a County with Dublin's resources. Would it be something Tyrone could adopt? Some of these players (Killyclogher) have been on the go almost 20-24 months. Will this inevitably lead to injury? Although I would say the players themselves are mad to get at it.

[Redhand Santa]

Yeah sounds like he's gonna miss most of the league then which is disappointing as I really wanted him to push through into the starting 15 like Sludden did last year.
Will Meyler making the starting 15 for the league?
If you were to pick YOUR starting 15 (not what you think Mickey might pick) who would you go for based on performances so far in 2017?

I'd go with something like this:
Morgan
Hampsey
McNamee
McCarron
McCann
McNabb
Munroe
Donnelly
C Cavanagh
Sludden
Harte
Burns (hasn't had much of a go yet)
McCurry
McShane
Bradley

I'd like to see Mattie get a go at full forward and McShane midfield but unlikely to happen.

I'm sure the Pomeroy boys would love him playing the night before an all Ireland semi!

I was talking a team for the start of the league. I'm sure he'll continue to experiment on Saturday night. In recent years one or two boys have got a last chance in the final then been dropped of the panel.

[Fuzzman]

Not a bad team RHS but are you thinking Sean won't be ready to start the first league game?
Who else have you left out from last year? Justy, Rory Brennan, McCrory, Ronan O'Neill, Meyler,
Is Rory Brennan out injured? How long is he out for?
A lot of ye are speaking highly of Munroe. Do you think he's moved ahead of McGeary?

I'd like to see Hampsey get his chance as well but Mickey is very loyal to McCrory and values his speed.
I'll really like to see Lee Brennan get a few run outs before the U21 championship starts on 15th March, although who knows with the first game v Donegal it might not last that long this year. 

[Redhand Santa]

Not a bad team RHS but are you thinking Sean won't be ready to start the first league game?
Who else have you left out from last year? Justy, Rory Brennan, McCrory, Ronan O'Neill, Meyler,
Is Rory Brennan out injured? How long is he out for?
A lot of ye are speaking highly of Munroe. Do you think he's moved ahead of McGeary?

I'd like to see Hampsey get his chance as well but Mickey is very loyal to McCrory and values his speed.
I'll really like to see Lee Brennan get a few run outs before the U21 championship starts on 15th March, although who knows with the first game v Donegal it might not last that long this year. 

Sean has only played less than 10 minutes so far and looked rusty. Could be used as a sub early in the league anyway. Rory Brennan is out for another 2 or 3 weeks anyway. Munroe has done well in the games he played. Gets stuck in and has probably earned a shot.

I'd be surprised if Lee Brennan was a regular starter this year. Good finisher but still young and a bit light at this level at the minute. From memory he scored a load from play against UUJ but has struggled to get on the score board against the county teams. Still has plenty of potential for the future though.

[omagh_gael]

I have only been to the Donegal game so far but from listening to McGinn etc on Teamtalk young McClure appears to be going pretty well. They've been impressed by what they've seen from him so far. Am I right in thinking he's had the most game time out of all the new faces?

[Fuzzman]

I don't really understand this about young Brennan. So many of the fans rate him so highly and maybe our best player since Canavan is what I have heard yet why are we so slow to put him in the team. Peter Harte started playing when he was 19. I think McBrearty played both for the minors and seniors on the same day as far as I can remember.

Mickey gave him a few games last year and he did OK and it looks like he's done well in the McKenna cup so I'd be happy to see him get a few games now in the league before U21 duty. Having him and Bradley would be two very exciting fast young corner forwards or is it only a game now for the big men?

[redhandefender]

Lee might be small but he is hard as nails. I said last year I would throw him in there as the others had a chance and would bottle it again. Which all 3 did against mayo. Harte knows best and its difficult with u-21 distraction but I would be giving him and Bradley a good run in there of big cav.

[GetOverTheBar]

I think that's exactly it, there's not really any Tyrone forwards built for a physical game...Which will go without saying against the top teams. Obviously Sean Cavanagh will be able to hold his own and to be fair Darren McCurry has added on serious muscle mass in past few years but the rest are very much the same kind of build and stature.

Throw Lee Brennan in, it'll be a great test for the lad and who knows, Tyrone might just unearth a gem.

[In hiding]

Aye throw Lee Brennan in and then if he is ineffective because of the way Tyrone play, we can say he is a bottler and all rave about the next talented forward to come through the youth teams. Some of you should read some of the stuff you write.

[Fuzzman]

Obviously hitting long high balls into Mark Bradley and Brennan/Ronan O'Neill would be a waste of time but as we no longer do that anyway as most teams play with sweepers in front of the full forward line so most forwards now tend to get the ball through fist passes, often off the shoulder or a burst into space for a fist over the top.
In these cases nippy fast forwards like Brennan and Bradley could be ideal as they can see the space and are quick and accurate when getting a shot off. I think McShane would struggle if played in at FF as he doesn't have that quick turn of pace as is better coming from deeper out.

[In hiding]

Obviously hitting long high balls into Mark Bradley and Brennan/Ronan O'Neill would be a waste of time but as we no longer do that anyway as most teams play with sweepers in front of the full forward line so most forwards now tend to get the ball through fist passes, often off the shoulder or a burst into space for a fist over the top.
In these cases nippy fast forwards like Brennan and Bradley could be ideal as they can see the space and are quick and accurate when getting a shot off. I think McShane would struggle if played in at FF as he doesn't have that quick turn of pace as is better coming from deeper out.

A nippy fast forward  ? Someone like darren mc curry you mean.

[Il Bomber Destro]

Yeah sounds like he's gonna miss most of the league then which is disappointing as I really wanted him to push through into the starting 15 like Sludden did last year.
Will Meyler making the starting 15 for the league?
If you were to pick YOUR starting 15 (not what you think Mickey might pick) who would you go for based on performances so far in 2017?

I'd go with something like this:
Morgan
Hampsey
McNamee
McCarron
McCann
McNabb
Munroe
Donnelly
C Cavanagh
Sludden
Harte
Burns (hasn't had much of a go yet)
McCurry
McShane
Bradley

I'd like to see Mattie get a go at full forward and McShane midfield but unlikely to happen.

No Sean?

I think that's a fairly solid team, we have some good competition in a lot of positions, half back line and half forward lines being the two most contested areas.

I would say you can expect the following to be  definite starters come May if fit:

Morgan
McNamee
McCarron
McCann
Mattie Donnelly
Cavanaghs x2
Sludden
Harte

We had a fairly settled 15 last season so the players under pressure for me to retain their places would be McCrory, Justy, McNabb, McShane and O'Neill. McAliskey is obviously gone for the year.

[Club boi]

I think that's exactly it, there's not really any Tyrone forwards built for a physical game...Which will go without saying against the top teams. Obviously Sean Cavanagh will be able to hold his own and to be fair Darren McCurry has added on serious muscle mass in past few years but the rest are very much the same kind of build and stature.

Throw Lee Brennan in, it'll be a great test for the lad and who knows, Tyrone might just unearth a gem.

If you say so Darren

[In hiding]

I think that's exactly it, there's not really any Tyrone forwards built for a physical game...Which will go without saying against the top teams. Obviously Sean Cavanagh will be able to hold his own and to be fair Darren McCurry has added on serious muscle mass in past few years but the rest are very much the same kind of build and stature.

Throw Lee Brennan in, it'll be a great test for the lad and who knows, Tyrone might just unearth a gem.

If you say so Darren

Hey everybody has to fight their corner

[Redhand Santa]

Yeah sounds like he's gonna miss most of the league then which is disappointing as I really wanted him to push through into the starting 15 like Sludden did last year.
Will Meyler making the starting 15 for the league?
If you were to pick YOUR starting 15 (not what you think Mickey might pick) who would you go for based on performances so far in 2017?

I'd go with something like this:
Morgan
Hampsey
McNamee
McCarron
McCann
McNabb
Munroe
Donnelly
C Cavanagh
Sludden
Harte
Burns (hasn't had much of a go yet)
McCurry
McShane
Bradley

I'd like to see Mattie get a go at full forward and McShane midfield but unlikely to happen.

No Sean?

I think that's a fairly solid team, we have some good competition in a lot of positions, half back line and half forward lines being the two most contested areas.

I would say you can expect the following to be  definite starters come May if fit:

Morgan
McNamee
McCarron
McCann
Mattie Donnelly
Cavanaghs x2
Sludden
Harte

We had a fairly settled 15 last season so the players under pressure for me to retain their places would be McCrory, Justy, McNabb, McShane and O'Neill. McAliskey is obviously gone for the year.

That was only my team for start of league and not sure Sean will be ready. Burns would be a chance as hasn't had much time yet at county senior level. Mccurry seems to have put in a big pre season. He's at an age were he could still kick on.

If we're serious about winning big prizes I think we'll need him bradley and mcshane to really step up. The three of them have potential to be regular scorers, though in mcshanes case I think he could be better suited to round the middle. If he pushed on there could allow Mattie to operate further up the pitch.