Tyrone v Monaghan USFC Final

[FarneyMan]

Here is the starting team from 2005

S Duffy,
C Flanagan, J Coyle, V Corey,
D Freeman, D McArdle, G McQuaid,
D Clerkin, E Lennon,
J McElroy, P Finlay, R Woods,
T Freeman, H McElroy, S Gollogly

Not a whole pile of difference from the one named last night !
One big crucial difference is the addition of the Mone brothers from Clontibret, Dessie and John Paul, Dessie has been outstanding in the last 2 matches, moving him and Corey into the full back line has really tightened things up.

Bringing McElkennon in was a masterstroke, Monaghan in 2005 werent as fit or as physically strong as they are today, plus 2 years building belief and confidence, relegated last year from division 1 but ran a lot of teams very close !

Remember we also played Tyrone last year in Omagh, and if memory serves correct we gave them a hell of a game and Tyrone only pulled through to win in the last 5 mins ! 
This years we've also added a number of great prospects from the Under21's Hanratty, Benny McKenna, Smith, McManus, Hughes etc Theres a better balance to the team this year, plus a lot more strenght in depth !

Roll on Sunday !

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Tyrone lads taking nothing for granted, from the BBC:


Cavanagh expects tough encounter
Tyrone midfielder Sean Cavanagh
Tyrone midfielder Sean Cavanagh is a three-time Allstar
Tyrone midfielder Sean Cavanagh is not expecting a Donegal-style capitulation from Monaghan in Sunday's Bank of Ireland Ulster Football final.

Cavanagh says that Donegal's "falling to pieces" helped put further gloss on an admittedly superb Red Hand County display in the provincial semi-final.

"Tommy Freeman and Paul Finlay and the entire team are all top class footballers," Cavanagh told BBC Sport.

"They just haven't been recognised like the Tyrone and Armagh players."

Cavanagh added that Derry's victory over Armagh only increased the already-high respect in the Tyrone camp for Seamus McEnaney's squad.

"When you watched Derry's performance againstg Armagh, you can definitely read a lot into how well Monaghan played to beat that Derry team.

"It's going to be a 50/50 match on Sunday. It's going to be Monaghan's All-Ireland final and the county has been waiting for this game for these past weeks."

And from the Irish Times:

Out to revisit Tyrone's past glories

Stephen O'Neill tells Ian O'Riordan he is fit and raring to go ahead of Sunday's Ulster final yet is wary of Monaghan

Strictly speaking, a Monaghan victory over Tyrone in the Ulster football final wouldn't come close to rivalling Sligo beating Galway in Connacht last Sunday - a shock result that landed Sligo only their third ever provincial title and their first since 1975.

Monaghan have actually won more Ulster football titles (13 against Tyrone's 10), the difference being they've won only three since 1939, while Tyrone have won five since 1989. And by beating Derry in the semi-final Monaghan have sent out a clear warning of the threat they present on their home patch in Clones next Sunday.

Yet, given Tyrone's apparent return to form, a Monaghan victory would inevitably cue wild celebrations similar to those witnessed in Sligo, or more specifically, mayhem in the streets of Clones until long after dark.

One of the reasons behind Tyrone's renewed ferocity is the return of their most prolific scoring forward, Stephen O'Neill.

Although not a definite starter for Sunday, O'Neill is over the worst of the hamstring and knee injuries that severely limited his football for most of the past year. He's talking up a big performance too, acutely aware of the need to produce vintage Tyrone football.

"Maybe we're expected to win," says O'Neill, "but a lot of teams that are expected to win don't produce the goods. We know we have to get our consistency levels back up to where they were in 2005 and 2003, Because we haven't been that way in a long time.

"We've looked closely at Monaghan's performance against Derry, and they were very, very hungry. They work very hard, put two or three men around the ball the whole time, tackling hard.

"We know we're not going to have a lot of time on the ball and have to make sure we do things fast and efficiently.

"We also played them in the league a couple of years ago, and they really put it up to us.

"They're a very good team, very fast, very fit. They run all day, full of energy, and produce a very high-intensity work rate. They finished very strong as well.

"As players we're very worried about the game, and I'm sure the management are extra-worried. But Mickey Harte has done the best he can in preparing us."

O'Neill played only the last 25 minutes of Tyrone's semi-final win over Donegal, chipping two smart points, but that was enough to suggest he's fast coming back to his best. And at his best O'Neill is still a sight to behold, his 5-50 in the summer of 2005 just one reason why he claimed the full sweep of football awards that year - All Star and GAA, GPA and Texaco footballer of the year.

Last summer, however, was a downer; he missed Tyrone's Ulster championship defeat to Derry and played just a limited role in the qualifier defeat to Laois. He's gone to considerable lengths to get his injuries mended, including oxygen-chamber treatment and the more extreme cryotherapy.

"The hamstrings have been the main problem, though some people think it's coming from the back. I've also a bit of tendonitis in the knee, which isn't helping as well. It's been unfortunate but I am getting over it now.

"The physio team have been working very hard with me, doing a lot of weights to build up the muscles in my legs. I think the cryotherapy has also helped.

"I've found for the first time in about six months I've had no pain in my knee, after about 10 sessions.

"It has helped speed up the recovery from the wee hamstring tear as well.

"I still haven't had a good run at the training over the past couple of months, but I've been doing a lot in the gym. I suppose every player has their own programmes now to improve their fitness and prevent injuries. It's up to yourself to do the work."

Though O'Neill is still only 26, it feels as if he is one of Tyrone's most seasoned players, which of course he is, having won a minor and two under-21 All-Irelands before his two senior titles. Not surprisingly, he rates their win over Donegal as one of the best displays since 2005.

"I know Mickey Harte knew that performance was in there, but the players knew the performance was there as well. We were very disappointed with our performance in the Fermanagh game, and it had been a couple of years since we produced a good performance, at least for 70 minutes.

"We knew as well we had to produce that kind of performance to beat Donegal. They were the form team, and I think we did that. Everyone was really up for it, there was good banter going around, so I knew we'd give them a good game.

"We're very hungry to win an Ulster title now. Armagh have held sway in recent years, and we were very disappointed to lose to them two years ago. So we haven't won it in four years. And I'd still much rather the straight route to the All-Ireland. With no replays."

For now, at least, that's the way they're headed.

[Maguire01]

There are a number of reasons why this team is different to the team that lost to Tyrone in 2005:

1 - They now have belief. Don't underestimate the power of this. When a team is used to winning, they win - for the first time in years, Monaghan are used to back to ack wins (both in the League and Championship).

2 -  They had a year in division 1 where they beat Dublin by double scores and only narrowly lost out to Tyrone and Kerry. They're not afraid of the 'big' teams.

3 - They can now play for 70 minutes.  They have the fitness and the stamina (no doubt, in part at least, due to McElkennon). Importantly, they don't drop the heads if they slip behind in the second half. They play a full game.

4 - A few new men. Hanratty in particular - having a second nippy forward means that double marking Tommy may leave Hanratty exposed or vice versa. We're no longer firing into just one man on the forward line.

5 - We'll have a 16th man on sunday.

6 - We'll have an almighty hunger.

[Star Spangler]

Some interesting points there alright.  I'd agree that Tyrone appear more vulnerable in 2007 than they did in 2005 although I think that defensively we're stronger.  McMahon at full back is an improvement and Dermot Carlin is improving on every outing.  It's as sold a back 6 as we're ever likely to have imo.

Tommy Freeman caused havoc in the opening 20 of the game in 2005 before he was shackled.  I don't expect he'll be surprising anyone this time round though.  If his couple of goals were taken out of the equation last time out it would have been a lot more one sided.  The one thing that stands out about that game was that Monaghan had the momentum but couldn't hold onto it.  Two years older and wiser now though.

I don't think the league game in Omagh can be used as any kind of measuring stick.  That was the league and this is the Ulster Championship final.

[Main Street]

Monaghan were not fancied  even to get to the Ulster final - so I think the prices are fair enough - do you want to lay a bit of 4/6 on Tyrone - alternatively do you know any bookies who are giving these odds ?
I think Monaghan at 10/3 or 7/2 represent a decent value bet .

"do you want to lay a bit of 4/6 on Tyrone"
No, I don't gamble at all and not that soft in the head  but if I did, wild horses wouldn't drag me to have a bet on Tyrone at 7/2 on.
IMO  2/7 reflects  'maybe a bit of a scrap but Tyrone will pull away easily'. Whereas the language used here, is 'its gonna be tight'  
'don't underestimate Monaghan' well at least it doesn't reflect 2/7 unless Tyrone fans are all secretly thinking 'we're through bar a catastrophe'.
I have only seen the televised games that Monaghan have played. I'm biased but they look a better team than what played Tyrone before, re fitness levels, tactical nous and belief but not shooting accuracy from play. Against Derry I suppose the most impressive bit was that the team did not miss a beat when Derry scored that goal.
I'd love to be there, hope it's a good flowing game.

[loughshore lad]

Monaghan may have slightly more hunger to win an Ulster title, this is their first appearance in an ulster final since 1988 and their players will possibly see this game as their best chance of silverware this season. Tyrone on the other hand might just have one eye further on down the line. Some times in football that bit of hunger and drive can contribute to dragging you over the winning line as much as abilty does. Quite a few of these Tyrone players are on the go since 2003, it is hard to keep motivating yourself for games especially when it is in the back of their minds there possibly may be bigger games ahead. Against Donegal they showed the energy and drive that has led to many magnificant performances over the last 4 years, if they can replicate this they have a great chance on Sunday, if not Monaghan may just sneak it. I reckon we could be in for a cracker particularly if the weather holds.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

As a matter of interest, does anyone know of the last time where a team made it to the Ulster Final for the first time and actually won it? (I mean the actual team, of the majority thereof, and not the county per se.)

[Star Spangler]

Probably Cavan in 1997.

[ONeill]

Armagh in 99?

[armaghniac]

Armagh in 99?

Exactly, I suppose it is too much to expect Monaghan to win in similar style.

Do the Monaghan team have minor medals etc, several Armagh players in '99 had come from the minor team in '92.

[ONeill]

The Tyrone side of 2001 was a relatively new side from the '96 vintage.

[Lamh Dhearg Alba]

I can see why Monaghan are feeling confident. Theyve been making good steady progress for a while now and have two excellent championship victories under their belt this summer, one coming from behind late on with a burst of scores and another where they had a good lead and were unlucky to be pulled back but yet still finished the game off. That will give them a lot of belief. Similarly Tyrone arent in a great situation with many people now talking them up. Now ok they put in a superb performance against Donegal but thats 1 big performance in the last 2 years, you cant be sure they will reach those heights again on Sunday! And Monaghan wont roll over as easily as Donegal did. The continued absence of McGuigan added to SoN's ongoing problems also leave me uneasy. The long and short of it is that Tyrone will need a big performance to get over this hurdle and anybody expecting a routine victory is kidding themself.

As an aside does anybody know a pub in Halifax, Nova Scotia, that will show GAA?? I know the Old Triangle pub has Tyrone connections but I dont know if they show games. I fly out to Canada on Saturday and would be loathe to miss this game.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Probably Cavan in 1997.

Cavan had been there in the '95 final, think ONeill has it.

[tyroneman]

Given the build up that's been in it I can't see Tyrone approaching this game with any sort of complacency. I would imagine however that Monaghan's best chance will come from a tight game where maybe they enter the final 10min a point or two adrift.

The biggest danger when playing this Tyrone team is that once they get a wake up call (see Monaghan, Dublin and Kerry 05) by dropping a few points off the pace that usually sets them off in a more determined mood and onto a roll from which the momentum they build up is difficult to stop.

To be honest it's like watching Tyrone play Tyrone in terms of style there for I'm hoping experience offsets hunger.

Everyone talked up Donegal against Armagh in 2004 on the back of

a) a good result beating Tyrone
b) hunger for a trophy

and look what happened there...................................................

[armaghniac]

Everyone talked up Donegal against Armagh in 2004 

Equally Armagh in 2004 easily beat Donegal who had beaten a fancied Tyrone, but then couldn't raise their game for Fermanagh.
Donegal may well be a better team than Monaghan overall, but Donegal flopped against Tyrone, Monaghan may play the hardest they've ever played.