Tyrone v Monaghan USFC Final

[ExiledGael]

Decent game, very exciting at the end.
Sean Cavanagh is an amazing player going forward, brilliant, but Monaghan definitely won the midfield battle today, picked up a lot more ball than Tyrone but couldn't convert that into scores. One of the main reasons was the defence especially  Conor Gormley, fantastic player and kept Tommy Freeman, in my opinion one of the best forwards around, relatively quiet.
Mulligan really annoys me, he is a cute bastard and more often than not it's him doing the holding, he has that earning a free down to a tee!
Mulgrew disappointed again, brutal wide from 25 yards when they had a man over, he steadied himself and still missed it.
Carlin's point was a cracker, as was Davy's compulsory outside of the boot score.
Think Tyrone will need to establish a strong midfield pair to go the distance, dunno what to make of McMahon in there, he was decent but not sure.
Also full-back line dodgy under high ball to Corey, fair play to Banty for his switches, nearly worked for them, think Donegal are starting to build up steam and would fancy them to beat Monaghan. As with Derry, they've a point to prove after a dreadful performance

PS. Tommy Freeman seemed to be really goading his man after the goal, not like him, could do without that shite, but maybe he was listening to a lot of crap in there too

[Tyrone Dreamer]

Mugsy might be shrewd enough at geting free's when the ball is played but he desrves them for what was happening before the ball was played in and the camera picks it up. Was constantly pulled from the start of the match. Full back line needs sorted but dont think there'l be such a lack of cover in front of them for the rest of the campaign. Gourley is not the man for full back that was evident today. Forward line started great today even without O'Neill. Need more of a 70 minute performance if we're to go anywhere though.

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

Dooher lifts another bit of silverware as McGeeney wonders how he'll approach socialising and meeting girls for the first time........   

Obsessed.


Decent enough game. Monaghan will probably never dominate a game as Tyrone as much again so it must be desperately dissapointing not to win. If they had drawn level there'd have been a real game but you always got the feeling that Tyrone had soemthing in reserve. Mulligan was lucky enough with some of the frees he won but sure thats football. Cavanagh's scores were superb and the goal was really well worked.

In the last 15 minutes I thought Monaghan were too intent and lobbying in hopeful balls when if they'd worked the ball into point scoring positions they might have put Tyrone under even more pressure. Hopefully Monaghan will lift themselves and it'll be a good team that beats Tyrone this year.

One other thing, the fella doing the BBC interviews - was that not the most stupid question to ask the Tyrone lads after the match. "How far do you think you can go?" They've won two All Irelands for f***s sake, whatever they might say, we all know that only wining Sam would be termed a sucessful season.

[tyroneboi]

One other thing, the fella doing the BBC interviews - was that not the most stupid question to ask the Tyrone lads after the match. "How far do you think you can go?" They've won two All Irelands for f***s sake, whatever they might say, we all know that only wining Sam would be termed a sucessful season.

he isnt as bad as the two girls that RTE employ to do their after match interviews!! the pair of them are absolutely terrible with their stating the obvious questions.


As for the game today, i thought Tyrone were decent enough in patches but got the feeling that they were playing in 3rd gear for most of the match. Think that when we hit Croker the team will step it up to another level. As someone mentioned it will take a good team to beat us and of whats left the only team that could do that is Kerry. Do not fear Dublin in the slightest and would actually love a crack at them come the third sunday in september.

[Norf Tyrone]

Out of curiousity, is Brian Dooher the first player to lift the Anglo-Celt AFTER lifting the Sam Maguire?

BBC mentioned that he was today anyhow, so he probably isn't!

[ONeill]

Both halves mirrored each other. Tyrone stormed clear, eased up and allowed Monaghan to dictate proceedings. Could very easily have been a draw. Monaghan have excellent self-belief and when their nerves finally went after 10 mins they were a match for Tyrone in all depts apart from efficiency with chances.

The good thing for Mickey is that whereas against Donegal it was Dooher, Hughes and Mulgrew who starred, this time it was Cavanagh, Carlin and McCullagh. Maybe soon they'll gel at the same time. Still not convinced that Tyrone are purring to the standard needed.

I'm sure Gourley will come in for a bit of stick yet I didn't think he performed badly. He was fouled for their goal and in Tyrone's purple patches he was steady. He was, however, repeatedly targeted by Monaghan with the high ball from 1-70 mins - sometimes you're not going to win it. Ricey, whilst inspirational at times, seemed to lack a wee bit of pace which was worrying though the heat was savage. Carlin was majestic going forward and scored an absolute gem after a wonderful dummy. Cavlan mixed the good with the bad. Some examples or his great vision yet some stupid and basic errors - over-carrying/pick off the ground/over-adventurous passing.

Was O'Neill fully fit or was he simply starved? I suppose Monaghan were in the ascendancy when he appeared. As for Monaghan, I hope they don't drop the head. Hanratty seems to have flattered to deceive. Freeman is All-Star material even though he was well handled today for the majority of the game.

[ONeill]

Out of curiousity, is Brian Dooher the first player to lift the Anglo-Celt AFTER lifting the Sam Maguire?

Mmm - although it seems obvious from the start of the back door that he was, you never know. You'd need to find out if any previous Anglo-Celt winning captain was injured for the All-Ireland Final and that stand-in captain then took the reigns for a subsequent Ulster win.

[Datsun Donaghy]

As for the game today, i thought Tyrone were decent enough in patches but got the feeling that they were playing in 3rd gear for most of the match. Think that when we hit Croker the team will step it up to another level. As someone mentioned it will take a good team to beat us and of whats left the only team that could do that is Kerry. Do not fear Dublin in the slightest and would actually love a crack at them come the third sunday in september.

Have to agree with you Tyroneboi - I don't mind which Ulster team goes on to win Sam, but I think Tyrone are the only one who realistically can. It looks like you and Kerry in a 2 horse race with Cork being the closest outsider. Dublin's antics and post match celebrations would suggest they are not ready for it. After their third Leinster title in a row I thought they would just want to get the presentation over with as soon as possible but that wasn't the case. Tyrone's celebrations were much more muted - they know the business is only about to start.

[ziggysego]

A very exciting and tense Ulster Final. Monaghan were outstanding, not allowing Tyrone to build on their great starts at each half. A bit of luck here and there, Monaghan would have been celebrating tonight.

Tyrone didn't seem to have the same drive today as they did against Donegal last month. They lost a lot of ball in middle field and made a lot of silly mistakes. ie Ricey before Monaghan's goal. That said, I felt Ricey had a good game. My biggest disappointment was Kevin Hughes, he messed up everything he touched and seemed to get in the way of everyone else.

Donegal aren't going to find it easy against Monaghan and I feel that Monaghan will progress to the 1/4 Finals.

Didn't think much of the referee either.

EDIT: Also KM, sorry I missed you again.

[Main Street]

I'd dissagree with you Ziggy about the ref. I was moaning about the nr of cards Monaghan were picking up. In hindsight, the ref just about kept a handle on the physical side, dished out the yellow cards early and often, but no one got sent off and the physical side of the game was kept in hand. Tyrone kept their heads after each robust challenge and got on with the game, after a good rest of course.

The game was a slow burner. Well done to Tyrone, worthy champions, when playing well their game was a class act and disciplined. Still I think they badly need a fit O'Neill.
Monaghan showed they are a solid improved fitter team who battle (in more ways that one) to the end. It was no fluke that that they ended up in a position where they nearly crafted an equaliser.

[Maguire01]

Well it didn't quite go as planned, but Monaghan can hold their head up high. After a disasterous start, we managed to get back into the game and towards the end we just didn't have the luck with Vinny Corey (although a good move by Banty to send him up there - Monaghan need a man to field on the forward line - i would have assumed Hugh McElroy could have been thrown in, but VC was a good move).

I stand by my original idea that it would have been best to have introduced Finlay as a sub early in the second half. As like many matches before, his free taking was poor at times - in particular the 45s or any frees out around the 40. He obviously doesn't have consistent range and accuracy from this distance, so why insist on tring to score from the ground? A better option would be a short pass in (to Woods for example) and that player could shoot for the point.

All in all, the team done well. I expect the collapse at the start was due to nerves as much as anything! The atmosphere when the team ran out was unreal - lets have the same support against Donegal!

[Armagh Exile]

Why was Stephen Gallogly substituted in the 2nd half by Monaghan as I thought his workrate was excellent and would have been a definitive plus going into the last 10 minutes.
Maybe he was injured.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Why was Stephen Gallogly substituted in the 2nd half by Monaghan as I thought his workrate was excellent and would have been a definitive plus going into the last 10 minutes.
Maybe he was injured.

He was yelllow-carded, and treading dangerously, perhaps that was the only reason.

[ONeill]

'56 '57 '73 '84 '86 '89 '95 '96 '01 '03 '07

Do yiz not see the pattern?

[omagh_gael]

great game today, just seen sunday game, an low an behold, pat and the lads thought it was a very good open game of football!! tommy lyons def thinks tyrone in with a shout come sept an i would be feelin pretty confident myself. got the feeling that tyrone played wit in themselves, an as mr lyons said, should only improve with the wide open spaces of croke park. on that note, lookin forward to gettin a championship day out in croke park again in high summer, seems like ages since the AI final 2005!!! by the way did any of ye's see the english dude wit the big beard playin the bodhron outside the hill entrance, legend! lol seen a load of fellas pelting him wit chips as he was walkin up the main st put a dampner on the title celebrations for me!! lol