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Much in the same way as the English premiership commentary agenda is set by Sky, the GAA championship commentary is increasingly being set by RTE. Its becoming a bit of a soap opera every year where events other than the football are more talked about. Cynicism, refereeing, blanket defences, schmozzles, basically anything that gives the pundits an opportunity to express their outrage. Paid pundits sitting in RTE armchairs (a lot of whom are hypocrites if their own playing careers are anything to go by) forensically picking out controversial incidents so as to grab the headlines and feed the media hacks their newspaper inches for days on end. Its a bullshit world but its their way of justifying their own occupation as sports commentators/journalists. The players are mere pawns in this frenzy crreated by a media who are hungry for the next 'outrageous' incident.     

A lad I played with who was our designated man marker used to constantly nip his opponent on the back off the ball and more often than not would draw a reaction from the forward which resulted in the forward either getting seriously wound up or sometimes sent off. Worked a treat in league matches where there were no neutral officials other than the ref. He rarely, if ever got caught as he never lost control.

Yeah, MF would have to be our main area of concern, has to be Findon & Ethan Rafferty, but i'm sure there'll be a fair bit of congestion in the area anyway. We also need a CHB that doesn't play for the Wolfe Tones.

Who is your preferred half back line?

Gk?
Mallon, Vernon, Murray
Shields, McKeever, Morgan
Findon, E Rafferrty
Dyas, McKenna, C Raff
Campbell, Jamie, Mcparland.

When i started typing there i just realised how many options we actually have. it's more a team i'd like to see rather the team i'd expect to see. I'd like to see McParland on there, he's a poacher.

I'd go the same up until the forwards where I'd move Dyas CHF, Aidan Forker in wing half forward and Tony Kernan on in place of McParland at corner forward. The starting XV could include any 15 out of about 22 players and nobody would be surprised.

Whelans comments are ridiculous, he seems to have forgotten his own playing career. Players have trained all year for this one match and they will do whatever it takes to try and give them an edge but it's easy to sit on a settee and collect a hefty cheque for slagging off players in a hypocritical manner like that. Maybe Im on my own by I actually enjoy those duels as Murphy/McMahon and Cavanagh/McGee had today, nothing wrong with a bit of sledging, in cricket it is considered an art.

Sledging is the talk of a coward. There is a serious character flaw in any individual that has to engage in it plus an inferiority complex to the guy they are marking

Get over yourself or give Joe Duffy a call tomorrow.

Whelans comments are ridiculous, he seems to have forgotten his own playing career. Players have trained all year for this one match and they will do whatever it takes to try and give them an edge but it's easy to sit on a settee and collect a hefty cheque for slagging off players in a hypocritical manner like that. Maybe Im on my own but I actually enjoy those duels as Murphy/McMahon and Cavanagh/McGee had today, nothing wrong with a bit of sledging, in cricket it is considered an art.

I'd forgotten how much I detested Tyrone until I saw Philip Jordan on the TV.

His newspaper articles are quite good but it's very hard to give him any credit as he will only ever be remembered for one incident.

I'm no huge fan of Tyrone but Carneys co commentary today was blatantly biased towards Donegal. Ridiculous how they can put a man who played for Donegal on commentary.

[Don't see midfield being a huge issue as the Athletic Grounds is a tight field]

Don't see midfield being a huge issue as the Athletic Grounds is a tight field and it wasn't as if Donegal dominated Tyrone at midfield today. Armagh have a punchers chance in this game, the main concern I'd have over Armagh is defensively. They learned very little playing poor teams in the League and it's hard to know whether they have improved anything from last year and McGeeney has a huge selection headache after using so many players during the League. I'd expect the game to take the same pattern as today with Donegals better game management eventually getting the home in a tight contest.

To dispel this fallacy

Athletic Grounds dimensions 143 x 88 m

Croke Park dimensions 144.5m x 88m

MF will be congested but the reality is that Donegal will be doing that as much as we will,  they are the masters of it but in McElhinny and Gallagher have 2 very good players who compliment each other well.  The fact that they have been playing at a higher pace so far this season and have a championship match played already will be a key factor.

Shows how appearances can be deceptive, it's probably due to the sidelines being close to the perimeter of the field. However my point remains the same, McElhinney is not a classical midfielder but likes to ghost into space with forward runs. Gallagher is more conventional and is still one of the top players in the country from kick outs. If Armagh break even here it will be seen as a success. My biggest concern is Armaghs defence. Tyrone done brilliantly today in terms of not conceding score able free kicks and Armagh will have to do the same. We have a few serial foulers in defence who will have to alter their natural instincts, otherwise these will be crucial in what is sure to be another tight affair.

Don't see midfield being a huge issue as the Athletic Grounds is a tight field and it wasn't as if Donegal dominated Tyrone at midfield today. Armagh have a punchers chance in this game, the main concern I'd have over Armagh is defensively. They learned very little playing poor teams in the League and it's hard to know whether they have improved anything from last year and McGeeney has a huge selection headache after using so many players during the League. I'd expect the game to take the same pattern as today with Donegals better game management eventually getting the home in a tight contest.

Martin McHugh has spoken about the grief he got from Keith Barry in the 92 AI Final, especially after he missed an early free. He shut him up pretty quickly, taking him on and beating him and getting a few class scores.

I'd say Barry probably just got into his head and played with his mind, almost putting him into a hypnotic state.

Colm 'manliness' O'Rourke looked totally pissed off with Brolly there.

Tyrone have bottled this big time. Cavanagh has been very poor......and now he's gone!!

Did Harte just bring a young lad off after 6 minutes action? Granted he was poor but 6 minutes!!

Surprisingly excellent game, high quality football and Tyrone have obviously set out their stall not to be bullied as they seem to be the team instigating the afters.  Karl Lacey has struggled and Tyrone have had joy running through the centre of Donegals defence with Harte and Donnelly in particular playing very well. Donegal have a lot of older players and this could well tell as the game goes on. The customary dust up at half time only adds to the intrigue for the 2nd half.

Kavanagh still at his diving antics.