Donegal v Tyrone Ulster Championship

[ziggysego]

A good strong side for Sunday in Ballybofey.

Rois, it was a pleasure meeting you last night. After 11 years, it was definitely worth the wait.

[omagh_gael]

A good strong side for Sunday in Ballybofey.

Rois, it was a pleasure meeting you last night. After 11 years, it was definitely worth the wait.

You're wan chancey aul dog zig

[Keane]

I figure some of you will find this interesting, Liam from the great "dontfoul" blog has done a statistical breakdown of how Donegal go about their business:

http://www.livegaelic.com/features/donegals-season-so-far-breaking-down-the-stats/

It's well worth a read IMO

[emmetryan]

Hi guys,

Tactical preview of Donegal vs Tyrone now up
http://action81.com/blog/?p=7274

Emmet

[omagh_gael]

I figure some of you will find this interesting, Liam from the great "dontfoul" blog has done a statistical breakdown of how Donegal go about their business:

http://www.livegaelic.com/features/donegals-season-so-far-breaking-down-the-stats/

It's well worth a read IMO

Interesting piece, we will have to work like fcuk to put pressure in the central areas to force difficult shots from wider angles. That is some return from Mark McHugh, 7 scores from 8 attempts. Donegal will really miss him if he doesn't make it on Sunday.

[Rois]

A good strong side for Sunday in Ballybofey.

Rois, it was a pleasure meeting you last night. After 11 years, it was definitely worth the wait.

And you Ziggy!  Sorry I didn't get too much time to chat though, headless chicken was the appropriate term for me last night.  And because I had a name badge on, I was getting named all over the place.  Hope you got a goodie bag 

[God14]

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.

That could be the case alright. Jimmy wont have missed the fact that Morgan had been having a few "off" days prior to the league final when almost everything went over.
Courtesy of @dontfoul - his record before the league final for televised mathes was 4 successes out of 9. This was boosted by some immaculate kicking in the final to 9 out of 15.

[Keane]

I figure some of you will find this interesting, Liam from the great "dontfoul" blog has done a statistical breakdown of how Donegal go about their business:

http://www.livegaelic.com/features/donegals-season-so-far-breaking-down-the-stats/

It's well worth a read IMO

Interesting piece, we will have to work like fcuk to put pressure in the central areas to force difficult shots from wider angles. That is some return from Mark McHugh, 7 scores from 8 attempts. Donegal will really miss him if he doesn't make it on Sunday.

I think one of the most important things is just not to give away frees as Donegal are so deadly at converting them. As the piece mentions, Donegal gave away just one free inside their 45 in 70 minutes against Cork. Something similar from Tyrone would give them a decent chance.

[Jinxy]

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!". 

That was no Meath man.
He sounds more like a bi/curious flourbag.

[joemamas]

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!

I was curious as to what the Tyrone line out was last year. I also looked it up yesterday, have to believe that this team looks stronger on paper. Owen Mulligan and McMenamin were pretty close to being on their last legs. I believe both were replaced. That plus adding in Sean Cavanagh is enough for me to favour Tyrone on Sunday.

[Fuzzman]

Interesting indeed reading those previews and stats.
One thing that worried me about Tyrone last year v Donegal was how few shots they actually made.
I know you have to be patient and not allow them to make you shoot from under pressure at bad angles but as I said in another post this week, to me Donegal seem to get more easier scores from up the middle areas whereas we seem to have to work much harder. Sean O'Neill scored a great point last year from far out but up the middle as did Penrose.

I'd hope to see more of the same this year rather than too much of this sideways hand passing back and forward and then getting turned over.

I've read in a few places this week that Mickey wouldn't be that shocked if McGuinness brought something new to the table. We're all expecting them to be very defensive but could he surprise us all? You'd imagine if he played Murphy at midfield he'd clean out the 2 Cava boys.

Do ye think the Donegal fans will be booing Morgans' frees on Sunday. We often give out about the Dubs doing this but I've noticed its crept into a lot more grounds. I would expect their to be an electric atmosphere on Sunday & I'd say Morgan will be in for a nice little welcome with his first free, especially after how he reacted v Donegal in Omagh this year.

[omagh_gael]

Not putting the guy down here but after rewatching the last two games it appears that Mugsy was one of the players who struggled the most when under pressure from the Donegal defence. His ball winning and retention wasn't great TBH. Young McAliskey is going to get some introduction to championship football, it will be interesting to see how he fares.

[nrico2006]

Not putting the guy down here but after rewatching the last two games it appears that Mugsy was one of the players who struggled the most when under pressure from the Donegal defence. His ball winning and retention wasn't great TBH. Young McAliskey is going to get some introduction to championship football, it will be interesting to see how he fares.

I remember Mulligan got out in front a lot last year and just when it seemed that the easy thing to do was let the ball stick to his hands he seemed to funble it a lot and it spilled away.  Also, he seemed to get closed down and blocked a lot, doesn't have the speed any more. 

[Walter Cronc]

Interesting indeed reading those previews and stats.
One thing that worried me about Tyrone last year v Donegal was how few shots they actually made.
I know you have to be patient and not allow them to make you shoot from under pressure at bad angles but as I said in another post this week, to me Donegal seem to get more easier scores from up the middle areas whereas we seem to have to work much harder. Sean O'Neill scored a great point last year from far out but up the middle as did Penrose.

I'd hope to see more of the same this year rather than too much of this sideways hand passing back and forward and then getting turned over.

I've read in a few places this week that Mickey wouldn't be that shocked if McGuinness brought something new to the table. We're all expecting them to be very defensive but could he surprise us all? You'd imagine if he played Murphy at midfield he'd clean out the 2 Cava boys.

Do ye think the Donegal fans will be booing Morgans' frees on Sunday. We often give out about the Dubs doing this but I've noticed its crept into a lot more grounds. I would expect their to be an electric atmosphere on Sunday & I'd say Morgan will be in for a nice little welcome with his first free, especially after how he reacted v Donegal in Omagh this year.

Interesting. If Mc Hugh was injured he could well end up there with Kavanagh assuming Mc Hugh's role and the impressive Ross Wherity in the full forward line. Looking forward to seeing how Mc Brearty has come on. Doesnt get the deserved credit in my opinion!!

[Fuzzman]

I'm afraid Mugsy has been suffering from this problem for a good few years now. He often gets out in front OK but either fumbles or like last year, he collects and then doesn't release it fast enough. With Donegal on yer case, he was surrounded right away and then often lost possession.
In fairness though, even Stevie got swallowed up a good few times and this is why I'm saying I would hope to see more catch, turn & shoot from our FF line on Sunday. I'd rather they go wide than not getting a shot away at all. Possession is great but if ye don't shoot you don't score.

McBrearty could do well indeed after the the last few months he's had. I'd imagine it will be PJ marking him although God knows where he will play.