Derry have a massive chance to show what they can do . And on Sunday it will be a pure bloody battle

oakleafersir (Derry) - Posts: 808 - 17/05/2016 19:58:14    1855803

I think Derry have a big chance on Sunday. They could well play their Ulster final Sunday. Imagine if they do win how open the Ulster championship will look Lots of teams then would fancy their chances
I do admit that Tyrone are a far better team , far more capable of winning an All Ireland but Sunday's game will be completely different.
Will the hoodo stand on Sunday with Tyrone finding it impossible to win in Celtic park.
One thing for sure on Sunday is if Derry are in with a winning chance they better take it. If Tyrone come out with a draw Sunday then I would take them to win the replay.
Sticking my neck out I take Derry to win , anything between two to five points. I have fancied them to beat Tyrone since the draw was made. Don't forget the games between the sides this year, four in total stands at 4 to nil in favour of Tyrone. Twill be 4 to 1 after Sunday

SamOnErrigal (Donegal) - Posts: 1427 - 17/05/2016 20:54:52    1855818

Sadly I only see one winner, Tyrone. They have more quality throughout their team and it has been mentioned by some of their players about the importance of winning Ulster this year, which would be the first time in six years. I would love to see Derry get back to an elite level as I have family from there and I know how much of a buzz it generates throughout the county when things are going well. But it has been a while since Derry were a serious outfit in the championship and with players leaving the panel and the manager putting on a brave face at best, I do fear for them a bit. Hopefully they can get a good run in the qualifiers though if they do fall at Celtic Park on Sunday, they are certainly capable of beating many a team if they get the luck of the draw.

SaffronDon (Antrim) - Posts: 2385 - 18/05/2016 09:04:37    1855847

Should be a good,hard game.Derry have been a little unfortunate to have not beaten Tyrone in a couple of their early season meetings.Home advantage is always worth a few points.

I was impressed with Tyrone in their efficiant beating of Cavan in the Div 2 final.Their defence looked water-tight.Derry will probably need a goal or two but that wont be an easy task.While i wouldn't rule out a Derry win,the more likely result would be a 3-5 point Tyrone victory.A little more class and quality to carry the day.

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 18/05/2016 09:46:54    1855854

I will be surprised in the extreme if Tyrone slip up here. There are plenty of good footballers in Derry but they can never seem to get it together with everyone singing off the one hymn sheet. They'll put up a good battle for sure. For 55 minutes or so. Then Tyrone will squeeze the life out of them and win by about 5 or 6 points.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9116 - 18/05/2016 10:20:28    1855877

Well after months of pursuing other interests,Its that wonderful time of year again.!

Have seen bits and pieces of the League and I dont think its all Hype with Tyrone imo..They seem a team on a Mission. Derry on the other hand stayed in div 2 by the Skin of their teeth.I know league from means little come championship "Well I hope not for our Sake" However Derry usually take the league pretty seriously.

I agree with lockjaw that it will be close for awhile but for me Tyrone will march on' on route to an Ulster final and Derry will fall at the 1st hurdle despite home advantage. Been looking forward to this one since the draw was made and it aint goona be no "Tae party in Celtic park".
The ref could have a Job on his hands in this game but lets hope we can see some good football on display by both teams but i reckon its a sure thing they will be Scuffles and plenty of cards, A sending off or two could have a serious impact on the game and you never know what could happen.

As a neautral Im not really bothered who wins it..but if and that could be a Big IF we reach the Ulster Final then I think a game against Tyrone would be a juicier affair.

InishowenMan (Donegal) - Posts: 216 - 18/05/2016 11:30:03    1855920

It won't be pretty but I expect Tyrone to be the calmer more methodical team (and specifically management team) and they'll win by 4 or 5 points without impressing many people outside of the County.

A "means to an end" sort of game which will require a "means to an end" sort of performance from Micky's Men

downredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 567 - 18/05/2016 12:43:02    1855960

Derry have the talent to match Tyrone, I think our problem in recent years is that we lack the structure and game plan of the other teams. To explain this in greater detail, I don't think the Derry players have the same clarity when it comes to understanding what precisely their individual roles are, and then also understanding what the larger team plan is. Damien Barton may well change that, but time will tell.

Current Director of football Brian McIver definitely came closer to anybody to creating an understanding, But he didn't tailor it for Championship and Derry suffered as a result, but I still think he brought a modern twist to the setup.

Can the team beat Tyrone? of course Derry can beat Tyrone. Tyrone are well drilled, playing with confidence and have big ambitions this year. The teams have met a few times this season, with Tyrone coming out on top. But if you play the same team enough times and become familiar with them, the perceived weaker team always has a chance of causing an upset. We need our big players like James Kielt, Caolan O'Boyle, Mark Lynch, Niall Holly, Brendan Rodgers and Chrissy McKaigue etc to stand up and take the fight to Tyrone.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 18/05/2016 12:49:54    1855966

Derry have a massive chance to show what they can do . And on Sunday it will be a pure bloody battle

oakleafersir (Derry) - Posts:72 - 17/05/2016 19:58:14


Interesting in that Tyrone are been whispered here and there as possible all Ireland winners , yet no one would say that about D

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 18/05/2016 13:16:53    1855986

Derry have a massive chance to show what they can do . And on Sunday it will be a pure bloody battle

oakleafersir (Derry) - Posts:72 - 17/05/2016 19:58:14


Interesting in that Tyrone are been whispered here and there as possible all Ireland winners , yet no one would say that about Derry ? Yet many give Derry a chance in this game .
Hopefully it will be as tight as some are predicting

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 18/05/2016 13:17:58    1855988

This doesn't carry the same clout as the 1992 Ulster Championship clash at Celtic Park and while Tyrone have a poor league record at Celtic Park I do not think Derry have progressed under Damien Barton this season as much as I expected. In some ways Tyrone may feel liberated that it is not Donegal they are facing in this match or their half of the draw. Therefore I expect Tyrone to overcome a strong Derry challenge to mount a run for the Ulster Championship.

Byanthon (Tyrone) - Posts: 1780 - 18/05/2016 13:21:02    1855995

"This doesn't carry the same clout as the 1992 Ulster Championship clash"

True, the fact that the qualifiers provide a bit of a safety net also dilutes it a bit. If it was knock out then it really would be hell for leather!
I remember Brolly recounting how a Derry fan was so wound up before a Championship match against Tyrone one time, that he started doing press ups on the terrace!

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9116 - 18/05/2016 14:54:05    1856048

Damothedub
Quite right Derry would not be seen as a team at present to win Sam. But Tyrone could well be in the mix.
But Sunday's game will take a life of its own and even if Derry win they would not be certain to win their semi final. Indeed they could ( and can) beat Tyrone on Sunday and get beat the next day out.
Now I could well be wrong but I can see Derry winning They will get chances on Sunday , they must take them -- a draw would be no good to them as I'd say Tyrone would beat them in a replay. So this Sunday is their day, Tyrone have a better team but hat won't mean a lot once the ball is thrown in. Derry for me with a bit to spare

SamOnErrigal (Donegal) - Posts: 1427 - 18/05/2016 20:47:04    1856189

Interesting in that Tyrone are been whispered here and there as possible all Ireland winners , yet no one would say that about Derry ? Yet many give Derry a chance in this game .
Hopefully it will be as tight as some are predicting

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts:3322 - 18/05/2016 13:17:58

I have always found that Ulster teams up their game for Ulster Championship matches, to a level I haven't seen carried through to the Qualifiers.
Take 2014, Derry lost 1-11 to 0-11 to a strong and Championship ready Donegal, who went on to win Ulster, beat Dublin and narrowly lose the All Ireland title. Tyrone know this, they know they will face a stiff test.

Pundits and Journalists tend to follow general National League thinking with regards Ulster. They won't remotely consider that Derry might beat Tyrone, Armagh might beat Cavan, Fermanagh might beat Donegal and Down might beat Monaghan. But that could actually happen, and I would not be surprised if at least two of those matches are upsets.

I think Tyrone do have a chance at an All Ireland this year, I think they are particularly dangerous in Croke Park with the type of forwards they have. But I also think Derry have a good chance to beat them in Ulster.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 18/05/2016 20:56:45    1856191

Wouldn't be at all surprised to see Derry pull this off....

...nor would I if Tyrone prospered via the back door.

Knoxboya (Monaghan) - Posts: 357 - 18/05/2016 21:14:55    1856201

See the last logic in what you guys are saying or rather the lack of logic , I wasn't being derogatory to Derry , just putting it to you lads who I would suggest know more about this game than myself.If I'm reading between the lines it's anyone can beat anyone on any given day , but only one or two would be able to sustain a challange for the whole summer .

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 18/05/2016 21:18:26    1856203

I hear what you're saying Gary. Basically on their day any Ulster team can cause an upset. When the taste of the Anglo-Celt whets the appetite, the hunger can be ferocious.

Nevertheless, I think you're making more out of 2014 than there was. My recollection is DL played a poor enough first half but when they pulled away in the 2nd half (3rd quarter) as was their tactic back then, they could have beaten Derry by as much as they wanted. At the time, they were keeping their powder dry as Jim had already got Dublin in his sights & wasn't giving away too much about our style or his plans. He was happy enough for us to come in under the radar.

Derry last year however was a different matter. You could've beaten us & very nearly did. We scraped into the Ulster Final by the skin of our teeth & we all know what happened next.

Derry under Barton are building away on McIvor's good foundation but I just do not think they are good enough to beat Tyrone just yet. I'm looking forward to this game though & really hope you put it up to them.

Much as I'd love to see you cause an upset in this one, I think Tyrone are methodically & ruthlessly studying their opposition at the minute. Looking how they dealt with Cavan, I'd say Mickey H has a very clear plan & it will be very well executed. I'd fully expect Tyrone to win this with a few to spare. Happy to be proven wrong of course.

Glynners (Donegal) - Posts: 109 - 18/05/2016 21:24:30    1856207

If I'm reading between the lines it's anyone can beat anyone on any given day , but only one or two would be able to sustain a challange for the whole summer .

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts:3323 - 18/05/2016 21:18:26 1

Yes that is about right. While I think Derry have the quality player to match and beat Tyrone within the Ulster Championship, I still don't think we have the consistency to carry that through and actually win Ulster. The likes of Tyrone, Monaghan and Donegal are consistently good, consistently solid and perform at a high level and all harbour realistic hopes of winning the Anglo Celt. We would need a good run this year, before we could really think of winning it.

I think a lot of this is to do with confidence, those sides have won a lot of games and are confident in what they can do. We've struggled a lot in recent years to mount a sustained challenge in Ulster, and have never really got motivated for any Qualifier game in the same way the Ulster Championship would. Even in Ulster last year, we had a flat game against Down, which was piss poor.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 18/05/2016 21:33:12    1856212

My recollection is DL played a poor enough first half but when they pulled away in the 2nd half (3rd quarter) as was their tactic back then, they could have beaten Derry by as much as they wanted.
Glynners

I'd disagree..there was a 5/8 min spell at the start of the 2nd half when McLoone scored the goal and DL rattled off a few points. It was this spell that separated the teams. The 15 man defence held us out for the remainder of the game...saying Donegal could have beaten Derry by as much as they wanted is pie in the sky talk in fairness ! If Fergal Doc (who was lording midfield in the early exchanges) had not went off injured after 15 mins, Derry could well have won the game* !

* and probably have been dumped out on our ar$es in the next round !

Seamy_Hendrix (Derry) - Posts: 47 - 19/05/2016 10:04:41    1856256

Very excited about this game on Sunday.

It's high time Derry put a serious Ulster run together, they've been listless now for too long. In the 90s, Derry would have made it hell for Tyrone in this fixture, at home. Whether they can muster enough for a huge performance is the big question. Tyrone will bring calm, mobility, scoring potential and a good defies side balance. My feeling is that Derry, if they can find the net, could really rattle Tyrone. Derry were scoring highly during the league and my feeling was that Barton was trying to bring more flair and therefore balance to their system after McIvor's defensive minded style last year.

It will take a massive 70 minutes for them to beat Tyrone though, in that they need to stay in the game as long as possible and expose Tyrone's full back line which is still a weakness for me.

Donegal_abroad (Donegal) - Posts: 1319 - 19/05/2016 12:59:01    1856351