redhanddefender (Tyrone) - Posts:813 - 12/04/2016 17:29:57 18448

It's laughable that some Tyrone supporters even wanted rid of Harte. Without him Tyrone football would probably be still in the wilderness. It'll be very interesting whenever he does decide to step down. I would imagine it'll be similar to when Fergie left United or when Boylan left Meath. Tyrone will most likely return to their pre-2003 levels of irrelevance (Yes, the GAA did exist before 2003, but don't tell anyone in Tyrone).

As for Down, it will be a long time before we're even competitive at senior level, mark my words. The only way we will be going is down. But sure, at least us Mourne supporters can live off our past glories (5 All-Ireland's as Ulster champions if you had forgotten). The same past glories our pathetic county board has been living off for the last 22 years. And as for the treatment of Jim McCorry, it was disgraceful and utterly disrespectful towards a man who had committed so many years of his life to Down football.

MourneArmy (Down) - Posts: 1787 - 13/04/2016 11:28:29    1845037

Tyrone will most likely return to their pre-2003 levels of irrelevance (Yes, the GAA did exist before 2003, but don't tell anyone in Tyrone).

MourneArmy (Down) - Posts:1698 - 13/04/2016 11:28:29 18

Irrelevant before 2003 - well National League champions 2002 obviously counts for nothing then. Seems a bit harsh when you consider in the twenty years before 2003 Tyrone had won 6 Ulster Senior Championships, 5 Ulster Minor Championships, 6 Ulster U21's along with 2 Minor & 4 U21 All-Irelands as well as said National League.
I think it's long past time in Down that some people realised that the GAA didn't cease to exist in the year 2000!
Having said that and back to the subject at hand, I think we lack that marquee forward who can transform us into genuine All-Ireland contenders at this stage.

benched (Tyrone) - Posts: 534 - 13/04/2016 14:37:22    1845192

benched , I dont think Tyrone will be far off.
At the moment they may be lacking a forward with that va va voom to win a game on his own but Tyrone are on an upward curve and well capable of beating any of the AI pretenders on their day including the Dubs.
The question is if they can do it 3 games in a row from 1/4 final to final.
I would rank Cork and Donegal alongside them, def good enough to beat any of the others but maybe just short of being able to produce it for the 3 big games at the end, whereas I think Kerry, Dublin and Mayo would be ahead of the rest in that regard.
yes including mayo!!

woops (Kerry) - Posts: 2073 - 13/04/2016 16:14:28    1845258

Whoops
It will depend a lot on how Tyrone fare out in Ulster, if they win Ulster they could get a fairly handy QFinal leaving them to probably play Mayo in the semi final taking that Dublin will play Kerry in the other semi or do you see it different?? Is there a team out there capable of beating either Dublin or Kerry (knocking them out of the championship) before the semi final stage. I think we can take it for sure , well ninety five percent anyhow that Dublin will play Kerry in one semi final
So I'd take the other semi to go between Mayo , Tyrone or ( if we improve big time) Donegal and looking back over the years it is usually Div one teams who contest the semi finals. Would Cork improve, what about Monaghan/ Roscommon?????
I think the big game for Tyrone is in Celtic park against Derry, won that and they could go a long way. Another thing I must say is that Kerry have had some great service from a whole host of players, o Shea , Donaghy, Sheehan O Mahoney Gooch and D Walsh. All still at the top of their game and something other counties could learn from -- how to get the best out of the over 30's
I don't think The Donegal side are any older than the Kerry side but their displays are well below the aforementioned Kerry boys

SamOnErrigal (Donegal) - Posts: 1427 - 13/04/2016 18:14:31    1845342

Last year seen a dramatic improvement in Tyrone, which was kinda aided by them narrowly losing to Donegal in the opening round of Ulster. It was a game many foolishly thought Tyrone would get tanked in, simply because they took a walloping in Ballybofey in the National league. By running Donegal quite tight in the end, it proved a catalyst for them to go from strength to strength.

Adding Tiernan McCann to the Peter Harte/Mattie Donnelly runner combo, and Colm Cavanagh acting as sweeper has worked a treat. They've also found two consistent corner forwards in McCurry and McAliskey, which given them an extra edge. Probably the major thing to occur, has been the arrival of Peter Donnelly in the training department, which has definitely driven them on.

I think they have the ability to win the All Ireland, they have the varied style needed to beat any of the top sides. But I think Ulster could still remain a problem for them, well Donegal in particular tend to have the knack of beating them. But I definitely expect them to improve on last year.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 14/04/2016 18:58:07    1845733

They won't win the All Ireland Gary. They are not good enough to beat any of the top three . Add the fact that they will not have played a single Division One team all season in either league or championship up to a potential Ulster Final and they are at a serious disadvantage in comparison to the likes of Donegal and Monaghan.

Greengrass (Louth) - Posts: 6031 - 15/04/2016 16:46:12    1845980

gary 82 its all to play for in ulster even fermanagh are being touted for a 1st ever anglo celt

neutral (None) - Posts: 358 - 15/04/2016 17:15:30    1845997

They won't win the All Ireland Gary. They are not good enough to beat any of the top three . Add the fact that they will not have played a single Division One team all season in either league or championship up to a potential Ulster Final and they are at a serious disadvantage in comparison to the likes of Donegal and Monaghan.

Greengrass (Louth) - Posts:4265 - 15/04/2016 16:46:12 1

Normally this would be a good point, but donegal got to the all ireland final in 2014 while playing in division 2 the same year. It is a good place to get your mojo back. I feel that tyrone may well have done this. you are most likely right though, the all ireland is a step too far, but I would fancy them to be there or there abouts come the end of the season. I cant see them troubling either kerry or dublin this year though.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 17/04/2016 16:01:55    1846420

If Tyrone land Mayo in the semis, which they have every chance of doing, that's a contest that could go either way. I thought it was close two years ago and I'd say Tyrone have improved since then but I'm not sure Mayo have. As we know from last year there isn't much between Tyrone and Kerry and who knows what 12 months will do for both teams in that regard. They haven't played Dublin in a few years now (lucky them!) so the jury is still out on that contest. Obviously Dublin would be the favourites and rightly so, but the last time they played in a meaningful contest was arguably the league final a couple of years ago and there was only a kick off the ball between them, ok you could argue its not championship so it doesn't matter, but it was a final, and since then Tyrone have improved. I wouldn't be as quick to write them off, that's all.

SaffronDon (Antrim) - Posts: 2386 - 17/04/2016 16:29:37    1846431

One thing for sure is that no matter what team they face, they will be dogged and very, very hard to beat. Like a lot of others here though I think they're just lacking that bit of X-Factor needed to land an All Ireland. A Conor McManus or a Bernard Brogan at full forward would seriously increase their chances. McCurry and McAliskey are two dangerous inside forwards but against the really top teams they need more support.

My wish list for the year is to reach an Ulster final against Tyrone, having hopefully dispatched Monaghan en route. Then of course, to beat Tyrone again. You can never get sick of beating Tyrone.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9155 - 19/04/2016 10:40:06    1847098

It might be a year early but Lee Brennan could be that player lockjaw. He has the xfactor that all the greats have.

gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 19/04/2016 10:44:28    1847102

Tyrone - 2016 - Ulster Champs and All Ireland Finalists losing out to the winner of Dublin v Kerry

GAAHattrick (Dublin) - Posts: 278 - 19/04/2016 11:06:09    1847119

Tyrone won't get past an All-Ireland semi final v Mayo - if it comes to that.

If I was betting on ONE team to make the final it'd be Mayo (with Dub and Kerry likely to meet in semi final). There's a gap between these 3 and the rest and that gap only increases as the stakes get higher, i.e. late August.

cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5017 - 19/04/2016 11:43:55    1847138

They are certainly in real contention for an Ulster title but talk of an All Ireland is fanciful.

There is a gap between Div 1 & 2 that makes the step up very difficult especially when you see Kerry & Dublin in the mix.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 19/04/2016 14:05:58    1847215