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Personally think we need more ball winners and power in the half forward line. We're getting cleaned out on breaking ball and generally no where near enough aggression. If everyone fit apart from Canavan (which I'm sure they won't be) I'd be going with:

Morgan
Clark
Hampsey
Quinn
McKernan
Teague
Devlin
Kilpatrick
Kennedy
McGeary
O'Donnell
Oguz/Ben McDonnell
McElholm
Donnelly
Cassidy

Leaving likes of Ruari and McCurry to come in.

Main contenders at the minute are probably Teague, Hampsey or Brennan. It could vary depending on opposition. But definitely think we're too open playing McKernan there. O'Neill seems to be doing a good job for Queen's at the minute but could be early for him in that position.

I'd go with something like this:

N Morgan
A Clark (probably have to pick up McGuigan)
R Brennan
J Clarke
R Cassidy
M Donnelly (temporary solution to try and hold middle)
M McKernan
C Kilpatrick
B Kennedy
C O'Neill
J Oguz
C Daly
M Conroy
E McElholm
E Jordan

Hold Canavan back as not up to fitness yet and McElholm might not have 70 minutes in it.

It was a fairly poor performance overall but some very over the top reaction to it as well. There was six players on that have played little or no senior county football. You have to give them a chance to settle in. It's hard when there's so many in one go but wasn't much choice with injuries.

A lot of supporters giving out about their teams having no tactics on kick outs. But under new rules when opposition press it's very hard to do anything but kick to a contest. I thought Tyrone were brutal at competing in those contests in the first half though. Kildare got lot of easy clean catches. By his standards a poor night from Morgan.

There was signs a few of the new players like Clarke and Jordan can make it. But badly need a few ball winners in the half forward line.

Thought mcglennon, Jordan and Conroy decent enough tonight. Some poor performances. Who impressed others?

Good to see Kennedy back but rusty

Conroy has been poor enough all 3 games. He is accurate from free's but also kicks a lot of silly snapshots and gives the ball away far too often. Doesn't matter that much as he'll be nowhere near that forward line come championship time

He's kicked 1-5 from play in last two games, been involved in a few goals and linked play well. Long way to go to make it in the summer but it's been a decent start.

Jordan looked very lively tonight, pity he went off at half time with presumably an injury.

Do they not have 9 senior clubs and 7 divisional teams (made up of intermediate and junior players) in senior championship. So 10th best team enters Munster from a strong football county with nearly 60 clubs?

Would it not be fairer if their junior champs went into intermediate?

Would like to see a good experimental team in the McKenna Cup with boys who haven't had much time previously. Based on this years club championship and Tyrone u20's in recent years I'd like to see something like this:

Darragh McAnenely
Conor Devlin
Shane Hughes
Steve Donaghy
Joey Clarke
Ronan Fox
Dalaigh Jones
Ruari McHugh
Oisin McCann
Cathal Donaghy
Conor O'Neill
Lorcan McGarrity
Michael Conroy
Paul Donaghy (unlikely to commit)
Ethan Jordan

Subs:
Callum Daly
Gavin Potter
James Quinn
Matthew Quinn
Cathoir Gallagher
Ronan Cassidy

Quinn and Devlin have loads of potential and they're good young  players, I'm not writing them off in future, but our FB line of Quinn, Teague and Devlin hasn't a patch on our last AI winning FB lines of Hampsey, McNamee and McKernan. When you look back at it they were a fantastic trio of defenders.

That wasn't the full back line yesterday, Teague was half back. Also, I don't think Quinn is young to be calling one for the future. Had a good game yesterday.

Surely to be in with a chance we need to be starting with closer to our strongest team - so Mattie Donnelly and Peter Harte starting. Half forward line was a major issue against Armagh and them two would immediately improve it. Then you can have potential impact players like McElholm, O'Donnell, Ruairi, Oguz coming on as the tiredness creeps in. I think Hampsey has to come into the full back line probably at the expense of Devlin, and a fit Mark Bradley also has to start.
Morgan, Hamspey, Teague, Quinn, McKernan, Brennan, McGeary, Kennedy, Kilpatrick, Daly/Donaghy, Mattie, Peter Harte, McCurry, Bradley, D Canavan.

I'd probably start Devlin ahead of Bradley and rejig the team (Teague could possibly go out to half back line or Devlin). Going to need a lot of running power around the middle sector. The last day we struggled badly to win ball when played both Canavans and McCurry. Could see Clark coming back in for Quinn in the full back line.

Also by playing Devlin it would mean Mattie and Harte could share being one of the 3 up to save energy.

If you could get a competitive Leinster again then all the more reason to keep the provincials.

But the current season does not work. If keeping the provincials and playing them post league they have to have more importance. Personally liked the system around covid time when provincial winners went straight to quarter finals. Runners up joined teams from division 1/2 in 2 rounds of back door games to make the quarter finals.

That would increase the value of the provincials and the leagues. Currently every competition is being devalued with a drawn out load of meaningless games.

In the likes of Armagh the county men hardly play any league games at all. If anything this totally devalues it. In Tyrone the leagues are taken much more seriously than other counties and are much better for it.

If the county board where more concerned about the county team they'd play away without the county men who currently have a tough all year schedule.

Next year the starred games are increased which should allow for slightly earlier start. I personally think things are well run in Tyrone.

Personally think it's a great time. Late enough for anyone doing a half days work or children activities in morning etc. And home at reasonable
time if want a few drinks after. And no work to worry about next day.

Gaa fans seem to complain about everything. Every other sport has fixtures at that time and attract good crowds.

Some people looking for 2 pointers to be from play only and not from frees.
Wouldn't that lead to an awful lot of fouls between the Arc and 45 or beyond?
As an aside - Should frees for fouls on the ball e g touching on ground, 2 hops etc be only 1 pointers while fouls on the man remain 2??

I thought this initially but I now think if keeping 2 points it should only be from play (much more skill involved). Free's round the arc will be converted by most decent free takers in good conditions and teams won't want to deliberately give up a free/point by fouling. And there is also the option for a quick tap and go which reduces the incentive to foul as well. Too many soft free's resulting in two points will happen if the rule stays as is and it's too great a reward.

I know the final this year wasn't a classic, but it is being seriously blown out of proportion.

Looking back throughout the last 10 years you could argue it wasn't as bad as the below finals.

2021 - Tyrone/Mayo. Mayo put up a fight for 35 mins. Second half Mayo fold and Tyrone win. Damp squib to finish

2020- Dublin/Mayo. Dublin score quickest ever goal in an AI Final and that is all she rote. COVID season. Underwhelming

2018- Tyrone/Dublin. Foregone conclusion before a ball was kicked. Bright start for Tyrone casts a little doubt, although Niall Morgan brain fart puts a halt to proceedings after around 15 mins. Waste of time

2015 - Dublin/Kerry. Labeled as a blockbuster. Revenge surly on Kerry's mind after Dublin nipping them a few years prior. Very poor spectacle played in poor conditions. Highlighted by the fact Dublin Corner Back Philly McMahon outscored arguably Kerry's main scoring threat by 1 point to 0. Doesn't live long in the memory

2014- Kerry/Donegal. Probably the worst of the lot. Everything about this game was dead. Decided by a goalkeeping error. A real snooze fest.

Would agree with a number of the finals including Tyrone Dublin but very harsh including Tyrone Mayo on that list. Fairly high scoring with some great scores and few goals thrown in. Was a contest for most of the game. Tyrone's second goal came after an hour to put them 5 up and was only then you felt Tyrone had it. Even then it was back to 3 points with 5 mins to go,

I think it's much too simplistic to look at one game like that in isolation. Two years ago was McStay's first year in charge and there was optimism around the new set up. Mayo were unbeaten in the league and coming off the back of hammering Kerry at home. This time around things have gone downhill under McStay and they were coming off a hammering to Galway. The weather was also worse.

Overall the crowds have been decent for the league despite a complete lack of promotion. In the past the gaa would have been delighted with 13/14,000 for Donegal Armagh and a sold out Tralee for Kerry Dublin.