Donegal v Tyrone Ulster Championship

[BluestackBoy]

Donegal through today with clean bill of health
County players won't play in league matches next weekend.

[Redhand Santa]

Cathal McCarron had to go off with a thigh injury today.

Hopefully not too serious!! Any word on any of the other county players? How did Coney play for Ardboe today? Was Harte playing for Errigal?

[loughshore lad]

Cathal McCarron had to go off with a thigh injury today.

Hopefully not too serious!! Any word on any of the other county players? How did Coney play for Ardboe today? Was Harte playing for Errigal?

Kyle was ok, that is his second game in over a year people need to remember that. Peter Harte started at centre back for Errigal and then moved to a third midielder role. He was probably Errigal's best player.

[Fuzzman]

AFAIK Stevie's still in his cotton wool suit

[Fuzzman]

From the Belfast Tele - Big game ref has to get major calls right: Harte


BY everyone's favourite DECLAN BOGUE – 11 MAY 2013

The identity of the referee who is appointed to officiate the forthcoming clash of All-Ireland champions Donegal and Tyrone on Sunday May 26 will be revealed within the next 24 hours.

Whoever it is, he will be sure to come under serious scrutiny as the build-up continues.

And whoever does take up the whistle will be reminded that in last year's tussle Donegal had an equal number of yellow cards to Tyrone on four – with Colm McFadden sent-off late in the game on a second yellow card for preventing Tyrone from taking a '45'.

Yet the glaring statistic from the game was that Donegal conceded 28 free-kicks to Tyrone's 14.

Reporters questioned Mickey Harte at the end of that game about the free count, but he chose to keep his thoughts to himself, only briefly mentioning the ongoing problem with consistency among referees.

Harte touched on the same theme when asked if the appointment of this game will have a significant bearing on the result when he said: "A decision one way or another can be the winning or losing of a game, so it is very important. All we ask for is the referee to be as consistent as he possibly and humanly can. If he does that, then nobody can argue."

While Donegal manager Jim McGuinness (pictured) delivered his annual report to the county board and explained their attitude to the National league campaign that saw them relegated, Harte pointed to the positives that Tyrone got out of their first year back in the top flight, after a two-year hiatus.

"When you come into Division One you cannot take your foot off the pedal any day," said Harte.

"Every day is a challenge and in many ways every game is a knockout me

ntality. If you don't play with that mentality – especially if you are coming back up from Division Two as we were – then you begin to get into a bad place.

"I think that has been the most beneficial thing for us, that we managed to do that and introduce a number of new players along the way who got valuable experience at a very high level."

Within Donegal, question marks are hanging over 2012 Player of the Year Karl Lacey's involvement, having just recently returned to full training following a hip operation in December.

Mark McHugh is also believed to be struggling with a hamstring problem, but a general air of mystique surrounds Donegal.

While they have promised to bring different elements to their play, the task of second-guessing them appears to be a critical factor in what may unfold later this month.

Harte feels that they may have already left a few clues behind them in their league performances.

"They had to play their league matches in the open domain the way everybody else had and there is footage there to see how they were doing," he said.

"Again, you might say that's not a true reflection of what we are going to see in Ballybofey, but you only have to look back at last year's games and you get a fair idea of what they are capable of. I'm sure those capabilities haven't gone or left them.

"They are very capable of reaching that again and I am sure they will bring something new to it as well, because they did from 2011-12; they brought a lot of new things to their game in terms of their offensive strategy, which wasn't as prevalent in 2011. It was very prevalent to their win in 2012."

He added, "I'm sure they will bring some added value to what they had. We know what they are very good at, I'm sure they will be able to do that again, and I'm sure there will be a couple of surprises as well."

Turning back to his own side, Harte answered the curiosity of if Tyrone will try and bring something unseen to the tie when he continued: "We are actually playing a very fluid game all year, we are not in a fixed mode.

"We have different players on different days produce their best form and there's a flexibility within the squad."

Hinting that the use of substitutes could be a crucial factor, he said: "People talk about a settled team or a fixed team and all this. It may suit some squads to have that.

"Equally, it may suit some squads that are developing to have that degree of interchange. In the modern game, 70 minutes is a big ask of many players – it's nice to have other players can go in and acquit themselves well, even though it's for the last 20 minutes."

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

AFAIK Stevie's still in his cotton wool suit

O'Neill raring to go

Stephen O'Neill expects to play a full part against Donegal on Sunday week.

Tyrone's attacking talisman - who was named as player of the national football league - missed the Division One final against Dublin after injuring his ankle during the pre-match warm-up but says he'll be fully fit for the Ulster SFC quarter-final clash with the holders in Ballybofey on May 26th:

"The ankle's grand," he told The Irish Times. "I'll be back training again this week and I'm looking forward to getting back.

"Preparations have been going well. There are no injury worries from the league games so we're just looking forward to it now.

"It was just unfortunate the way it happened. I stepped back and there were a couple of balls behind me and I went over on it. I was getting a wee bit of bother from the ankle anyway so I didn't want to take the chance on it.

"We put in a good performance [against Dublin] but we lost. It was an important game, a good, tight battle and the sort of intensity we'll be meeting against Donegal but it's going to be a completely different type of game.

"It'll be a lot more defensive probably and not as open or free-scoring so we'll just have to take the good from the Dublin game and be prepared for a different challenge.

"Time will tell. We've a lot of new boys in and they gained a lot of good experience from playing Dublin in a Division One final. Hopefully they'll learn from that and be able to close a game out when one or two points ahead because on Sunday week I'm sure it'll be very close as well.

"We just need to use that experience to get over the finish line this time."

http://www.hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=192187

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Just printed the (season) ticket there, no hanging about with this one!

[Fuzzman]

Are you chomping at the bit Fear?

Were many of ye at the league game?
Was there much badness going on between SoN and McGee?

I've noticed the McGee bros have added a rather unpleasant side to their game in recent years ever since Jimmy has taken over. Can't imagine where they learnt that from.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Season Tickets chomping at the bit Fuzz (not usually available so soon)! 

Was at the league game, and let's just say the Mc Gee boys have had better behaved days on the park.

[orangeman]

Are you chomping at the bit Fear?

Were many of ye at the league game?
Was there much badness going on between SoN and McGee?

I've noticed the McGee bros have added a rather unpleasant side to their game in recent years ever since Jimmy has taken over. Can't imagine where they learnt that from.

That would be unfair comment.


The Mc Gees are tough characters. Always were. They're the sorts of boys you'd want on your team.

[Fuzzman]

Tough indeed and I used to respect them a lot but I heard a few things that went on in the league game that were anything but decent & fair.

[God14]

Has the referee being named yet for this battle?

[BluestackBoy]

Are you chomping at the bit Fear?

Were many of ye at the league game?
Was there much badness going on between SoN and McGee?

I've noticed the McGee bros have added a rather unpleasant side to their game in recent years ever since Jimmy has taken over. Can't imagine where they learnt that from.

More than a bit rich coming from a county that had Ricey McMenamin in it's ranks

[tyroneman]

Has the referee being named yet for this battle?

Joe McQuillan

[Redhand Santa]

Does anyone know the seating plan for the stand? Any idea if SECFC is central or near the corner?