Donegal v Tyrone Ulster Championship

[DennistheMenace]

Draw for me the more i think about it. Going to be an almighty tussle.

Expect high viewing figures for this one.

[Bensars]

Certainly seems one of the most anticipated games in a few years that i can remember. A lot of neutral interest. Bit suprised by the numbers going for tyrone also ( probably more endorsement of Mickey Harte than anything) and by the bookies with Tyrone at 7/4 which is tempting.

Should be a cracker !   

[phpearse]

Expect Donegal to give away a few early free around 50m to ask Morgan to try a few kicks. If he missed a few early ones then Donegal would be more confident stopping Tyrone out in MF. If he scores the early ones then they have to be more careful. Can see Morgan being put on his hole as he runs out to take his first free and again put on his hole if he scores and does any messing about as he runs back to goal!!

Donegal for me. This Tyrone team have been found wanting when they have played to top sides in Championship football. Can't see a pile of difference between this Tyrone side and last years side. Morgan is a good addition and a fit Sean Cavanagh is good to have back but it is massive ask to play what is now a very good seasoned Championship side, in their own ground. I expect a tight game but for Donegal to come out on top.

[Jinxy]

I've a friend from Tyrone and he reckons they'll walk this.

[nrico2006]

Expect Donegal to give away a few early free around 50m to ask Morgan to try a few kicks. If he missed a few early ones then Donegal would be more confident stopping Tyrone out in MF. If he scores the early ones then they have to be more careful. Can see Morgan being put on his hole as he runs out to take his first free and again put on his hole if he scores and does any messing about as he runs back to goal!!

Donegal for me. This Tyrone team have been found wanting when they have played to top sides in Championship football. Can't see a pile of difference between this Tyrone side and last years side. Morgan is a good addition and a fit Sean Cavanagh is good to have back but it is massive ask to play what is now a very good seasoned Championship side, in their own ground. I expect a tight game but for Donegal to come out on top.

I suppose there could be ana rgument that the Tyrone teams found wanting over the past 3 or 4 years are different than this years team.  Additionally, Tyrone were the better team against Donegal two years ago whereas Donegal slightly shaded it last year so there isn't much between them to be honest. 

[Fuzzman]

I think those neutrals going for Tyrone have been impressed by them in the league this year and have got to see a lot of them. Also people thinking SoN is back to his best and unmarkable when shooting from all angles but as we know these games v Donegal are TOTALLY different.

With the talk of these possible Donegal injuries and assuming that even if Lacey is back he will hardly be as good as he was last year.

What will be telling is that if Tyrone are in front 15 mins into the second half then can Donegal reel them back in. I don't think there was a match the last 2 years where they had to do that and that's where you answer big questions about yourself.

You would expect Mickey to play his 5 subs in the second half and so freshen up forwards, MF & defence. I'm not so sure Jimmy will do the same. How will the team handle the pressure of the huge expectation of their own fans, now that we've given them another 1000? 

If Morgan gets emptied you'd imagine at least a yellow card to be issued and in matches like this yellow cards can prove very costly. Donegal can't really afford to lose a man nor can we off course.

Yeah Jinxy.
1. You have a friend
2. He's from Tyrone
3. Even the most positive fan can't say we'll walk these games

[J70]

Certainly seems one of the most anticipated games in a few years that i can remember. A lot of neutral interest. Bit suprised by the numbers going for tyrone also ( probably more endorsement of Mickey Harte than anything) and by the bookies with Tyrone at 7/4 which is tempting.

Should be a cracker !   

Haven't seen a single press pundit tipping Donegal. Presumably a combination of doubts about Donegal's hunger and the fitness/sharpness of Lacey and McHugh, Tyrone's league form and perceived superior squad.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

I've a friend from Tyrone and he reckons they'll walk this.

Fuzzman and I were joined by a Meath man as we dandered into Croke for the League semi against Kildare, and who informed us that he went to more Tyrone games than Meath ones, such was his love and admiration for our county (Bless him). As we parted ways for the stiles I looked at Fuzz, and he looked at me, and we both said: "That's not Jinxy!". 

[J70]

I think those neutrals going for Tyrone have been impressed by them in the league this year and have got to see a lot of them. Also people thinking SoN is back to his best and unmarkable when shooting from all angles but as we know these games v Donegal are TOTALLY different.

With the talk of these possible Donegal injuries and assuming that even if Lacey is back he will hardly be as good as he was last year.

What will be telling is that if Tyrone are in front 15 mins into the second half then can Donegal reel them back in. I don't think there was a match the last 2 years where they had to do that and that's where you answer big questions about yourself.

You would expect Mickey to play his 5 subs in the second half and so freshen up forwards, MF & defence. I'm not so sure Jimmy will do the same. How will the team handle the pressure of the huge expectation of their own fans, now that we've given them another 1000? 

If Morgan gets emptied you'd imagine at least a yellow card to be issued and in matches like this yellow cards can prove very costly. Donegal can't really afford to lose a man nor can we off course.

Yeah Jinxy.
1. You have a friend
2. He's from Tyrone
3. Even the most positive fan can't say we'll walk these games

Two years ago Tyrone led going into the last fifteen. Donegal were three points behind Kildare with eight or nine minutes left in extra time in 2011 as well.

[Fuzzman]

OOps I stand corrected.
Lazy journalism. I did wonder about the Kildare game but are you sure we were beating ye 2 years ago.

I wonder will we see many kickouts going to Gormley & Justy on the wings?
Was any of ye at any of the Tyrone training sessions?
Presume McAliskey is well tuned in to playing under extreme pressure and knows he'll have to talk a shot on as soon as he gets the ball. I couldn't help but notice from last years game how often both teams passed the ball backwards and sometimes even kick passes back more than 20 yards.

Possession is king

[nrico2006]

What anybody in the world (media or ex players) predicts count for nothing, nobody can predict what is going to happen and who is going top win, they can only guess.  I think Donegal will win and SON will not have a major say in a game like this. 

[J70]

OOps I stand corrected.
Lazy journalism. I did wonder about the Kildare game but are you sure we were beating ye 2 years ago.

I wonder will we see many kickouts going to Gormley & Justy on the wings?
Was any of ye at any of the Tyrone training sessions?
Presume McAliskey is well tuned in to playing under extreme pressure and knows he'll have to talk a shot on as soon as he gets the ball. I couldn't help but notice from last years game how often both teams passed the ball backwards and sometimes even kick passes back more than 20 yards.

Possession is king

Yeah, McFadden's goal came with 14 minutes left.

And yes, both teams will probably have plenty of the ball, at least up to the opposition 45.

[omagh_gael]

Phpearse, I dob't agree with the notion that Tyrone have been found wanting against Donegal in the championship . I mentioned in a previous post that our meeting highlighted the importance of the 'inches' i.e. Swift fumbling a ball in 2011 and Durkin's boot scraping Penrose's shot on to the post. Couple of inches either way and both those games would/could have finished a different way. We gave Donegal their tightest game last year and could  have put them away in 2011 bar a bad day at the office for Petey Harte from free kicks.

Also don't agree that this is the same Tyrone team. Here is our starting team from last year:

 P McConnell, A McCrory, C Clarke, D Carlin, R McMenamin, C Gormley, Sean O'Neill, J McMahon, C Cavanagh, Mattie Donnelly, Mark Donnelly, P Harte, M Penrose, Stephen O'Neill, O Mulligan

and this year:

Tyrone: Niall Morgan; PJ Quinn, Conor Clarke, Cathal McCarron; Justin McMahon, Joe McMahon, Conor Gormley, Colm Cavanagh, Sean Cavanagh; Matthew Donnelly, Peter Harte, Mark Donnelly; Martin Penrose, Stephen O'Neill, Connor McAliskey. 

All in all 6 changes and, using evidence from the league, big improvements in some of the players form e.g. Matty Donnelly. However, I still think Donegal should be favourites and it will be mighty close. Hopefully we can pip them, i'd take a 0-05 to 0-04 win any day!

[DennistheMenace]

Inches also won the All-Ireland, BLOCK!

[Fuzzman]

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/gaa/Donegal/gormley-aims-to-block-out-donegal-path-29290168.html


Gormley aims to block out Donegal path
Ten years may have elapsed since Tyrone's Conor Gormley flung himself onto the boot of Armagh sharpshooter Steven McDonnell two minutes from the end of a riveting All-Ireland final to help prevent a certain goal but the cameo has since gained iconic status.

Today, a 32-year-old veteran in a Tyrone side awash with fresh faces, Gormley still remains a defensive pillar and no one has more cause to be grateful for this than his manager Mickey Harte.

As Tyrone sallied forth to claim the Power NI Dr McKenna Cup and then make an early impact in the league, Ronan McNamee and Ryan McKenna were enterprising half-backs eager to convince the boss that they were there to stay.

But when push came to shove, an infusion of experience saw the defence overhauled to some extent and not surprisingly Gormley, battle-hardened and still thirsting for more honours, will now help to man the barricades at Ballybofey on Sunday.

The psychological wounds inflicted on Tyrone by Donegal in the Ulster Championship in 2011 and last year saw Gormley, who has won three All-Ireland medals and four Ulster honours in addition to his three Allstars, feel the pain more sharply perhaps than others.

"When you are a defender you like to think that you have helped to thwart the opposition but we weren't able to do that on those occasions," he said.

"Hopefully, though, we will be more successful on Sunday. Our side has been reinvigorated by the new faces that have come in and there's a great sense of togetherness which I feel bodes well for us."

Having played in every defensive position other than goalkeeper, Gormley knows precisely what it will take to keep Donegal in check.

"You simply cannot afford to give them any room or time on the ball or they will punish you," said Gormley.

"Their inside forwards Michael Murphy, Colm McFadden and Patrick McBrearty are deadly. They showed what they are capable of over the past couple of years and they will be hungry for scores on Sunday."

He is joined by his Carrickmore club colleagues Mark Donnelly and Martin Penrose in a Tyrone side that has come to the boil at just the right time.

Even in losing to Dublin in the Allianz League final, the general consensus is that this particular game actually threw up more positives for the Red Hands.

"We have absorbed lessons from that game and this can help make us an even better side. But on Sunday we are facing the reigning Ulster and All Ireland champions in their own back yard and it surely gets no tougher than that," said Gormley.

"We will need to hit the ground running in the game because we simply cannot afford to allow Donegal to dictate matters."

Given the mammoth task that his side face, it is hardly surprising that manager Harte is delighted Gormley is still capable of effecting the kind of blocks which rocketed him to national prominence a decade ago
Ten years may have elapsed since Tyrone's Conor Gormley flung himself onto the boot of Armagh sharpshooter Steven McDonnell two minutes from the end of a riveting All-Ireland final to help prevent a certain goal but the cameo has since gained iconic status.

Today, a 32-year-old veteran in a Tyrone side awash with fresh faces, Gormley still remains a defensive pillar and no one has more cause to be grateful for this than his manager Mickey Harte.

As Tyrone sallied forth to claim the Power NI Dr McKenna Cup and then make an early impact in the league, Ronan McNamee and Ryan McKenna were enterprising half-backs eager to convince the boss that they were there to stay.

But when push came to shove, an infusion of experience saw the defence overhauled to some extent and not surprisingly Gormley, battle-hardened and still thirsting for more honours, will now help to man the barricades at Ballybofey on Sunday.

The psychological wounds inflicted on Tyrone by Donegal in the Ulster Championship in 2011 and last year saw Gormley, who has won three All-Ireland medals and four Ulster honours in addition to his three Allstars, feel the pain more sharply perhaps than others.

"When you are a defender you like to think that you have helped to thwart the opposition but we weren't able to do that on those occasions," he said.

"Hopefully, though, we will be more successful on Sunday. Our side has been reinvigorated by the new faces that have come in and there's a great sense of togetherness which I feel bodes well for us."

Having played in every defensive position other than goalkeeper, Gormley knows precisely what it will take to keep Donegal in check.

"You simply cannot afford to give them any room or time on the ball or they will punish you," said Gormley.

"Their inside forwards Michael Murphy, Colm McFadden and Patrick McBrearty are deadly. They showed what they are capable of over the past couple of years and they will be hungry for scores on Sunday."

He is joined by his Carrickmore club colleagues Mark Donnelly and Martin Penrose in a Tyrone side that has come to the boil at just the right time.

Even in losing to Dublin in the Allianz League final, the general consensus is that this particular game actually threw up more positives for the Red Hands.

"We have absorbed lessons from that game and this can help make us an even better side. But on Sunday we are facing the reigning Ulster and All Ireland champions in their own back yard and it surely gets no tougher than that," said Gormley.

"We will need to hit the ground running in the game because we simply cannot afford to allow Donegal to dictate matters."

Given the mammoth task that his side face, it is hardly surprising that manager Harte is delighted Gormley is still capable of effecting the kind of blocks which rocketed him to national prominence a decade ago