Before I get slated for having a go at my Northern Friends I was discussing the pro's and con's of Gaelic Football with a Tyrone man on Saturday night who was bemonaing the current development plan in Tyrone saying they are developing too many of the same type of players through their development squad and that the criticism given to them for their over exuberance on the field has transplanted them into a county that is too nice. He also felt that the same could be said for all the Northern Counties in light of recent political times (I felt this a strange comment)

Is it a fair point that the wee six are now seen as too nice? I think Mc Geeney might change that viewpoint in 2015 but it is worth noting that of the last 12 titles on offer in Ulster for Minor, U21 and Senior only 1 title has gone to the wee 6 with 11 going to the even smaller 3.

2011
Minor - Cavan, U21 - Cavan, Senior - Donegal
2012
Minor - Tyrone, U21 - Cavan, Senior - Donegal
2013
Minor - Monaghan, U21 - Cavan, Senior - Monaghan
2014
Minor - Donegal, U21 - Cavan, Senior - Donegal

Are we to see a comeback from the wee 6 in 2015?

Tir Conaill Abu (Donegal) - Posts: 1671 - 16/12/2014 15:54:06    1678867

a sad and pointless post

goalpost (Armagh) - Posts: 215 - 16/12/2014 17:34:44    1678888

We have'nt gone away you know!

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 17/12/2014 08:59:31    1678996

Damned if we do. Damned if we don't. For years, decades even, teams from the North went and played Southern teams and got the bejaysus knocked out of them by more physical teams. Then the tact was changed and suddenly the teams who were once the handers outers and were then the receivers started complaining about the big bad nordies using rough house tactics. Now we are too soft again. Would people make up their minds.

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 17/12/2014 09:23:48    1679005

Jees, no one bites at this time of year!! Good man Brend, you'll be looking forward to the wee trip to Ballybofey!!

Tir Conaill Abu (Donegal) - Posts: 1671 - 17/12/2014 09:23:59    1679006

Am I missing something or are there not 9 counties in Ulster? Some of these posts just get better!

Thats like saying Kerry and Cork have won everything in Munster!

tiobraid (Tipperary) - Posts: 4119 - 19/12/2014 10:01:11    1679450

It is clearly a post aimed to wind up a few of the more sensitive a little, but at the same time it is quite the unusual stat. If anyone had suggested such a scenario a decade ago they would have been laughed at. I presume normal order will be restored soon.

Soma (UK) - Posts: 2630 - 19/12/2014 11:36:12    1679474

Interesting stats and I suppose a lot of this is off the back of JMGs Donegal but good work at underage as well even though it is not always a measure of what is in front.

Main thing from an Ulster point though is that these winners have been reasonably (or better) competitive at All Ireland level.

I would be more concerned if Donegal were dominating Ulster but getting hoked out on their ear as soon as the hit All Ireland level.

Naysayer (Antrim) - Posts: 2071 - 19/12/2014 11:51:29    1679478

Perhaps it is cyclical thing, it just happens that Donegal, Monaghan & Cavan have won most over the past few years - or caught up with the rest. I wouldn't be surprised to see any of Tyrone, Armagh, Down or Derry getitng back to winning ways in the near future. Antrim and Fermanagh have a bit of catching up to do but its not out of the question either of those could come with a strong team soon. Even as it stands, Armagh and Tyrone are not too far of the top teams in the country. The other thing is that if you look at Donegal, they are now preparing & training like a proper team should.

JimTheLegend (Donegal) - Posts: 247 - 19/12/2014 13:00:58    1679497

I always thought Donegal should have part of the Northern Ireland given how far North it is.. bite bite

FoolsGold (Cavan) - Posts: 2763 - 19/12/2014 13:31:00    1679502

Derry rivaled Donegal in the physical stakes back in Celtic park, or certainly weren't far off.
Armagh are a physically Imposing team, who hit exceptionally hard and matched Donegal in the All Ireland QF.
Down are another side who I remember taking lumps out of Donegal in 2013.

I mention this, as Donegal are one of Ireland's top conditioned sides at present. So surely the others can't be that far off the pace.

If anything, I felt what was really lacking in many of the 6 counties was a Manager who can Inspire the players to drive themselves that bit further. The players are there, but Its finding a manager or management team who can Inspire them and get the players to collectively buy in.

Jim McGuinness showed with Donegal what can be achieved in a short period with a team even the optimistic pundit could never have Imagined in 2010.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 19/12/2014 21:47:21    1679564

Good reply Goalpost

Killarney.87 (Tipperary) - Posts: 2513 - 20/12/2014 13:18:10    1679583

Poor thread.

Brolly (Monaghan) - Posts: 4472 - 20/12/2014 15:53:14    1679606

Don't think its a poor post. If someone questioned Dublin in a post, or Leinster and posters from those areas said it was a poor post, they would be called losers and moaners by HS posters.

The post has its merits. I'm not giving my two pence worth on Ulster football, but I'd like to read Ulster posters views on the topic of the original post.

JayP (Dublin) - Posts: 1772 - 28/12/2014 16:41:35    1679987

I wonder if the same Tyrone man doesn't wonder if the present team just isn't as good as the very good team they had in recent times. Far from me to say that I know what tyrone teams were like in the none too successful '60, 70's and 80's, but I would say that many of those teams were anything but nice and still won nothin'. Beatin the livin daylights out of teams and then trying to defeat them on the scoreboard may have worked for Tyrone in the past though I'm not sure when, but it certainly doesn't work now. In any case I really don't get the point of this thread, successful teams have talented players who have a competitive instinct which is personified by both skill and a winning approach. Some might call this being not very nice. Tyrone players just aren't as good as they were.

gl1965 (Armagh) - Posts: 5 - 28/12/2014 19:46:39    1679998

Partitionist post. Probably a soccer man from North Donegal!

essmac (Tyrone) - Posts: 1141 - 28/12/2014 21:48:25    1680004

JayP its poor in taste as its having a go at 6counties in particular. From my experience there are quite a few partitionist donegal supporters.

Brolly (Monaghan) - Posts: 4472 - 29/12/2014 11:21:38    1680016

for me there is not much between any teams in Ulster, its all on the day, no disrespect the weak ones are Fermanagh, Antrim, but come next year they will be waiting for Monaghan, Cavan, toward s an Ulster final. Ulster will be wide open, 1 of these will win, Donegal, Tyrone, Monaghan, Cavan. Cavan dark horses for U21, Minor, Senior in Ulster, hopefully we Donegal, wont be too far away. its all hard to call, good luck to every Ulster county,

mchugh11 (Donegal) - Posts: 242 - 30/12/2014 21:23:52    1680137

I think that today's game showed there is plenty spirit in the northern game lol.

seanie_boy (Tyrone) - Posts: 4235 - 04/01/2015 18:37:22    1680426

Good to see over 8000 souls attending the Armagh v Tyrone game.No love lost between these two heavyweights.And not a band in sight either....

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 04/01/2015 19:02:29    1680434