Tyrone v Down Ulster Championship First Round 8th June 2008

[Minus15]

yes all ticket I think. Just home from training and our club secretary took names of all who wanted tickets.

[orangeman]

Mc Ginley is rated very doubtful which would be a big blow - I think Joe Mc Mahon will start regardless - Tyrone's kickouts are a problem.

[Mr. Nakata]

I have only notched 50 or so posts on this board, but i'd say in at least 5 of them, I have made reference to the fact that Tyrone have not had a midfielder of sheer class since big Plunkett hung up his boots. Cavanagh at his rampaging best is quality but rarely fetches clean ball. What worried me about Sunday was the amount of times Gordon caught uncontested ball. Holmes and Hub didn't even try to punch it let alone catch it. Shambolic. When talking about other midfielders around the county I would give Harte the benefit of the doubt regarding what's required and the difference in standard. He's been managing at county level for 10 years. Maybe Coney or Eugene McKenna's cub can come through in a couple of years. Young McKenna was leaping like a salmon and hanging in the air just like his old man in the minor match. At present, Joey Mc has to start in midfield to get his fist on everything.

Regarding Sunday, Healy Park was looking superb, the pints in the club after were cold, crisp and despatched with great vigour. That lad staggering towards the town was in as bad a shape as I've ever seen.

Roll on Saturday.....

[To whom it may concern]

I have deliberately waited over 24 hrs to give an opinion on yesterday....i didn't want to be rash or jump on the bandwagon, but the last two thirds yesterday looked like a team on the home straight airing its last few breaths before the final nail in the coffin...at one point half way through the second half when Ambrose Rogers goaled, it looked liked a poignanat and seminal moment...i thought to myself, theses players deserve better than this, being outgunned by an inferior (on paper) and youthful team in their own back yard...

i thought we looked a tired team, a team that has been sussed out, a team that is trying to reinvent itself, but in reality is struggling to come up with anything different...

Let's be honest, once ross carr rung the changes after 20 mins and tightened things up by putting a check point up behind his midfield, we were devoid of ideas...and Down's attack threatened a number of times...i think we just about got enough on the board early on to survive...

i thought we didn't extract enough from sean cavanagh whilst he was in at full forward...we left three inside early on and at times sean looked crowded out...the more men Down could get back the better to crowd him out...it was only when mccullagh moved out, and played just off sean and penrose, that we began to get joy....

i thought dooher was a delight to watch at times yesterday...yes, he looked a little rusty and his lack match fitness at this level told at times, but he added an extra intestity to our middle third...

worringly, i feel we are still suspect down the flanks when we are run at...expect down to utilise the flanks more this sat night....

justin did ok on coulter, the heart was in the mouth a few times, but i feel benny wasn't at his sharpest...i still fear the threat of him inside, and am not totally convinced of justin repeating the job this week...

as for team selection, i feel McGee will come in, not just because of McComiskey-(for what it is worth, i think Down will hold him off again this week-but because of his greater experience)...i feel carlin could come in and play ricey's role, allowing ricey to push up and play No.5...

Joe McMahon should undoubtedly start, but will beard hold him off as he offers great option in a no. of positions from the bench?? can't see Enda playing, the word is hat he didn't even know he was married on sunday night!!!!!!!!!!!!!

anyhow, feel sean has to go to midfield...feel hub and holmes are very one dimensional and much of a muchness....colm cavanagh suddenly becomes a big loss if he's not able to play, as i thought we could have used him at 14...and what odds on Mickey picking Devine in goals??

Devine
Ricey
Justin
McGee
Carlin
Gormley
Jordan
Joe
Sean
Dooher
McGuigan
Colm Cavanagh
Penrose
Tommy
Colm McCullagh

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

All ticket indeed, confirmed.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Devine
Ricey
Justin
McGee
Carlin
Gormley
Jordan
Joe
Sean
Dooher
McGuigan
Colm Cavanagh
Penrose
Tommy
Colm McCullagh

That'll be close I'd say, with Mellon perhaps for Colm Cav.

[ONeill]

Down are not world beaters and that team is well capable of winning in Newry. Niall Gormley could be pushing for a start ahead of Tommy. Any updates on Mulgrew and Mulligan? Still, our free-taking from distance will hamper Tyrone's need to maximise all attacking play. That's a serious handicap and can be disheartening for players. Joe into the fullback line and Justin midfield? - the younger can hit a decent free.

If we can somehow scrape through that, it'd give the lads 2 weeks to get into shape for Armagh, having two tough games under the belt. You'd hope Dooher, McGuigan and McMahon will be much the better for Sunday's runout in terms of fitness.

Defensively, Tyrone cannot afford to leak goals. Down might well have scored 4 on Sunday, 3 when Tyrone were on top! Whatever concoction Mickey decides to go with in the corners from Ricey, Carlin, McGee, McCaul, Swift, Quinn etc, they'll need to be on their game in Newry. Quietly confident we'll see a big improvement.

[Lecale2]

Down are not world beaters

Talk about stating the obvious!

[rrhf]

Kelvin Hughes is playing the best midfield football in Tyrone at the moment and he was only removed from the panel 2 months ago.  Whatever happened then may well have been the kick in the arse he needed, has shook him up and he is having the best football season of his career, finally starting to realise the potential of his youth.   

[loughshore lad]

Kelvin Hughes is playing the best midfield football in Tyrone at the moment and he was only removed from the panel 2 months ago.  Whatever happened then may well have been the kick in the arse he needed, has shook him up and he is having the best football season of his career, finally starting to realise the potential of his youth.   

No disrespect RRHF but he was not that effective when Donaghmore played Ardboe last month and John McConville was definitely the dominant midfielder on show that night.

[amallon]

I got a text to say that Gordan has a broken thumb. Anyone hear anything?

[wherefromreferee?]

Down are not world beaters and that team is well capable of winning in Newry. Niall Gormley could be pushing for a start ahead of Tommy. Any updates on Mulgrew and Mulligan? Still, our free-taking from distance will hamper Tyrone's need to maximise all attacking play. That's a serious handicap and can be disheartening for players. Joe into the fullback line and Justin midfield? - the younger can hit a decent free.

If we can somehow scrape through that, it'd give the lads 2 weeks to get into shape for Armagh, having two tough games under the belt. You'd hope Dooher, McGuigan and McMahon will be much the better for Sunday's runout in terms of fitness.

Defensively, Tyrone cannot afford to leak goals. Down might well have scored 4 on Sunday, 3 when Tyrone were on top! Whatever concoction Mickey decides to go with in the corners from Ricey, Carlin, McGee, McCaul, Swift, Quinn etc, they'll need to be on their game in Newry. Quietly confident we'll see a big improvement.

So Cavan shouldn't bother turning up?? 

[ONeill]

Down are not world beaters

Doesnt say much for your highly fancied Tyrone side 

Who highly fancied them? Did you?

[downredblack]

I got a text to say that Gordan has a broken thumb. Anyone hear anything?

Just heard that myself 4-6 weeks out  , dont know if it 100%

[rrhf]

Loughshore lad, Kelvin ruled it fror 25 minutes and then Mc Conville punched it away for the next 35 mins and it was a huge battle,  both players are better than Hub and Holmes at the moment.  Thats my point.