USFC Final Antrim v Tyrone Clones 19th July

[nrico2006]

Yeah Tyrone won easy enough, but I dont like their tackics, never liked their tackics and never will like their tactics.

1) Antrim should have been awarded a couple of frees from where the landed after Tyrone took out the man after he played the ball.
2) All Tyrone players have perfected the falling down thing.
3) Whenever an opposing team score two points in a row, a Tyrone player will get seriously injured and need medical treatment thereby defusing the steam built up by the opponent.

The point has been made regarding the high number of 'soft' frees Antrim got, but what I noticed from the start was that if any team was cynical it was them.  Constant late hitting after the ball was released, dragging down and the like were frequently occuring.  The referee was terrible and there seemed to be no consistency regarding frees being given to the teams, it seemed that Antrim were getting a free for any contact while Tyrone had to do a lot more to win one.  The reaction to the Dooher incident on here makes me laugh, he is pushed in the face with a mans hands/forearm while motoring and is he expected to be immune to pain?  It was a very dangerous tackle and Scullion went to Dooher more than Dooher going to him.  Sure Dooher wanted the free probably and also wanted to run the risk of getting his nose broke.  As for SON, he is a guranteed starter the next day.  People have short memories here, the man didn't play in the league apart from the first game in January, he has played 3 championship games and his contribution has been not what is normally returned by him in terms of scores, but look at the game on Sunday and everytime the ball came near him he was followed by 2/3 Antrim men.  But as mentioned he had a hand in a number of scores including the goal.  The same could be said of Dooher, he is only back from injury and will get better as time progresses.  I laugh at peoples comments that he hasnt the legs for 70 minutes anymore, I feel sorry for Brian as anytime he doesn't turn in a 10 out of 10 performance its deemed that he is finished.  This craic has been spouted last year and the year before, even after the Donegal performance in 2007 he was said to be finished in light of the Meath game.  Both players will benefit from the game on Sunday.  Both players have only played a handful of games this year for both Club and County, and anyone who plays the game knows that it takes games to bring you on no matter how many training sessions you have.  I am actually surprised that there isn't much criticism fired at Cunninghams missed opportunities in relation to the goal chances he seemed so reluctant to attempt.  

[A Quinn Martin Production]

Yeah Tyrone won easy enough, but I dont like their tackics, never liked their tackics and never will like their tactics.

1) Antrim should have been awarded a couple of frees from where the landed after Tyrone took out the man after he played the ball.
2) All Tyrone players have perfected the falling down thing.
3) Whenever an opposing team score two points in a row, a Tyrone player will get seriously injured and need medical treatment thereby defusing the steam built up by the opponent.

The point has been made regarding the high number of 'soft' frees Antrim got, but what I noticed from the start was that if any team was cynical it was them.  Constant late hitting after the ball was released, dragging down and the like were frequently occuring.  The referee was terrible and there seemed to be no consistency regarding frees being given to the teams, it seemed that Antrim were getting a free for any contact while Tyrone had to do a lot more to win one.  The reaction to the Dooher incident on here makes me laugh, he is pushed in the face with a mans hands/forearm while motoring and is he expected to be immune to pain?  It was a very dangerous tackle and Scullion went to Dooher more than Dooher going to him.  Sure Dooher wanted the free probably and also wanted to run the risk of getting his nose broke.  As for SON, he is a guranteed starter the next day.  People have short memories here, the man didn't play in the league apart from the first game in January, he has played 3 championship games and his contribution has been not what is normally returned by him in terms of scores, but look at the game on Sunday and everytime the ball came near him he was followed by 2/3 Antrim men.  But as mentioned he had a hand in a number of scores including the goal.  The same could be said of Dooher, he is only back from injury and will get better as time progresses.  I laugh at peoples comments that he hasnt the legs for 70 minutes anymore, I feel sorry for Brian as anytime he doesn't turn in a 10 out of 10 performance its deemed that he is finished.  This craic has been spouted last year and the year before, even after the Donegal performance in 2007 he was said to be finished in light of the Meath game.  Both players will benefit from the game on Sunday.  Both players have only played a handful of games this year for both Club and County, and anyone who plays the game knows that it takes games to bring you on no matter how many training sessions you have.  I am actually surprised that there isn't much criticism fired at Cunninghams missed opportunities in relation to the goal chances he seemed so reluctant to attempt.  

Agree with the bit about O'Neill...the rest of the post is pure shite!  I watched the game last night.  There was feck all wrong with Dooher as Sidearse and Big Joe pointed out.  It was a free of course but what Scullion and other defenders should learn is to keep the hands down as Dooher often runs straight at the man which should be a free to the defender for charging.  Antrim did get a couple of handy frres but so did Tyrone again the Hub should have been blown for charging but was given a free from which Tyrone scored during that wee 10 mins when Antrim were on top.  Andy McLean was also harsly blown for over carrying which led to a Tyrone score.  Also more generally how were there nine yellow cards in a match in which there was hardly a dirty blow struck??  As for Cunningham...the first "goal" chance I think he was right to take the point.  The angle was very tight and Tyrone had a man almost on the line and a man blocking Sean Burke's run.  Antrim needed a score at that time.  As for the second I think he went for goal and it just came off the side of his boot.  He should have scored but I'll not be too harsh on him...he was the only Antrim player who had the better of his man.

[imtommygunn]

When Antrim had it to 5 points after 3 in a row in the second half then:

- the referee gave two fouls, wrongly, against them so all this ref giving antrim soft frees was in my opinion nonsense
- ryan mcmenamin went down to curb the momentum

To say antrim were more cynical is quite frankly nonsense...

- Sean Cavanagh got a run at goal and he was allowed to run
- Antrim about 3 times had men running at goal who probably weren't going to be caught - result dragged down.
- Dooher was fouled but made the most of it. It was a yellow so I wouldn't complain.

Don't get me wrong that's how Tyrone win things and I've nothing against it however it's just to point out that most of you post is horses**t nrico.

Name me what antrim player was cynical because I didn't see anyone. Maybe that's a problem too.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't O'Neill get married recently? For a guy on his honeymoon I thought he played exceptionally well!

Yep, just last week, and for the good Catholic lad that he is, I thought he had an amazing amount of energy 

[Mr. Nakata]

If McGinley is to be reinstated immediately, I think it would be Tommy who'll be most concerned. I'm a big fan of Tommy, but he seems to be jeckell and hyde, 1 great game followed by a poor one. In saying that, surely if a player is injured, they have to fight to get that jersey back. Maybe it's tough for Enda, but that's sport. Only the beard knows I suppose. Is McGinley indispensible? My own opinion is he should be first on the team sheet.

[talktothehand]

A lot of big fans decided to post on the gaaboard rather than go down to the game I see.

not many buses run from kolkata to clones!

[longball]

Mr Nakata i thought Tommy was harshly taken off the other day. Penrose and Oneill were the ones to go for me. I would be Tommy McGuigans biggest critic in fairness but il give credit where credit is due he is prob the most in form player in the county at the moment. I wouldnt be suprised to see Oneill left off the next day 0-1 in two games from your full forward/chief inside forward questions would be asked. If Bernard Brogan scored a point in 2 games he would be critised as not being good enough. Owen Mulligan doesnt get the credit he deserves either.

[Mr. Nakata]

When Mulligan stops trying to be the playmaker and stays in the danger zone he's as good as anybody. I thought he looked back to his best in the second half, even though he refused to stoop for a ball near the endline which infuriated me at the time. Penfold is out in front every time, always making the runs, never hides. He's worth his place for me. I still think SON is worth his place as well. The only negative I can say is the confidence and possibly arrogance of his '05 displays is still some way off. However, we all know he was simply untouchable that year. There was an instance on Sunday when he was steaming through and instead of pulling the trigger, he ran into trouble and was dispossessed. Brian McGuigan scored a gem when he came on and McCullagh will be fighting hard to get the playmaker role, Croker will suit players like that as well. Competition for places appears to be great all over the field but it's MH who decides who gets the chop.

[longball]

PJ Quinn may not make it the next day either. Sean ONeill, Damian McCaul, Ciaran Gourley all pushing hard. I wouldnt be suprised to see Gourley start the next game.

[glens abu]

very proud of Antrim on Sunday thought they battled to the end when other times they would have folded.Some very good performances against the best team in Ireland over the past 5 years don't think Colin Brady getting enough credit for the job he did on SON.Good luck Tyrone just hope someday we as a county can rise to the standard  you have set.

[Aaron Boone]

Rerun is on Setanta Ireland now, albeit into 2nd half.
Noone has idea how this part of the Setanta umbrella is still going.

[north down]

Stephen O'Neill was one of Tyrone's most anonymous players yesterday again, likewise in the Derry game.

Some/majority of Tyrone fans clearly have blinkered glasses on in relation to commenting on his performance

Can't believe some of the comments here re Stephen O'Neill's performance. The man is a forward and didn't score but that doesn't mean he didn't have a good game - he saw lots of the ball, supplied the passes for many of the scores including the goal and made space for other Tyrone players to score. By my reckoning he had a good game.

[orangeman]

Stephen O'Neill was one of Tyrone's most anonymous players yesterday again, likewise in the Derry game.

Some/majority of Tyrone fans clearly have blinkered glasses on in relation to commenting on his performance

Can't believe some of the comments here re Stephen O'Neill's performance. The man is a forward and didn't score but that doesn't mean he didn't have a good game - he saw lots of the ball, supplied the passes for many of the scores including the goal and made space for other Tyrone players to score. By my reckoning he had a good game.

[/b]

I saw it this way as well. Provided some great passes.

[Gold]

Cunningham should have went for goal both times--we were well behind when both chances came.

He should've rolled the 1st through Devine's legs --at that stage a chance of a goal should have been gambled on instead of the safe bet of a point

[ONeill]

Paddy's points - http://ulster.gaa.ie/landofthegiants/2009/07/21/paddys-points/

I think some of those camera angles are class.