Tír Eoghain vs Áth Cliath '08

[gaagaa]

the Dubs NEED to beat Tyrone, Armagh or Kerry in the championship to get a serious monkey off their back.

the reality is the dubs need to win the all ireland even if it means beating antrim in the final - winning the title is the monkey on their back

[Tyrone Dreamer]

i'm not going to respond to the rubbish arguments put forward by hoganstand wind up merchants here like tyrone dreamer and the rest of the schoolkids but judging by their comments they wouldn't know anything about the time commitments required at a serious level of football. I suppose ignorance is bliss, so i'll let that one slide.
But if you think some dublin websites have gone downhill, look at the state of this site. There is rarely any good debate anymore and unfortunately the website is punctuated with a lot of Wind Up merchants especially from certain counties up north. Its nothing like it was 18mths ago, and its a pity because its even extended to the moderators who give a lot of leeway to certain posters and apply a different set of rules to others.

I'm not going to say anything more on it.

You know someone is in trouble in an arguement here when they throw out these lines. Do you seriously believe Kerry the most successful team in Ireland would have asked their players ahead of the Longford game in Killarney in 06 to book the Friday of work? I have never heard of this before apart from maybe if a team had a very long trip on the Saturday and this would be rare. It'll make for a good excuse though if you's dont win by the 5-8 points that you's are expecting.

[DUBSFORSAM1]

Yes compared to a league game in 07 having McConnell/Shaughnessy, Cullen, Cahill, Whelan, Ryan, Quinn, Sherlock, B Brogan in the starting team makes us a weaker team alright...

[Mike Sheehy]

with all due respect mike your crowd did a great whinge after your crap performance against monaghan last year. it was all " 6 week breaks" etc. the reality is you were absolutely shite on the day and should have been beaten. So maybe the next time Mike before you post , engage the dormant organ inside your mallet and then post , rather than  posting shite like the above.

Now, Now...relax Indiana. You are obviously feeling the pressure but theres no need for that carry on at all, at all. I dont know why you are sh**ting yourself about Tyrone as they didnt look great against Mayo but you obviously are. Show a bit more intestinal fortitude man.

Honestly, its horrible watching the Dubs unravel like this..... Its like seeing a car crash at the same junction every year !

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

No Leinster love-in with Dublin from me,I hope the nordies hammer them

You're absolved RLL 

[INDIANA]

We're not that hard up laois lad that we need your support . its a pity they abolished the tommy murphy cup it would have given laois somthing to aim for.

[The Real Laoislad]

We're not that hard up laois lad that we need your support . its a pity they abolished the tommy murphy cup it would have given laois somthing to aim for.

Sure Tommy Murphy was one of Laois's greatest ever players it would be a honour to win something named after him!

[orangeman]

the Dubs NEED to beat Tyrone, Armagh or Kerry in the championship to get a serious monkey off their back.

the reality is the dubs need to win the all ireland even if it means beating antrim in the final - winning the title is the monkey on their back

The pressure is on Dublin to beat Tyrone handily in this encounter - It's hard to imagine Tyrone beating Dublin but it's easy to imagine the headlines if Dublin were to be beaten ! 

[supersarsfields]

i'm not going to respond to the rubbish arguments put forward by hoganstand wind up merchants here like tyrone dreamer and the rest of the schoolkids but judging by their comments they wouldn't know anything about the time commitments required at a serious level of football. I suppose ignorance is bliss, so i'll let that one slide.
But if you think some dublin websites have gone downhill, look at the state of this site. There is rarely any good debate anymore and unfortunately the website is punctuated with a lot of Wind Up merchants especially from certain counties up north. Its nothing like it was 18mths ago, and its a pity because its even extended to the moderators who give a lot of leeway to certain posters and apply a different set of rules to others.

I'm not going to say anything more on it.

I've more or less stopped posting on here over the last wee while. Still always get a good read of it each day. But have noticed that it's got a bit bitchy but I definitely wouldn't confine it to the Northern counties.

Regarding the game itself I was happy enough with the draw. Tyrone need a good challenge to see if they have actually improved any since the start of the year. And there's nothing like playing the Dubs down in Croker for the atmosphere and the banter before the game. Which is weird considering it seems to be the Tyrone and Dublin ones on here that snipe away at each other. Put I suppose that can be put down to recent history.
To be honest I'll be travelling down in hope more than anything. I feel Tyrone have moved on since the Down game. I think there's a lot more hunger and self belief than back in May. If a couple of the Forwards have a big day at the office ( T McGuigan and McCullagh in particular) then we've got a reasonable chance. Dublin prob do have the best over all attacking six players in the county and it'll be a big test for what is a improving back line for Tyrone. Ricey finally beginning to look like he's hitting form again, Gourley making a big impact at the wkend, Jordan finding his engine again and hopefully McMahon improving again. The only slight worry would be Davey. He's a player I have liked in the past and has been well due his place. But I just think that at the minute on Form there seems to be better opions on the side line. But again, he could come round and put in a stormer so it's only a minor worry.

Midfield will be an interesting encounter. Tyrone never seem to do well from this section. Even on Saturday when the MOTM came from this section we still didn't come close to breaking even. And with Ryan and Whelan they'll be up against it. I'd prob stick with Mellon in the hope Saturday was a blip. Don't think Holmes would have the legs for it especially if he's trying to pick up Ryan. And no doubt Cavanagh will be moved in and out of there at some stage.

In the forward lines different players seem to be hitting form on different days. Penrose changed the game at the wkend when he came on and would prob realish the large pitch. But too often when started he can find it hard to get into a game. So I'd prob hold him of as a sub. Then you have Dooher who has seen a dip in his performances. But he'll always put the effort in no matter how his form is. Then there is the mulligan factor. I just can't see him starting no matter how how well he's doing in training. It would be a huge ask of him. However you can be sure that if there's only a couple of Points in it and he's brought on in the second half he'll be a hugh lift to the team and should lift the supporters that will be massively outnumbered. But it's in McCullagh and Tommy I believe the game will be won or lost. We really need the two of them to be firing on all cylinders. Both in frees and in play.

So all in all both in personnel and form there can be no doubt Dublin adds up to a higher score. And if Tyrone do manage to grab a victory then i fully believe we could consider ourselves as genuine contenders again which even most Tyrone people would admit wasn't really considered at the start of the year. But unfortunately I just think that it's a step to far for them at the minute. But I'll head down and enjoy the weekend anyway. Sure maybe we'll serve up the game of the championship and we'll have a Dublin Tyrone love in on the board.  

[ONeill]

After the Mayo game on Saturday I was convinced this was as far as Tyrone would go. Too many players simply didn't have that All-Ireland edge needed with only McMenamin, Cavanagh, Jordan, McGinley and Gormley at times driving the team through sheer will-power and tenacity. Mickey made sure we'd done enough by bringing on the likes of a fully fit Penrose to edge the contest from the bench. I feared a quarter-final meltdown and a possible hammering from provincial winners hungry for another scalp.

However, drawing Dublin was the best outcome in hindsight. Let there be no mistake made about this - Dublin have a soft underbelly that can be exposed if a side is good enough to mix the physical with the football. They puff their chests with fake bravado when things are going their way. This approach actually works when up against inferior sides who buy into the Hill effect and the bluster on the field. I remember in 2005 when Dublin led by something like 5 points at half time that I wasn't remotely worried. I knew that when Tyrone upped the ante and began to turn the screw, the Jackeens would revert to the headless chicken routine and confuse hard-hitting championship football with street-fighting. They take the eye off the ball because of an in-grained psyche that uses physicality to cover up footballing inadequacies mixed with 50'000 supporters who don't know the difference either and egg on their players at the wrong time.

The question for Tyrone is whether we can mix it sufficiently in both forms any more. I've no doubt that Tyrone have the men to put it up to Dublin when it comes to letting the opposition know they'll not be rolled over but whether we have the quality to worry the scoreboard at the same time at the highest level, I have my doubts. Cork, Galway and Armagh wouldn't be as easily handled as they'd have the wherewithal to go toe-to-toe and keep their composure and eye on the bigger picture. Tyrone need to press the right buttons with Dublin - it's still the same team, the same management, the same Jackeen mindset. The media can talk about Shane Ryan - Ryan exemplifies why Dublin cannot be taken seriously. Bulk up all you want, run marathons as well, but if you have nothing between the ears you'll only go so far. One important aspect has changed though. In 2005 it was Stevie and Mugsy would hurt them most in the art of scoring, coupled with the complete confusion Canavan caused in their defensive ranks by just standing on the pitch. Those options have gone. We need a new generation to do the same.

If I had to put my mortgage on it, Dublin's bluster to win out against a Tyrone side a level below what is needed. Yet, if there's one match that show what Tyrone 2008 is all about, it's this. There's no hiding place and that's the unknown factor right now.

[stibhan]

the Dubs NEED to beat Tyrone, Armagh or Kerry in the championship to get a serious monkey off their back.

the reality is the dubs need to win the all ireland even if it means beating antrim in the final - winning the title is the monkey on their back

leave us the f**k out of this. At least we've recently won an all-ireland in croke park  .

[INDIANA]

the difference in 2005 was o neill, you were better than us. it hadn't much to do with puffing out chests and the rest of the bullshit that tyrone fans crow on about (that and the fact the've only won 2 all-irelands, thats right 2). you had  stevie O neill, in my view the best forward of the last decade, canavan a living legend , mc guigan the best centre forward in the game at the time and a flying mulligan. We did remarkably well with a vastly inferior team to bring you to a replay because you were vastly superior to us.
in 2008 you aren't superior to us, you have maybe one forward at the moment who would make the dublin forward line. and i f we get 5 points up early in the second half this time round, you can pack your bags because you haven't the scoring power to reel us back in. Tyrone can beat dublin but only if its a tight ,dour low scoring game. because if its anything else, we will win.

[ONeill]

I cannot see us keeping Dublin to less than something like 1-13/0-15 so this is the occasion for some of our unsung forwards to show what they're made of. So far we've hit 2-8, 0-21 (AET), 1-17, 0-14 and 0-13 albeit against weaker opposition - although we scored more against Westmeath than the Dubs did.

[INDIANA]

who do you propose to do all this scoring? i c an't see you scroing more than one 1-10 to-1-12, especially with our midfield. even with our iffy defence, they havent a stephen  o neill or canavan to worry about. i can't see you breaking even at midfield either.

[Radioulster]

If Dublin are serious about winning the all ireland they need to be beating us convincingly. I can't see them doing that because Tyrone are defenitely getting the bit between their teeth. They know how to win a skill that cannot be taught. One factor will prove the difference between the teams-intelligence. Tyrone most def have it on the line and their leaders have it on the pitch eg Cavanagh coming out the field, McMenamins professional foul in the last few minutes. Dublin don't have that calibre of leader within their ranks both on the line or the pitch. Tyrone by 2 There is much more in the McGuigans and we will see it on Saturday week!!!