McKenna Cup 2024

[Cold tea]

And why would they want to risk injury in a crap McKenna cup competition when they have the potential of winning an all-ireland club championship! 

[yellowcard]

Exactly right Mackers. It makes no sense whatsoever to bar players from the county jersey at this time of year. The thirteen day rule should indeed work in reverse here. It is only in relatively recent times that this approach has been taken. Started in Armagh I might add and spread through the country.

I'm not disagreeing with this approach, indeed I too would be happy to see it enforced. However you also know that if it was your club involved and you had the option not to release the players to their county team, then you would be hoping that they would exercise this option. There is a big difference in an all county League game and an All Ireland club semi-final. The bigger problem lies with the fixture scheduling imo, and the 2 1/2 month gap between the provincial club finals and AI club semi finals. Playing off the club series before Christmas would be the sensible option because there is no doubt that it has been a serious handicap to Armagh in particular in the last 4/5 years.

[BennyCake]

Whats the situation regarding the best runner-up? Is it still the same rule, even with only 3 teams in Group B??? Surely not!?

[theticklemister]

same rule applies

Whats the situation regarding the best runner-up? Is it still the same rule, even with only 3 teams in Group B??? Surely not!?

[theticklemister]

whoever is in group B needs to win it to qualify

[mackers]

And why would they want to risk injury in a crap McKenna cup competition when they have the potential of winning an all-ireland club championship! 

To further their chances of getting a starting spot on the Armagh team when the championship comes round, that's why!  They risk an injury every time they take to the training pitch.

[EC Unique]

No betting on the tyrone/derry game at the weekend on paddy power ...... do they know something we dont ?

What time is the match in omagh at?

[theticklemister]

No betting on the tyrone/derry game at the weekend on paddy power ...... do they know something we dont ?

What time is the match in omagh at?

2pm. betting is up

Tyrone 1/2 v 15/8 Derry.

Has tryone team been named. Derry's team is strong enough now

[yellowcard]

And why would they want to risk injury in a crap McKenna cup competition when they have the potential of winning an all-ireland club championship! 

To further their chances of getting a starting spot on the Armagh team when the championship comes round, that's why!  They risk an injury every time they take to the training pitch.

So if your club was involved in an AI semi final would you be happy to release your players for county challenge matches (McKenna cup)?  Crossmaglen will have challenge matches planned over the coming weekends and will want exclusive access to their players to work on formations etc and who could blame them. From an Armagh management point of view this is a serious drawback especially concerning the non-established county panellists who are unproven at this level. Its far from ideal for Armagh but until the fixture calendar changes then I think its reasonable to expect that players main focus during this period will lie with their clubs.

[Mont]

importance of games takes priority which is end of story.
if a county were in ai ireland semi final or final would the player be playin for the club in a tournament game 2 or 3 weeks befor it? course not.
thse saying players shud be playin for armagh at the moment rthr than cros need to examin their sanity.
tough sh1t for armagh

[yellowcard]

Just on that note I don't see why Armagh don't put forward a motion before congress that the club championships be played up before Christmas. Playing the club championship final almost 4 months after the quarter finals (provincial finals) makes absolutely no sense.

[DuffleKing]

And why would they want to risk injury in a crap McKenna cup competition when they have the potential of winning an all-ireland club championship! 

To further their chances of getting a starting spot on the Armagh team when the championship comes round, that's why!  They risk an injury every time they take to the training pitch.

So if your club was involved in an AI semi final would you be happy to release your players for county challenge matches (McKenna cup)?  Crossmaglen will have challenge matches planned over the coming weekends and will want exclusive access to their players to work on formations etc and who could blame them. From an Armagh management point of view this is a serious drawback especially concerning the non-established county panellists who are unproven at this level. Its far from ideal for Armagh but until the fixture calendar changes then I think its reasonable to expect that players main focus during this period will lie with their clubs.

Up to two weeks before a club championship match county players should be training one night a week with the county, one with the club and alternating who they play in matches for from weekend to weekend.

Club players play all county league games throughout the county league and championship campaigns. club league games are significantly less important to players with county ambitions than McKenna Cup and National league games.

Whisper it quietly because the majority judge what an individual player's priority should be based on their own preferences, but if you got a quiet word with any county player still involved in the club championship they'd tell you they would like to play an odd county game in January in particular and between All Ireland club semi & final for competitive edge and staying part of the team.

They can't say that out loud of course because they wouldn't be "A Clubman" then and woe betide them if they lose...

[mackers]

importance of games takes priority which is end of story.
if a county were in ai ireland semi final or final would the player be playin for the club in a tournament game 2 or 3 weeks befor it? course not.
thse saying players shud be playin for armagh at the moment rthr than cros need to examin their sanity.
tough sh1t for armagh

Cross players have played in LEAGUE games while still in the AI club before so it's not as if there is no precedent.

[God14]

Tyrone team for Sunday


1 – Niall Morgan – Éadan na dTorc

2 – Dermot Carlin – Coill an Chlochair

3 – Conor Gormley – An Charraig Mhór

4 – Barry Tierney – An Omaigh

5 – Ryan McKenna – Eaglais

6 – Joe McMahon – An Omaigh

7 – Danny McBride – An Srath Ban

8 – Conor Clarke – An Omaigh

9 – Sean Cavanagh – An Mhaigh

10 – Kevin Gallagher – An Baile Nua

11 – Mark Donnelly – An Charraig Mhór

12 – Matthew Donnelly – Trí Leac

13 – Martin Penrose – An Charraig Mhór

14 – Stephen O'Neill – Clann na nGael

15 – Johnathan Lafferty – Urnaí

16 – Pascal McConnell – An Baile Nua

17 – Peter Harte – Aireagal Chiaráin

18 – Plunkett Kane – Oileán a'Ghuail

19 – Conor McAlliskey – Cluain Eo

20 – Tiarnan McCann – Coill an Chlochair

21 – Cathal McCarron – An Droim Mór

22 – Darren McCurry – Éadan na dTorc

23 – Dean McNally – Cill Dhreasa

24 – Ronan McNamee – Achadh Uí Aráin

25 – Patrick McNiece – Oileán a'Ghuail

26 – Sean Warnock – An Caisleán Glas

[Redhand Santa]

Tyrone team for Sunday


1 – Niall Morgan – Éadan na dTorc

2 – Dermot Carlin – Coill an Chlochair

3 – Conor Gormley – An Charraig Mhór

4 – Barry Tierney – An Omaigh

5 – Ryan McKenna – Eaglais

6 – Joe McMahon – An Omaigh

7 – Danny McBride – An Srath Ban

8 – Conor Clarke – An Omaigh

9 – Sean Cavanagh – An Mhaigh

10 – Kevin Gallagher – An Baile Nua

11 – Mark Donnelly – An Charraig Mhór

12 – Matthew Donnelly – Trí Leac

13 – Martin Penrose – An Charraig Mhór

14 – Stephen O'Neill – Clann na nGael

15 – Johnathan Lafferty – Urnaí

16 – Pascal McConnell – An Baile Nua

17 – Peter Harte – Aireagal Chiaráin

18 – Plunkett Kane – Oileán a'Ghuail

19 – Conor McAlliskey – Cluain Eo

20 – Tiarnan McCann – Coill an Chlochair

21 – Cathal McCarron – An Droim Mór

22 – Darren McCurry – Éadan na dTorc

23 – Dean McNally – Cill Dhreasa

24 – Ronan McNamee – Achadh Uí Aráin

25 – Patrick McNiece – Oileán a'Ghuail

26 – Sean Warnock – An Caisleán Glas

Decent enough team for this time of year. It'll be interesting to see how Tierney,McKenna,McBride and Gallagher get on. Also Clarke in midfield. I'd maybe have liked to see something different in the full back line. We have struggled there in recent years and Carlin is unlikely to start there. Harte is obviously out to add mobility around the middle 8 so the new players here will have to work hard to prove their worth. Will O'Neill be captain for the year?