Kerry V Tyrone Fodder AISF 23rd August 2015

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Honouring Something Special

Fifty years ago one of the great Minor teams won the All-Ireland. It wasn't a Tyrone team. It was instead from our neighbours Derry, actually the first-ever Derry team to win the Ulster Minor Championship. Something about that Derry Minor team mesmerised, captivated and inspired Gaels across Ulster. Skilful, glamorous and supremely-organised, it drew heavily on the St Columb's College Hogan Cup-winning team (which had also featured two of Tyrone's greatest GAA people, Brendan Dolan RIP and our recent past County Chairman, Liam Nelis). Some of Ulster's finest-ever footballers graced those Derry Minors: Eamon Coleman RIP, Seamus Lagan, Malachy McAfee, Adrian McGuckin, Mickey Niblock, Gerry O'Loughlin and Tom Quinn among others. Three years later they collected the All-Ireland U21 title. And but for the chaos that then erupted here, who knows what they might have achieved as Seniors. Exceptional men. Exceptional times.

Why are we talking about a long-gone Derry team on Tyrone social media? Because next Sunday another Derry Minor team goes to Croke Park. They're there not as Tyrone's rivals but as the Champions of our Province. They follow in the footsteps of Oak Leaf greatness. So if you're following Tyrone to Croke Park, then get there for 1.30pm and get behind Derry. Apart from anything else you'll be honouring and respecting something very special from half-a-century ago, a team that set a standard and meant something for so many of us. And that should be our privilege. 'Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine ... people live in one another's shelter.'

So apart from Tyrone exhorting Tyrone fans to support Derry, and NOT Derry fans to support Tyrone, screenexile was 100% correct? 

[AZOffaly]

In fairness the begging there is nauseating.

[squire_in_navy_slacks]

Donaghy vs McMahon should be interesting in the first 10 mins or so............... Imagine the sledging dished out if macarron was from another county other than Tyrone, oul gormley would have had his hands full 

[INDIANA]

Donaghy vs McMahon should be interesting in the first 10 mins or so

You're assuming Donaghy will start

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Imagine the sledging dished out if macarron was from another county other than Tyrone, oul gormley would have had his hands full 

Have you been totally asleep for his games to date? Don't know how the lad doesn't react.

[omaghjoe]

I doubt Tyrone would be begging too much for Derry to support them. I'd say there'll be loads of Tyrone lads and ladies there. I'm not sure how many Derry people will be there, they don't seem to bring a lot of fans to their senior games, so it's hard to imagine it's worthwhile begging the few there to shout for Tyrone.

Small GAA community AZ in Derry . Very vocal and hugely passionate about the GAA but it's a small pick

I'm not doubting the numbers who do go are very passionate, I'm just saying they have small numbers so why would Tyrone 'beg' them to shout for them on Sunday. Might as well stand outside mass in Donnycarney church and beg.

Nice one AZ

[Zulu]

It's interesting how supporters can seamlessly go from lambasting their team and management after a few losses to declaring them potential champions after a few wins. Not saying that's exactly what's happened here with Tyrone supporters but there's no doubt some have swung fairly dramatically from doom and gloom to notable optimism - such is the life of a supporter I guess.

For me, I can't see anything other than a Kerry win. I think Tyrone have some great players and some potentially great players but Kerry have more proven performers and are further down the line in their progression as a team. Harte is mimicking a system that you employ when you know your squad can't go man for man but that system is a busted flush against the best teams. With the possible exception of Monaghan, Tyrone have beaten nobody that they wouldn't beat going man for man. This weekend they'll meet a team they wouldn't beat going man of man so the 'system' will probably make it closer on the scoreboard but I expect the difference in quality will still be notable.

I reckon Tyrone are still a team in the chasing pack albeit probably the leading team in that pack. They are still short of the Kerry's of this world though and will probably lose by 3 to 5 points I think.

[omaghjoe]

Imagine the sledging dished out if macarron was from another county other than Tyrone, oul gormley would have had his hands full 

Have you been totally asleep for his games to date? Don't know how the lad doesn't react.

The lad gets complete dogs abuse but sure it doesnt happen cos he's from Tyrone

He's done well with it tho, think he has acknowledged he's gonna get it and learned to channel it, an example for everyone I think

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

He's done well with it tho, think he has acknowledged he's gonna get it and learned to channel it, an example for everyone I think

Indeed, he's had the ear of a certain no 10 this past week I'd say!

[oakleafgael]

I doubt Tyrone would be begging too much for Derry to support them. I'd say there'll be loads of Tyrone lads and ladies there. I'm not sure how many Derry people will be there, they don't seem to bring a lot of fans to their senior games, so it's hard to imagine it's worthwhile begging the few there to shout for Tyrone.

Small GAA community AZ in Derry . Very vocal and hugely passionate about the GAA but it's a small pick

That's not true, passionate about club football alright but the apathy towards the county team is widespread.

[oakleafgael]

I rate this Tyrone team very highly . In 12 months time .

I think mickey setup his team to get to the last 4. You can't win an AI playing like this in my opinion . Good performance on Sunday and it's been a good year . If he pulls it off he is a miracle worker but I can't see it this time round

Really interesting point and on a theme touched on by Mickey Harte last night at our chat night.  He said that Kerry's win last year was probably a year ahead of schedule.  So he's thinking that way too, and is also saying that he thinks Kerry are stronger now than they were last year. 

Tyrone weren't begging Derry to support them, the post encouraged Tyrone supporters to get in early and support Derry.  screenexile has twisted it.  The guy who wrote the post about the Derry minors of 50 years ago (many of them guys of my dad's vintage at St Columb's College) is a very energetic and ferverent GAA man and in no way "desperate" or "cringey".

It didn't come across as desperate or cringey at all to me. Like many Derry men there isn't a team I like to beat more than Tyrone but I will be giving them my full support on Sunday.

[blanketattack]

Have been reading this thread for a while and a common theme seems to be that Fitzmaurice is some sort of guru - words used like 'astute' to describe his managerial style. Whilst I appreciate he has won an AI, I cant for the life of me understand how he gained this reputation.

In last years AI final, he had to change system or he would have been destroyed like the Dubs 4 weeks earlier so that was a no brainer - he had to do it...after doing it Kerry got a goal in minute 1 and a goal handed to them from Durcan to win the game - they only scored 9 points...I don't think it was a tactical master class, it was a necessity to try and win the game and kudos for doing that but that doesn't mean he is some sort of genius.

This year to date, it took a Paudie Hughes howler of a decision to keep them alive against Cork on day 1 plus a Hail Mary of an attempt by Fionn Fitzgerald to draw the game - we have seen since that Cork were indeed limited and exposed big time by Kildare. Yes, they won the replay but all factors were in their favour, home venue etc...

I possibly will be proved wrong and will happily admit that come Monday morning but you need to win more than one AI before you can be deemed a managerial great...consider the personnel at his disposal and he would need to get AI's on a regular basis!

Please don't come back saying Donegal Jim only won 1 AI as it is totally different - one started off managing a well established top 4 county (Kerry) and when McGuinness took over, Donegal were near the bottom 4 never mind the top 4. Absolutely no comparison...

Backlash expected .....

You are neglecting the introduction of Donaghy last year against Mayo which swung the tide in their favour. Add to that his feats with Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne where they were 6 points down against a ridiculously strong Maghera team going for 2 All Irelands in a row last year.

He's a good manager and is only starting you can be sure he will win more!

If he hadn't of introduced Donaghy he would have been lambasted - he left it far too late to introduce him and was lucky to survive and get a replay.
Are you now telling me SM Lockhart and Paul Hughes are destined for greatness because they led Maghera to 2 Hogan Cup finals in a row....

Fitzmaurice had about 1/4 the pick that Maghera had.
The Kerry team that started the 14 final had only 2 starters from 09 and had zero people giving them a chance of winning the all Ireland once Gooch was injured. The bulk of the squad were from an u21 side that lost by 22 points.

[Soup an Samajiz]

Right boys, i'll see ye's all for the fall out on Monday morning! watch out for the clampers and enjoy a drink. Up Football!

[omaghjoe]

Honouring Something Special

Fifty years ago one of the great Minor teams won the All-Ireland. It wasn't a Tyrone team. It was instead from our neighbours Derry, actually the first-ever Derry team to win the Ulster Minor Championship. Something about that Derry Minor team mesmerised, captivated and inspired Gaels across Ulster. Skilful, glamorous and supremely-organised, it drew heavily on the St Columb's College Hogan Cup-winning team (which had also featured two of Tyrone's greatest GAA people, Brendan Dolan RIP and our recent past County Chairman, Liam Nelis). Some of Ulster's finest-ever footballers graced those Derry Minors: Eamon Coleman RIP, Seamus Lagan, Malachy McAfee, Adrian McGuckin, Mickey Niblock, Gerry O'Loughlin and Tom Quinn among others. Three years later they collected the All-Ireland U21 title. And but for the chaos that then erupted here, who knows what they might have achieved as Seniors. Exceptional men. Exceptional times.

Why are we talking about a long-gone Derry team on Tyrone social media? Because next Sunday another Derry Minor team goes to Croke Park. They're there not as Tyrone's rivals but as the Champions of our Province. They follow in the footsteps of Oak Leaf greatness. So if you're following Tyrone to Croke Park, then get there for 1.30pm and get behind Derry. Apart from anything else you'll be honouring and respecting something very special from half-a-century ago, a team that set a standard and meant something for so many of us. And that should be our privilege. 'Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine ... people live in one another's shelter.'

So apart from Tyrone exhorting Tyrone fans to support Derry, and NOT Derry fans to support Tyrone, screenexile was 100% correct? 

To be fair to screenexile he has some good logical stuff in his posts

However his hatred of Tyrone is laid bare at times, no more notably when the media hysteria bandwagon begins against Tyrone he is howling like a Grandmaster in the Field on the 12th.

Despite putting alot of flesh on it "Tyrone are bad" is almost always his eventual dogmatic POV. So with such a deeply ingrained bias, I wouldnt be surprised that he would read the above as Tyrone begging for Derry support

[ONeill]

On Sunday we finally find out where this crop of Tyrone players are at. The only side we've met with any realistic Sam claims was Donegal and they won by 3 points.

I've absolutely no idea where we're at. Relgated to division 2, the easiest (and perfectly drawn) run to the semis - there's always that niggle that we're out of our depth at this end of the championship to be mixing it with Dublin, Kerry and Mayo.

Sunday will reveal all.

Nightmare = goal blitzed by a rampant and brilliant Kerry early on. Fantasy - the Kerry management lose their nerve and turn it into a war of attrition for points here and there. I'd fancy Tyrone in that scenario. You'd imagine Kerry will want to neutralise Harte, Donnelly and Cavanagh....and I wouldn't be surprised to see one of the three crocked by cute hoorism/'clumsiness' by half time......