AISF Aug 23rd Tyrone v Cork

[red hander]

Barry McGuigan lookalike.

Isn't Bannon the Fr Ted lookalike?

Aye, but he referees like Fr Dougal

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Failure is not an option - Mickey Harte

From the Strabane Chronicle - it'll sell big in Cork this week.

Roll up, roll up, read all about it... roll up, roll up, read all about it...


FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION

All-Ireland Football Championship Semi Final By Barry O'Donnell

FAILURE is not a word that fits comfortably into the vocabulary of Tyrone manager Mickey Harte but that's how he will view 2009 should his side exit the All-Ireland race at the semi-final stages next weekend.

Despite securing a fourth Ulster senior title in seven seasons last month, the Red Hands boss realises his charges have set the highest possible standards for themselves on the back of their hattrick of Sam Maguire triumphs this past decade. So inspite of a successful Ulster Championship campaign and their battling All-Ireland Quarter-Final victory over Kildare, Harte plays down the that the camp will approach the August 23rd showdown with Cork in fairly relaxed mood.

" We'd be cautious about every game. There's a very fine line. Our season is not successful if we lose to Cork. That's the bottom line. To have a successful season we must get to the final, that's the minimum expectation. We haven't done that yet, so that wouldn't give you any justification to be relaxed at this stage. We believe we are good enough to go there and play to the best of our ability but can you produce your best ability when its required. We can't answer those questions just yet."

Munster champions Cork are expected to provide Tyrone with their toughest test of the campaign to date, the Rebels having drawn much praise for the mobility and physicality in their game this term. They swamped Donegal at Croke Park by fourteen points a fortnight ago, a performance which drew parallels with the barnstorming displays produced by Tyrone themselves on occasions in recent years. However Harte felt it was premature to read too much into that outing, though he was generally impressed with the progress they've made under Conor Counihan's stewardship.

" People can only go on what they see. The form lines have been hard to measure this year because there's been all sorts of contradictions along the way but Cork have been showing good signs all season. They won their own division in the National League, they beat Kerry after a replay, had a bit of a slip up against Limerick by their own high standards but still won the game.

" But they are still undefeated and on current form you can see why people would be tipping them. Against that people weren't sure where Tyrone were. We won Ulster apparently without ourselves, whatever that means, and  then when we met Kildare we were pushed to the pin of our collar. So its hard to pick form lines from that. Those are the variables of sport and come the 23rd August we'll be able to determine whose formline is more accurate."

Harte has a superb track-record in All-Ireland semi-finals with the various Tyrone sides he has managed dating back to the early 90s. They have won seven of the nine games they have competed in and more significantly won the last three senior semis they have featured in. He hopes this winning big match mentality will come to the fore again at a Jones Road venue they are more than familiar with.

" That comes with experience. A lot of these boys have played at underage levels in big semi-finals also. The more you do something the more it becomes the norm. We always go back to the experience of 2005 when we played seven matches at Croke Park. It really became a home venue for us. So while there's an awe gracing the magnificent stadium there's no awe from the players perspective when it comes to performing there. It's to excite you and not scare you."

And on the injury front the Tyrone boss this week reported encouraging news on the fitness of midfielder Enda McGinley who has been absent over the last month with a hamstring injury. " He's back training and hopefully the rest of the sessions up until the game. If he has no ill-effects from that it will certainly be a huge bonus to have somebody of his experience back for that game. Ryan Mellon is making great progress as well and as long as he has no setbacks it's a big bonus to have him available also."

[Frank Casey]

And here's a little spin news from the Evening Langer Echo.

Cork defender Anthony Lynch is on course to start Sunday week's All-Ireland Senior Football Championship semi-final against Tyrone, having returned from a groin injury to take part in training at Pairc Ui Chaoimh last night.

Lynch was sidelined during the Rebels' Munster semi-final replay victory over Kerry in June, and was determined to make a full comeback after missing the Munster final win over Kerry and the All-Ireland quarter-final defeat of Donegal time out.

"The injury is coming along every session I take, but I'm just taking it session by session at the moment," Lynch said last night.

The 31-year-old played a full role at corner back in an A v B team training game at Pairc Ui Chaoimh last night.

"When you are coming back like that, you have to take it as it comes and that's what I'm doing now."

And although indications suggest that Cork manager Conor Counihan will hand Lynch a starting role against Tyrone, the Naomh Aban clubman is not taking anything for granted.

"Well I'm not straight back in yet. There is no team picked yet and I'm just taking it day-by-day at the moment.

"I was coming back slowly and doing my own stuff all along and working with the backroom team here a lot. They have helped me an awful lot."

And Lynch conceded that it has been frustrating to watch Cork's recent games from the bench.

"Any time you are missing Championship games for Cork you are going to be frustrated regardless. That's the thing with injuries - you just have to get your head around them.

"You have to start from scratch really and begin again. It's important to be positive about it as well, because every player gets frustrated with injuries.

"It's probably the worst thing that can happen a player really," he added.

Lynch's career has been dogged by injuries including a leg injury during Cork's league campaign last year. However he's glad to be back on the road to another quick recovery.

"Every session I'm definitely making progress, which is always good."

Looking on from the Croke Park stands, Lynch was suitably 'impressed' with Cork's workmanlike display against Donegal.

"We had a job to do and we did it. All the lads individually had a job to do and they all did it and impressed very well.

"I think Donegal probably suffered from the view that our lads were fresh, and Donegal probably weren't. That was bound to catch up on them. They took major scalps in the two weeks before that.

"A fortnight before they beat us, they played Derry, a highly fancied Derry side, and they then took Galway out.

"Coming up to Croke Park to meet us, I suppose we had the advantage that we had the freshness. I was delighted for the lads, the way they pulled through and got the result."

Despite his defensive colleagues leaking 2-10 during that quarter-final win, Lynch was not overly concerned.

"I thought when the game opened up like that everyone was driving on. We played so well and these things happen.

"We are lucky with that at the moment, but I thought the lads played very well individually and overall as a team."

But the two-time All-Star is fully aware that his side will have to find an extra gear or two to get past defending champions Tyrone next week.

"I think it will be a very tough challenge - they are the All-Ireland champions and it will be very tough for us. It's a big game, a great opportunity and we're looking forward to it.

"Tyrone are known for their intensity, but we wouldn't be too used to playing against them. We'll just wait and see what happens on the day."

[comethekingdom]

Barry McGuigan lookalike.

Isn't Bannon the Fr Ted lookalike?

Aye, but he referees like Fr Dougal

Didn't know Fr Dougal was a referee!

[ziggysego]

Barry McGuigan lookalike.

Isn't Bannon the Fr Ted lookalike?

Aye, but he referees like Fr Dougal

Dougal guarded the corner flag in soccer.
Didn't know Fr Dougal was a referee!

[comethekingdom]

Barry McGuigan lookalike.

Isn't Bannon the Fr Ted lookalike?

Aye, but he referees like Fr Dougal

Dougal guarded the corner flag in soccer.
Didn't know Fr Dougal was a referee!

Linesman then!

[ONeill]

So we seem to be looking at relatively full strength teams - no excuses.

Will the 'new-order' Rebels drive a final fatal dagger through the great Tyrone era or are we witnessing a Tyrone Indian Summer?

What a crap heading that would be.

[never kickt a ball]

So we seem to be looking at relatively full strength teams - no excuses.

Will the 'new-order' Rebels drive a final fatal dagger through the great Tyrone era or are we witnessing a Tyrone Indian Summer?

What a crap heading that would be.

Wonder what the heading will be on Monday 24th?

"Enda The Road for Cork"

"Rebels with a Cause"

"Cork Sunk by Tyrone"

"Cork Pearse O'Neill County"

[Jinxy]

Failure is not an option - Mickey Harte

From the Strabane Chronicle - it'll sell big in Cork this week.

Roll up, roll up, read all about it... roll up, roll up, read all about it...


FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION

All-Ireland Football Championship Semi Final By Barry O'Donnell




" But they are still undefeated and on current form you can see why people would be tipping them. Against that people weren't sure where Tyrone were. We won Ulster apparently without ourselves, whatever that means, and  then when we met Kildare we were pushed to the pin of our collar. So its hard to pick form lines from that. Those are the variables of sport and come the 23rd August we'll be able to determine whose formline is more accurate."

Whatever that means is right. 

[Hardy]

Yer man who reffed the Lights game at Croker in January. .....Wee fella.....Looks like a brickie ....]

Marty Duffy from Sligo I think..

He's too small, sure.

[marym]

Heard Cork are going to the Inchadony hotel for the weekend. Going to play final A V B match in Clonakilty on saturday. Inchadony hotel used by the Munster Rugby team a lot. Also Cork Hurlers used it for the weeks leading to their all ireland wins. Still fierce competitiion for places .

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Also Cork Hurlers used it for the weeks leading to their all ireland wins...

And losses 

[Hereiam]

So we seem to be looking at relatively full strength teams - no excuses.

Will the 'new-order' Rebels drive a final fatal dagger through the great Tyrone era or are we witnessing a Tyrone Indian Summer?

What a crap heading that would be.

Wonder what the heading will be on Monday 24th?

"Enda The Road for Cork"

"Rebels with a Cause"

"Cork Sunk by Tyrone"

"Cork Pearse O'Neill County"

Another good headline would be

"Cork bottle it"

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Cork Fail to Plug Vintage Display!

[ziggysego]

Cork sink to Tyrone's wave attack.