U21 Football Championship

[orangeman]

I've been talking to a few Tyrone fans who were at the game tonight - just as the Dwon poster said earlier, the Tyrone ones can't just get their heads round how they lost the game - Down can't work out how they won the game ! Apparently Down brought on 3 subs with 10 minutes to go - fresh legs who just ran through Tyrone who had no answer -

Any one confirm this analysis ?

[Over the Bar]

Just back from Casement and Tyrone should have been out of sight in the 1st 15-20 mins and their 1st half dominance was not reflected in the 1 point lead at half time.  Tyrone missed a penalty at 4-0 which gave Down some heart and they slowly clawed their way back into the game.

Down probably shaded the 2nd half and crucially won all the scrappy balls at midfield.   Down were 2 points up with 8 mins to go and somehow Tyrone turned this around within 4 mins to lead by a point.  Down however composed themselves to then score 2 more and saw out injury time to win.

[armaghniac]

Did Donegal go on the razzle after beating Armagh, or are Derry brilliant?  I hardly imagine that Derry would have beaten Armagh by 4-13 to 0-7!

[stevecw]

Wow are Derry that good or were Donegal that bad, 4-14 to 0-07 is wrong for a semi. So Ulster Final is Derry v Down. Leinster is Wexford vs Carlow/Kildare.
Winners of Ulster/Leinster meet in semi. Could be good...not the usual suspects in semi esp from Leinster!!! Imagine meeting Carlow in an AI semi! haha might happen!!!

[tyrone86]

Steve, how many of the Carlow lads would have played for the Hogan winning Knockbeg team in 05?

[INDIANA]

not a lot -that team was dominated by laois players like donie brennan and michael tierney.

[amallon]

When Tyrone got the penalty I was on the phone to some Down supporters who were still on route and I told them to turn the car round if the goal went in.  Luckily for us it didn't!  I knew Down would cause problems for Tyrone or any defence if they could get decent ball into our full forward line and we started to do this after the penalty miss.  McComiskey was unreal last night.  Anyone know what he scored?  I would guess at 6 or 7 points.  You have to say hard luck to Tyrone that was a very good U21 team the had.  Fair play to the Down management for making the changes when the needed to be made.  Caldwells introduction really helped Down.  It was an excellent exciting game of football by two good footballing teams.

[buglebhoy]

Like most ppl on this, don't know how down managed to win this! Midfield was poor last night for down in first half and tyrone dominated. In second half down were maybe a bit sharper but tyrone still played better football. Down in the last 15 were good, fighting hard. Kevin McKernan got a few scores but Paul McComiskey was the star of the show.

[passedit]

Like most ppl on this, don't know how down managed to win this! Midfield was poor last night for down in first half and tyrone dominated. In second half down were maybe a bit sharper but tyrone still played better football. Down in the last 15 were good, fighting hard. Kevin McKernan got a few scores but Paul McComiskey was the star of the show.

Simple bugle, forwards win matches, I thought at half time Tyrone had blown it and so it proved. Once the quality of ball into Mc Comiskey and Brannigan improved Down were on the pigs back. Down midfield were very good in the second half and while the introduction of Caldwell certainly helped, i feel the tide had already turned. Bit worried about Magee. Thought he looked very pedestrian at this level, which is strange because he's looked promising enough in the senior games i've seen him. Moving him to full forward cost Down about a four point swing midway through the second half. In fairness to Pete he didn't persist with it for too long and both Magee and Down finished strongly when he was moved back out the field.

[onlyonefut]

Tyrone gave a lesson on how to lose a match when you dominate most of the first half and come out about even in the second half.
Chances went a begging early on for Tyrone when they overplayed the ball instead of taking responsibility and going for a score. Down substitutes proved very successful late in the second despite some serious doubts from their supporters.

[Model Hammer]

Cork, Galway, Laois, Armagh, Dublin, Tyrone all out already. Seems this U21 championship is Wexford's to lose 

[stevecw]

Steve, how many of the Carlow lads would have played for the Hogan winning Knockbeg team in 05?

None of this Carlow side would have played on that Knockbeg team. Knockbeg is nearly always full of Laois guys.

[magpie seanie]

I hear Derry are very good. They gave Sligo a trimming a couple of weeks ago in a challenge and I'm told they looked formidable.

[Dinny Breen]

Could be good...not the usual suspects in semi esp from Leinster!!

Eh! Kildare won the u/21 Leinster as recently as 2004 and have one of the better u/21 records in recent years dispite the last three where that stupid system has them grouped with Meath and Dublin.

[Our Nail Loney]

Magpie, so far Derry have looked very good, they destroyed a Donegal team last night that put out reigning Ulster champions Armagh and Monaghan in the preliminary.

I would have them as favourites for Ulster on performances last night.