Donegal v Tyrone Sun 17 May

[BennyHarp]

On the girlfriend phone number debate have any of you considered that maybe a man did actually know the guys girlfriend and still stays close.  Playground stuff

Bullshit . And it wasn't just one player. Harte made a significant quote in 2000 where he said sledging was part of the game as far as he's concerned. He has trained his teams accordingly and it's now firmly part of the Tyrone doctrine at development level. Everyone in Ulster copied it and it's now part of the game there.

I've the height of respect for Harte as an individual but I dislike the way he trains his football teams.

On the game itself fundamentally Tyrone don't score enough. And because of that they won't win anything for a while. It's a sad day for the game when a talent like Mc Curry has to play around the middle to get the ball. In modern Gaelic Football the talentless are admired for work rate and intensity and the class acts are reduced to hod carriers.

Tell us how you know it is the 'doctrine at development level'?? Come on tell us where you are getting your facts from? I'm calling absolute bullshit on that one! I actually would agree with a lot of points you make on this board but that is total nonsense! As someone said just because joe brolly says it doesn't mean it's true!

It's one of those tales of yore that people without their own mind like to repeat ad nauseum. It is a good tale but utter nonsense. Just because the term "sledging" is relatively new, does not make the act of winding up opponents by giving a bit of verbals is new. Its no worse now than it ever was but there are more forums to moan these days.

[JoG2]

Murphy got pulled and dragged the whole game, hell i don't even like him but there a way to mark a man without your arms round him the whole game, Coulter was quick to point out Canty was the hardest defender he played against and quick to point out he never opened his mouth during a game to him to insult him. You got to show a bit of class on the football field, Joe McMahon a teacher, how can he teach lads what not to do at football with the craic he was getting up to at half time, he was embarrassing himself to be honest. End of the day Donegal a tough team to break down, Monaghan might have a chance but nobody else in Ulster will.

Donegal will struggle to play that type of game in Croke Park with so many players over 30. Haven't got much on the bench either after number 18.

How? MacCumhail Park is longer and wider than Croke Pk. If anything, their game will improve.

Enjoyed the game, some big hits and great scores. Donegal met fire with fire re the sledging. Can't abide the Tyrone players throwing the head back as they lay down during a tackle. That's a real gear grinder. For the record, I'd have preferred a Tyrone victory (shudder) as Donegal will be a much more difficult proposition for either Down or Derry. Fine player that he is, do Tyrone posters not think Mattie Donnelly slows the game down far too much? Especially against a very defensive Donegal team allowing them to get back and setup?

That free Murphy put over from out on the right was something else. Is there a county in Ireland that wouldnt take Frank McGlynn with open arms? Some engine, some heart ! The man is built for intense championship football

[Redhand Santa]

To clear up one thing - the talk on here and suggestions on RTE that Cavanagh tried to get Gallagher sent off were completely inaccurate. Before the tv caught the incident Gallagher had grabbed Cavanagh three times by the throat. Then he walked behind him and tried to twist his arm which then turned into a pulling match. The only thing the ref and linesmen got wrong was that Cavanagh never should have been booked. I hate when refs/linesmen cop out and book both players when one is clearly only defending themselves.

[blewuporstuffed]

Watching from behind the couch as Mordor plays Mordor lite. If anyone gets to double figures I will be seriously impressed

Given it was very poor conditions (wind and rain combined) you must have been seriously impressed that both teams got into double figures? Was a decent enough return on the day and not the lowest scoring game of the weekend. I think a lot of gaa fans around the country need to start thanking the ulster championship for providing some genuine entertainment and proper clashes from May to July while the other championships go through the motions.

I honestly think there is genuine fear from the Dubs that they're going to have to meet an Ulster team later in the year and are getting the excuses in early this year.

Given that INDIANA usually has his mind made up about an ulster game before a ball is kicked, it hardly matters what the score was, or that it was in fact an entertaining game, or that there where some great scores from both sides, mostly from play.
Give me that game yesterday in ballybofey any day, rather than an 'open' game in croke park with dublin hammering some of the other Lienster fodder by 20 points

[imtommygunn]

To clear up one thing - the talk on here and suggestions on RTE that Cavanagh tried to get Gallagher sent off were completely inaccurate. Before the tv caught the incident Gallagher had grabbed Cavanagh three times by the throat. Then he walked behind him and tried to twist his arm which then turned into a pulling match. The only thing the ref and linesmen got wrong was that Cavanagh never should have been booked. I hate when refs/linesmen cop out and book both players when one is clearly only defending themselves.

Not a fan of Cavanagh due to his diving but in this incident he was completely innocent.

[Mac2]

What was the free for that put Donegal a point up in the closing stages, crucial score but it wasn't clear what it was for?

[BluestackBoy]

I'll be very disappointed if we don't get at least most of the following today.

i) Rain.
ii) Wind.
iii) A moderately attractive young woman, who more than likely still goes to Mass every week, screeching Amhran na bhFiann out of tune over a faulty public address system.
iv) Defensive systems cancelling each other out.
v) Handpassing, lots of handpassing, preferably in a backwards direction.
vi) Free Presbyterian levels of dourness.
vii) No goals and a winning score of no more than 0-12.
viii) At least one sending-off.
ix) A spectator making a laughably pathetic attempt to assault a player.
x) Pat Spillane talking about the death of Gaelic football.
xi) Forum posters vilifying the referee afterwards.

The above 11 elements sum up the true Ulster championship experience.

10 out of 11 ain't bad!!

Great post.

[LeoMc]

For a first day out it was a very enjoyable high paced championship game. Some very good scores and the niggle added to it. For as long as I've been going to football I've witnessed incidents like half time yesterday and a lot of people won't admit it but most people like the bit of an edge to a game like this. The difference in now and early years is it was all pushing and no punches thrown so nothing to get too worked up about. What exactly was RTE's point about Justy McMahon last night? They said he was sent out to do a job on Murphy and keep him scoreless- yes of course he was - that's generally what defenders are sent out to do. They went through all their footage and couldn't find anything in dirty in the slighest to back up that he was actually out of line.

I thought there was very little between the teams. We let them get a couple of points up at a crucial stage near the end not helped by a missed McCurry free. This meant we had to go for goals and were very unlucky not to get one. There is a lot to work on there and take heart from. In some ways it was probably better not drawing as even if we'd won in Omagh we'd have used a lot of energy just to get to an Ulster quarter final (but I'd still much rather we had drawn). Now depending on the qualifier draw we could find ourselves with an easier passage to the quarter final than Donegal. We will be able to bring in a few more u21s and bring them on. Yesterday we played with the fight that has been lacking in our championship for years - if the players get fully behind it there could be a long summer ahead. The aim now has to be to get to the quarter finals and beat Donegal when it matters most in a knockout championship game.

It's such a pity we can't find consistent free takers. If we'd taken the frees yesterday we'd have won that game despite a bad start. Also I wish Petey Harte would stay involved for longer in games. He was brilliant at times and can really open up a defence but seems to take breaks from attacking during the game.

Wasn't sure about that myself. Joanne Cantwell brought it up in 2 pitch side interviews also so there was something of an agenda going on. It was almost as an afterthought they mentioned that Cavanagh was getting similar attention at he other end.
Defender sticks tight to star forward to stop him scoring shocker!!

The claim has been that there are no good man markers as it is all about packed defences but Justy, like the man he was marking, knew how to stay just inside the rules.

[screenexile]

For a first day out it was a very enjoyable high paced championship game. Some very good scores and the niggle added to it. For as long as I've been going to football I've witnessed incidents like half time yesterday and a lot of people won't admit it but most people like the bit of an edge to a game like this. The difference in now and early years is it was all pushing and no punches thrown so nothing to get too worked up about. What exactly was RTE's point about Justy McMahon last night? They said he was sent out to do a job on Murphy and keep him scoreless- yes of course he was - that's generally what defenders are sent out to do. They went through all their footage and couldn't find anything in dirty in the slighest to back up that he was actually out of line.

I thought there was very little between the teams. We let them get a couple of points up at a crucial stage near the end not helped by a missed McCurry free. This meant we had to go for goals and were very unlucky not to get one. There is a lot to work on there and take heart from. In some ways it was probably better not drawing as even if we'd won in Omagh we'd have used a lot of energy just to get to an Ulster quarter final (but I'd still much rather we had drawn). Now depending on the qualifier draw we could find ourselves with an easier passage to the quarter final than Donegal. We will be able to bring in a few more u21s and bring them on. Yesterday we played with the fight that has been lacking in our championship for years - if the players get fully behind it there could be a long summer ahead. The aim now has to be to get to the quarter finals and beat Donegal when it matters most in a knockout championship game.

It's such a pity we can't find consistent free takers. If we'd taken the frees yesterday we'd have won that game despite a bad start. Also I wish Petey Harte would stay involved for longer in games. He was brilliant at times and can really open up a defence but seems to take breaks from attacking during the game.

Wasn't sure about that myself. Joanne Cantwell brought it up in 2 pitch side interviews also so there was something of an agenda going on. It was almost as an afterthought they mentioned that Cavanagh was getting similar attention at he other end.
Defender sticks tight to star forward to stop him scoring shocker!!

The claim has been that there are no good man markers as it is all about packed defences but Justy, like the man he was marking, knew how to stay just inside the rules.

I would contend he didn't stay within the rules but massively weak refereeing and the fact Michael Murphy is the size he is means he doesn't get the decisions he's supposed to. Maybe if he dived around the place like Cavanagh he might get the frees he deserves but he doesn't... ah well!

[Jinxy]

There's a direct inverse relationship between the rise of sledging and the demise of punching in gaelic football.
We need to bring back punching.

[Up The Middle]

Have to agree with 2 previous posters, Matty Donnelly takes far too much out of the ball when building from defense, takes at least two solos before lifting his head, giving Donegal time to drop everyone back. Peter Harte was brilliant for 20 minutes as usual and then totally disappears from the game as usual.

McQuillans refereeing was poor, Chrsty Toye should have walked after so many fouls and Colm Cavanagh should have went for a late tackle in the 2nd half after Sean was sent off. Thought Justin McMahon did a great job on Murphy, good to see him stepping up again after a few poor seasons.

McCurry is Tyrones top scorer and he was basically playing as an attacking half back, surely he would be a lot more effective closer to goal (as he showed with the finish for the goal), thought Brennan was poor as was McShane (maybe too much expected off them too soon).

Ronan Oneill has serioulsy pissed someone off when he can only get 4 minutes.

[Jinxy]

Have to agree with 2 previous posters, Matty Donnelly takes far too much out of the ball when building from defense, takes at least two solos before lifting his head, giving Donegal time to drop everyone back. Peter Harte was brilliant for 20 minutes as usual and then totally disappears from the game as usual.

McQuillans refereeing was poor, Chrsty Toye should have walked after so many fouls and Colm Cavanagh should have went for a late tackle in the 2nd half after Sean was sent off. Thought Justin McMahon did a great job on Murphy, good to see him stepping up again after a few poor seasons.

McCurry is Tyrones top scorer and he was basically playing as an attacking half back, surely he would be a lot more effective closer to goal (as he showed with the finish for the goal), thought Brennan was poor as was McShane (maybe too much expected off them too soon).

Ronan Oneill has serioulsy pissed someone off when he can only get 4 minutes.

Thanks.

[AZOffaly]

https://www.facebook.com/429010670560873/videos/682643095197628/

[INDIANA]

On the girlfriend phone number debate have any of you considered that maybe a man did actually know the guys girlfriend and still stays close.  Playground stuff

Bullshit . And it wasn't just one player. Harte made a significant quote in 2000 where he said sledging was part of the game as far as he's concerned. He has trained his teams accordingly and it's now firmly part of the Tyrone doctrine at development level. Everyone in Ulster copied it and it's now part of the game there.

I've the height of respect for Harte as an individual but I dislike the way he trains his football teams.

On the game itself fundamentally Tyrone don't score enough. And because of that they won't win anything for a while. It's a sad day for the game when a talent like Mc Curry has to play around the middle to get the ball. In modern Gaelic Football the talentless are admired for work rate and intensity and the class acts are reduced to hod carriers.

Utter lies - just because somebody told you that in the pub or Joe Brolly says it doesn't make it true.

No it's not pub talk and the idea that I'd post pub talk is absurd.
And that's the last I'm saying on it. If the Tyrone players in question were put on a lie detector test they'd fail.

[thejuice]

I thought it was a good game, Donegal got some great scores and I was really impressed with the work rate of Neil Gallagher. Donegal used the ball more effectively and looked like they had the winning of it in them even when Tyrone closed the gap.

Tyrone are lacking the necessary talent up front to be real contenders.