Donegal v Tyrone Ulster Championship

[BennyHarp]

Tickets are like hens teeth in Tyrone - talk of them not selling is complete nonsense.

+1

Definitely a shortage

That story about tickets not selling started from Twitter/FB on Monday, when @TyroneGAALive said a number of terrace tickets were still available through your club - not the Tyrone GAA offices. I believe it was a small number and all went pretty quickly therafter.

Some amount of hen's teeth headed back to Donegal, it seems.

From the Donegal News

BY CHRIS MCNULTY

DONEGAL GAA clubs have been given 1,000 extra tickets for Sunday's Ulster SFC quarter-final against Tyrone in Ballybofey – after Tyrone's allocation failed to sell out to members.

Despite Red Hand officials claiming in recent weeks that the 5,750 tickets allocated to them would not be sufficient, the O'Neill county has returned a batch of 1,000 of the prized tickets, all of which will be divided among Donegal's 40 clubs.

The increased allocation will be music to the ears of some strained club officials in Donegal who have been dealing with unprecedented demand for a first round fixture. It also means that there will be a boosted Tir Chonaill support for a game that has been billed as the biggest first round game in Ulster in many years.

In the last couple of weeks, officials from Tyrone had bemoaned their allocation.

"We're very disappointed with the allocation of tickets," their PRO Eunan Lindsay had said."We are left with one ticket for every two adult members in the county and that's before we even look at youth."

However, Tyrone members are now content to miss out on the Ballybofey blockbuster. "I know from my own club, people are reluctant to take children to a sold-out game on terrace tickets when the place will be full to capacity," Mr Lindsay told the Donegal News.

"Roughly 25 per cent to a third of the attendance would usually be children and it seems that there are families now who aren't really pushed about going."

The returned tickets are all terrace tickets and will now be divided among the clubs, who are asked to submit their requests to the Co Board by email today and officials are hoping that they will be available for distribution this evening. Clubs are asked to have cheque for payment when collecting their tickets.

This story is not true! Donegal PR machine in full flow. Do they really think that there was nobody in Tyrone who would have taken those tickets. They expect us to believe that at clubs across the county, players, officials and supporters to a man rejected the opportunity to go to the game and the county board where at such a loss what to do that they returned them to Donegal, even after the gripes about not playing in Clones? I personally know of 5 or 6 members of various clubs who couldn't get tickets. If this is true then there is serious questions to be asked!

[imtommygunn]

It must be Jim McGuinness at more of his mind games

[yellowcard]

After complaining about the choice of venue for so long what will Mickey Hartes reaction be now to the news that Tyrone have returned 1,000 tickets. It must be a fair source of embarrassment now for the Tyrone County Board in the run up to the game. 

[Orchardman]

usual hype. If the game had of been at clones there would never have been near 25,000 at it, never mind a full house. Ballybofey was chosen and 18,000 will be more than enough, prob wont even be full. Strip away all the hype of all ireland champs, local derby, revenge etc, and what ur left with is a first round match in May thats loads of fans won't bother going near

[J70]

After complaining about the choice of venue for so long what will Mickey Hartes reaction be now to the news that Tyrone have returned 1,000 tickets. It must be a fair source of embarrassment now for the Tyrone County Board in the run up to the game.

Sure we had the same whinging from Armagh in 2007, and after all was said and done, they too returned tickets unsold. I think Joe Kernan or someone in Armagh management criticized their supporters over it.

[omagh_gael]

I'd love to see Peter Harte in the FF line alongside O'Neill.

I would be interested to see how that would go, he has gone slightly stale this last year or so. Moving into the FF  line certainly would provide a different challenge. He wouldn't be found wanting in the ball winning department and has the quick thinking to use the ball well in tight situations.

[Wildweasel74]

tyrone returned a 1000 tickets, where all the fan base gone? after 10 + pages of crying about Tyrone not getting enough tickets and the games should be played in clones as demand be so great!! Kinda misjudged that one

[Wildweasel74]

On another point i always thought the terrace opposite the stand has health and safety issues the walkways at the back of the terrace are very narrow and movement along this area is a crush waiting to happen. Couldnt understand why this area has not been widen out. there a world of different watching the game here and across the pitch in the stand which is great

[J70]

In my experience, if you've a terrace ticket, head for the river end in Ballybofey. Crowd always builds up from midfield towards the town, with people assuming that the far end must be packed too., when often you'll get a great vantage point near the river end 45.

[Wildweasel74]

yeah i found that out myself, but there a choke point about 30 m in where u can stay there 5mins going no where as it cant take traffic flow of people in both directions

[J70]

Don't know if its still the same, but the hill in Clones used to be like that at times as well with the majority of the crowd gathering along the near half of the field. I suppose any sideline terrace where the crowd all comes in from one direction will be.

[donegal lad]

Tickets are like hens teeth in Tyrone - talk of them not selling is complete nonsense.

+1

Definitely a shortage

That story about tickets not selling started from Twitter/FB on Monday, when @TyroneGAALive said a number of terrace tickets were still available through your club - not the Tyrone GAA offices. I believe it was a small number and all went pretty quickly therafter.

Some amount of hen's teeth headed back to Donegal, it seems.

From the Donegal News

BY CHRIS MCNULTY

DONEGAL GAA clubs have been given 1,000 extra tickets for Sunday's Ulster SFC quarter-final against Tyrone in Ballybofey – after Tyrone's allocation failed to sell out to members.

Despite Red Hand officials claiming in recent weeks that the 5,750 tickets allocated to them would not be sufficient, the O'Neill county has returned a batch of 1,000 of the prized tickets, all of which will be divided among Donegal's 40 clubs.

The increased allocation will be music to the ears of some strained club officials in Donegal who have been dealing with unprecedented demand for a first round fixture. It also means that there will be a boosted Tir Chonaill support for a game that has been billed as the biggest first round game in Ulster in many years.

In the last couple of weeks, officials from Tyrone had bemoaned their allocation.

"We're very disappointed with the allocation of tickets," their PRO Eunan Lindsay had said."We are left with one ticket for every two adult members in the county and that's before we even look at youth."

However, Tyrone members are now content to miss out on the Ballybofey blockbuster. "I know from my own club, people are reluctant to take children to a sold-out game on terrace tickets when the place will be full to capacity," Mr Lindsay told the Donegal News.

"Roughly 25 per cent to a third of the attendance would usually be children and it seems that there are families now who aren't really pushed about going."

The returned tickets are all terrace tickets and will now be divided among the clubs, who are asked to submit their requests to the Co Board by email today and officials are hoping that they will be available for distribution this evening. Clubs are asked to have cheque for payment when collecting their tickets.

This story is not true! Donegal PR machine in full flow. Do they really think that there was nobody in Tyrone who would have taken those tickets. They expect us to believe that at clubs across the county, players, officials and supporters to a man rejected the opportunity to go to the game and the county board where at such a loss what to do that they returned them to Donegal, even after the gripes about not playing in Clones? I personally know of 5 or 6 members of various clubs who couldn't get tickets. If this is true then there is serious questions to be asked!

Story is 100% true as my own club received an extra 30 tickets today from this batch of tickets. Seems families aren't happy to take children to ballybofey and there is meant to be a number of 1st holy communions on the same day still surprised tho since have been hearing so much about the lack of tickets in tyrone

[ONeill]

This is massive for Mickey.

The whippersnapper McGuinness came along in 2011, praising Mickey in the run-up and then done him over, albeit with a Swift error.
2012, he still talked about Tyrone as the yardstick and turned them over.
2013 - he's the main man now. Another win and he has made Mickey his bitch.

[Redhand Santa]

This is massive for Mickey.

The whippersnapper McGuinness came along in 2011, praising Mickey in the run-up and then done him over, albeit with a Swift error.
2012, he still talked about Tyrone as the yardstick and turned them over.
2013 - he's the main man now. Another win and he has made Mickey his bitch.

Would agree with that!! I'd say Mickey see's this as a huge game in his managerial career. It will be a serious blip to be turned over by a Donegal team lead by McGuiness 3 years in a row. But I've no doubt that this has driven him on for the last year and will hopefully lead to a huge display from Tyrone. I'm surprised so many people have tipped Tyrone as they're definitely underdogs but I really think we can do it.

It will be interesting to see the Tyrone team tomorrow night. I'm really not convinced McNeice has done enough to earn a starting spot but would not shock me if he was on. Think I said it earlier but I expect the following team if everyone is fit:
Morgan
McCarron
Clarke
PJ
Gormley
Mattie D
Justy
Cavanagh
Cavanagh
Penrose
Harte
Joe Mc
Mark D
Stevie
McAliskey

I'd be confident at least 13 of that team will start. I suppose the biggest doubts would be over Justy and PJ in defence as both have carried knocks. A fully fit Justy is more than worth his place but he has struggled to get there. I suppose up front the only doubts would be over whether he starts Penrose and McAliskey. I think McAliskey may have did enough v Dublin to get his place. Disappointing Ronan O'Neill isn't an option from the bench.

[Wildweasel74]

everybody tipping Tyrone, even on here after playing dublin, alot are confident of beating donegal then only worry is playing dublin in the all-Ireland final. I honesty think the supporters are too over confident