Tyrone County Football and Hurling

[The Trap]

You are correct Clarshack....back door for hurling started in 1997.

[Fuzzman]

Yeah I think the backdoor has certainly benefit Ulster maybe more than other provinces as there are usually a few teams that were always well capable of progressing much further if they had of got out of Ulster.
2003 All Ireland final is a fine example with Tyrone meeting the reigning AI champs in the final.
Also Cork and Kerry met in the 2007 AI final.
Can you imagine how it would have worked during the early 90s with Down, Derry, Donegal and Tyrone all being quite strong.

[southtyronegael]

You are correct Clarshack....back door for hurling started in 1997.

backdoor in football started in 2001. Remember Derry?

[southtyronegael]

was always wondering why mc namee was being pushed forward to do all the irish news interviews and media work. he in the paper today talking about the team saying the rosary before every game and he thinks its great cause he goes go mass every sunday and before games anyway. embarressing stuff and hed be better sayin nothin and keepin that shit inhouse.

[ONeill]

The things about this side is - it's a testament to Harte that they're up there being spoken about as AI contenders. The 03-08 side was almost readymade and Mickey just added the extra polish.

Harte has turned this group into something I could never envisage, even with their underage medals. That's probably why he is what he is and I am what I am.

Even boys like Colm and Tiernan. Colm used to solo balls over his head and into the crowd. Now he's nearing legendary status in a Tyrone jersey with a major tweak in his role.

We have a dearth of real top quality inter-county scoring forwards that Kerry and Dublin have. But if he wins it with the current squad it'll better any AI before this year.

[Fuzzman]

I remember Stevie O'Neill telling me years ago that he thought full back would be Colm's best position. I thought he was crazy.

Yeah Jim McGuinness was more or less saying the same O'Neill in his article that it would be breaking new ground to win Sam without any star players, normally you need both a few star players and great organisation and application. He also talked about teams are so better coached nowadays and thought it interesting what he said how players like McCurry, Ronan O'Neill and maybe Lee Brennan are much more natural selfish score getters who think about how much they can score for themselves whereas Mickey prefers players who are all about the team and maybe that's why he choses Bradley and Mulgrew.

[Redhand Santa]

I remember Stevie O'Neill telling me years ago that he thought full back would be Colm's best position. I thought he was crazy.

Yeah Jim McGuinness was more or less saying the same O'Neill in his article that it would be breaking new ground to win Sam without any star players, normally you need both a few star players and great organisation and application. He also talked about teams are so better coached nowadays and thought it interesting what he said how players like McCurry, Ronan O'Neill and maybe Lee Brennan are much more natural selfish score getters who think about how much they can score for themselves whereas Mickey prefers players who are all about the team and maybe that's why he choses Bradley and Mulgrew.

We may not have a star full forward but its wrong to say we don't have star players. The likes of Mattie, Harte, Cavanaghs, Sludden, McCann are top players. If we push forward in numbers come croke park we should be able to put enough scores on the board to trouble most teams.

[Fuzzman]

Yeah Peter Harte, Mattie & Sean are all-stars from the past few years.
Sludden, Mattie, Bradley and surprisingly Hampsey all have 5 points so far this year while McGeary, Tiernan, Conall all have 3 along with McCurry, Mulgrew and Lee B.

I suppose McGuinness meant you usually need an outstanding forward to bag you a good few scores per game whereas should we go on to win Sam this year we will be the first ever team to do that without such a player.

I hope we continue to attack like we have done for most of the games this year and don't retreat back into our shell like last years game v Mayo. It would be sad if it all came to an abrupt end just because of the fear factor. The Dubs down here seem to be very conscious that we could be on a collision course and whilst they are still very confident, they are wary that their team is far from settled with no Cooper and McMahon, MD Macauley and lots of new young lads coming in. They only had 4 starters the last day from the AI starting team in 2011. The new young lads are good but still relatively inexperienced at the top level.

[tyroneStatto]

So how good are Tyrone really? Donegal game now put in perspective plus Derry and Down were very poor opposition too.

[longballin]

So how good are Tyrone really? Donegal game now put in perspective plus Derry and Down were very poor opposition too.

Thought the same... beware all the hype after beating three very poor teams

[Redhand Santa]

Form lines are always very hard to read in football. I'd say Donegal weren't as good as everyone thought pre Tyrone game. But Tyrone knocked the heart out of them and they've been a shadow of themselves since in the qualifiers. I wouldn't be overly concerned about how they've done. The big thing to learn was that we weren't as bad as those last three league games suggested.

We won't know if we've improved enough to beat a top team until we get a crack at one of them. Other results won't answer that question. A direct form line last year was that Mayo beat us by a point and drew with Dublin in the final so we weren't far away. We've probably improved since.

[In hiding]

Form lines are always very hard to read in football. I'd say Donegal weren't as good as everyone thought pre Tyrone game. But Tyrone knocked the heart out of them and they've been a shadow of themselves since in the qualifiers. I wouldn't be overly concerned about how they've done. The big thing to learn was that we weren't as bad as those last three league games suggested.

We won't know if we've improved enough to beat a top team until we get a crack at one of them. Other results won't answer that question. A direct form line last year was that Mayo beat us by a point and drew with Dublin in the final so we weren't far away. We've probably improved since.

And Galway beat Roscommon last year so that would make them better than Dublin

[southtyronegael]

the only way we will know what we have is when we play dublin in the semi final.

[Fuzzman]

I'd say all ye lads up near the lough shore must be delighted to have Armagh in the quarterfinal.
As I posted on the main thread, it looks to be a lot easier draw than any of the other teams got whereas last year we probably got the toughest quarterfinal draw which then lead to an easier semi draw

I see in the Irish News there is talk that McAliskey could be on his way back should we progress.
Is he back playing for his club or training? I'd be very surprised if he made it back for late August or Sept.

Tyrone have a clean bill of health for the final, while Harte revealed the Connor McAliskey's recuperation from a cruciate knee ligament injury has gone so well that he could not be ruled out of playing some part if they progress deeper into the summer.

[southtyronegael]

any word on the county board meeting tonight? mickey get his extension yet?lol