Ulster U21 Football Championship

[football07]

 Great to be finally logged on. I expect to be fully involved in alot of discussion over the next while.

I see the first game this weekend, Tyrone V Donegal. Tyrone are bound to be favourites. Think that is their All Ireland winning team of 3 years ago? What about any other teams? Who else could be there or thereabouts? Are all teams being managed by the Senior football managers. Monaghan are managed by Seamus McAneney.

[Mourne Rover]

Pete McGrath is in charge of this year's  Down u21s, who drew with Tyrone in the 2004 Ulster minor final, probably should have won the replay and did win the all Ireland the following year. However, Marty Clarke, the key man in both campaigns, is obviously now in Australia. Down had plenty of representatives in the Siegerson final last week, which means they were unlikely to have been in regular training with the u21 squad until now. Most Down supporters will have reasonable expectations for the team, but this is always a very hard competition to predict. With Clarke available, and contributing his usual six or seven points per game, Down might have been serious contenders. Without him, the first round against Fermanagh will be touch and go.

[bennydorano]

Ulster is going to be fierce hard as usual, if Armagh can get all their available players back(just the Cross ones left to comeback now) and training together they will take a lot of stopping.

[realredhandfan]

Theres 4 teams capable of winning Ulster probably this year. 

[football07]

What four teams? Tyrone, Down, Armagh? Any big players?
Monaghan-Seamus McAneney
Down- Pete McGrath
Any more managers

[Spiritof98]

Armagh - Peter McDonnell & Benny O'Kane

[Uladh]

Ulster is going to be fierce hard as usual, if Armagh can get all their available players back(just the Cross ones left to comeback now) and training together they will take a lot of stopping.

Benny, i'm not convinced that the particular cross players available this year will make that big of an impression. Tony K is obviously the exception, being a reliable free taker but beyond that i think only hanratty will make an impact.

[football07]

What about Fermangagh and Derry? Who is over them? What are there chances. Heard that Cavan have a reasonable team. Donegal will have a few of last years minor team coming through i expect. Who are the big players for each county.

[bennydorano]

Ulster is going to be fierce hard as usual, if Armagh can get all their available players back(just the Cross ones left to comeback now) and training together they will take a lot of stopping.

Benny, i'm not convinced that the particular cross players available this year will make that big of an impression. Tony K is obviously the exception, being a reliable free taker but beyond that i think only hanratty will make an impact.

The main one you seem to have omitted is David McKenna in MF, a lot will be expected of him.  I think there is 5 or 6 boys to come in. MCKenna, Hanratty, Tony Kernan, Paul Kernan, another Hanratty (Kyle?).  I dont know how big of an impression they'll make but they'll probably be on the starting 15.

[Uladh]

I understand all of those are on the panel but knowing the players at the management's disposal, i can't believe any more than tony k, hanratty and at a push mckenna would start. If the management think the rest are better than what they have they are in for a rude awakening. The McKenna lad has been discussed here before and i couldn't see how he would play in midfield with lads like lavery, o'neill, vernon, donaghy, toner and courtney already there and playing?

[pintsofguinness]

Can anyone name the armagh panel?

[football07]

Result: Tyrone 0-19. Donegal 0-9
Was anyone at the game. Scoreline suggests one way traffic. Think they now go on to play Armagh.

[BallyhaiseMan]

Cavan team would be fairly strong by our standards football07,

Main men would be

Ronan Flanagan
Pauric Reily
Ray Cullivan
Cian Mackey.

all have represented Ireland under 17's in the past few years.

[tyroneman]

Tyrone v Donegal

Tyrone better team in first half but only 3 points up going into break. McCarron playing very well in the forwards and Mulgrew bossing the midfield.

Donegal lost any chance they had after the break when thier no 2 was sent off. STOOOPID young man. He had already been yellow carded for a foul and was lucky the ref was on the blind side of him.

Those in the stand coluld see him drop the knee into our fella 3 times.Dirty wee tr**p.

No sooner had we lined up to take the free that he was at it again, pushing shoving - didn't even have the brains to let it go for 5min. Ref straight over and off. Don't think his manager was too pleased.

Tyrone dominated from therein with Murray ending up spare man and sweeping behing MF - Mulgrew immense and despite a few scares as we got cocky it was easy enough.

Bring on Armagh

[realredhandfan]

poor enough football fromTyrone though, I though our midfield were lackadaisicle wouldnt let the ball in and our 2 wing half backs were worse.  Choked play up.  Theres too much solorunning in Tyrone football at the moment and our half forward line might as well have been off the field.  They were totally stifled due to backs, midfielders etc running through them.  Tyrone 6 out of 10.  Donegal were very poor but could have got something out of this game.