Mickey Harte getting first choice for McKenna Cup team

[Orior]

I think Mickey Harte is killing the McKenna cup by not letting the colleges have first choice.

[ONeill]

The McKenna Cup existed long before the universities waddled along. What was killing the McKenna Cup was when it was played during some mad time in April or whatever.

[BennyHarp]

Mickey Hartes attitude to the McKenna cup in his early years as Tyrone manager rejuvenated a competition that was dying, his approach to winning all games added bite the competition long before the Universities joined in. Surely trying to get a full team onto the pitch shows respect for a competition, not contempt!

[ONeill]

Id imagine with the like of McGuigan, Jordan and Dooher gone, where Peter Harte (and others) plays this year is still undecided. This is the best time to try things like that out before you're competing for points.

[Redhand Santa]

I think moving the competition to January helped the competition big time. Harte's attitude to it along with Tyrone's success did no harm either. Think it was a coincidence that it did better when the universities came along and actually feel they don't add much to the competition. Would much rather watch Tyrone play another county.

Also the players are well entitled to represent their county. In 2003 a lot of the young players like Gormely,Jordan, McGuigan cemented their positions during the McKenna Cup and it didn't do Tyrone any harm. I'll trust Harte's judgement on this one.

[imtommygunn]

The objectives of the colleges and the county teams are different here. Colleges need their full teams to prepare for the sigerson whereas for counties it's trial and error pre league.

While you can understand a managers position I don't think there is any point in the colleges being there if they don't have their best teams. The county teams are really having a trial for their league squads and getting players fit. Is someone like Peter Harte, the guy that was one of Tyrone's top scorers last year in the championship, really on trial for a league squad? I don't think so.

If St Marys lose their best players then in my view they should pull out. They're trying to prepare their style of play, team work etc for sigerson. If it's not the team they'll be putting out then what is the point.

[EC Unique]

I see Peter Harte has been named at centre half back so mickey is obviously trying a few new ideas. With bringing in a lot of new players he is right to keep who ever he wants to mix experience with the new players.  Why should he give a toss about a universities preparation for sigerson?

[onefaircounty]

Firmly with the universities on this one - although I take the earleir point about Harte treating it serious since 03, which must be applauded.

But, in the Irish News yesterday O'Rourke said that Down didn't want to take players because it meant six more players would be getting a chance to show what they have. A good point I thought, surely with Tyrone being such a strong footballing county it would be beneficial to see another two or three boys playing football. McKenna and Harte may not play every McKenna Cup game for Tyrone, but they would be certs for their universities, and against county opposition.

[Redhand Santa]

But sure Harte and McKenna weren't allowed to train with Tyrone for the last two months due to player burnout. So maybe he's doing them a favour by not making them play in every McKenna Cup game.

[onefaircounty]

But sure Harte and McKenna weren't allowed to train with Tyrone for the last two months due to player burnout. So maybe he's doing them a favour by not making them play in every McKenna Cup game.

[Winnie Peg]

But sure Harte and McKenna weren't allowed to train with Tyrone for the last two months due to player burnout. So maybe he's doing them a favour by not making them play in every McKenna Cup game.

Have you been out of the country during November and December. 

[Maguire01]

I'm with the Universities on this one. The competition is better when they're competitive.

The counties can do without established players and there's still plenty of time to see what the fringe players are like in training, during the league, or even in the McKenna Cup with their college team.

The argument that players have a choice is bull. If they want to feature for their conty later in the year, they effectively have one option. If that choice was taken away from the players (i.e. player must play for college rather than county), then the county manager can't hold it against them.

[hairyhog]

Would I be speaking out of turn when I say that the majority of people don't care about the sigerson fullstop?
I went to university in belfast and lived with several lads that represented their respective counties at underage, (one had a runout with county seniors,) and they never considered even attending matches out at the dub never mind training for the university teams. It's a side of university life that only a few feel attached to, as can be seen by supporter attendances.  I presume that most of the people in support felt more affinity with the university than we did at least, maybe you were part of the 'rancher clique'.  Anyway for me county is county and sigerson only interests those who have played in it.

[onefaircounty]

Would I be speaking out of turn when I say that the majority of people don't care about the sigerson fullstop?
I went to university in belfast and lived with several lads that represented their respective counties at underage, (one had a runout with county seniors,) and they never considered even attending matches out at the dub never mind training for the university teams. It's a side of university life that only a few feel attached to, as can be seen by supporter attendances.  I presume that most of the people in support felt more affinity with the university than we did at least, maybe you were part of the 'rancher clique'.  Anyway for me county is county and sigerson only interests those who have played in it.

Can only speak of when I was at college. The players who should have been playing Sigerson, played. The crowds were very healthy for Queen's, especially, not so much for UUJ - more because lazy students don't travel past The Dub.

Super football, super competition. Queen's v UUJ matches were always big events.

[ck]

Would I be speaking out of turn when I say that the majority of people don't care about the sigerson fullstop?
I went to university in belfast and lived with several lads that represented their respective counties at underage, (one had a runout with county seniors,) and they never considered even attending matches out at the dub never mind training for the university teams. It's a side of university life that only a few feel attached to, as can be seen by supporter attendances.  I presume that most of the people in support felt more affinity with the university than we did at least, maybe you were part of the 'rancher clique'.  Anyway for me county is county and sigerson only interests those who have played in it.

You would be way off the mark here. The lads "who never even considered attending matches" were just not good enough. Every college has a band of players "who don't consider playing" cos they know they are not good enough. The best players play and then make their county teams. The fact that they play Sigerson cup usually brings them on and helps them make county sides.
As for McKenna cup - this was a nothing competition before the college sides added excitement, flair and bite into it! It's now a thriving competition with a competitive edge. Mickey harte should wise up and let his colleges players play for their college. Sligo IT have all of our county lads and it was no problem with their respective managers