fancy Tyrone for Ulster, backed them a few weeks back at 7/2. Think Sean Cavanagh will make the difference, he's a machine.

Mike_Clitoris69 (Cavan) - Posts: 230 - 02/05/2013 20:52:24    1378033

Paddy McBrearty hit 2-6 for the club there at the weekend. With Murphy and McFadden also in fine fettle for their clubs I'm tentatively more optimistic about a Donegal win now.

Donegal 1-11 - 0-10 Tyrone

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 10366 - 07/05/2013 11:22:12    1379827

Lacey had 2 70 minute matches this weekend, Mark McHugh is fine & Christy Toye returned to action in the Gaeltacht. As things stand Donegal will have a full deck to pick from. Still nervous though!!!

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5030 - 07/05/2013 13:18:09    1379904

Two full teams on the pitch on the 26th May should lead to an epic battle,
with no quarter given. We are all nervous muckross, but I'm sure as the day
approaches many of us will overcome our nervousness and start to believe.
Total Faith, Tir Eoghain abu. :)

TheGateKeeper (Tyrone) - Posts: 2843 - 07/05/2013 14:37:44    1379974

Good man Gatekeeper, I love the positivity from both camps and sets of supporters. Tyrone and their supporters will rightly feel confident as I'm sure most of Donegal will and thats a great way going into a proper championship game. We were the same last year in Dublin against Cork and Kerry with both opposite camps very confident and it really ramps up the excitement.
Its interesting that Micky Harte says the Tyrone game is the "be-all and end all" for Donegal. I don't think he is right in that statement, it is certainly important but if we are beaten then I think we can re-group and still make the quarters. Like any good manager Micky is using the media to put pressure on Donegal while deflecting from another question - How would Tyrone react to losing to Donegal three years on the trot? With such a young and inexperienced panel I feel defeat for Tyrone would have a bigger impact on them than a defeat for Donegal would have on the experienced panel we now have.

Tir Conaill Abu (Donegal) - Posts: 1686 - 07/05/2013 14:57:21    1379996

Did Tír Eoghain have a full team playing against us last year?

AnRaibh (Donegal) - Posts: 134 - 07/05/2013 15:26:46    1380024

AnRaibh
County: Donegal
Posts: 97

1380024 Did Tír Eoghain have a full team playing against us last year?


S. Cavanagh didnt play.

DLlegends (Donegal) - Posts: 503 - 07/05/2013 15:50:36    1380039

An Raibh
No they were missing a key man in Sean Cavanagh. They are no doubt a lot stronger this year than last but then again I think we are too so it could balance out.

Tir Conaill Abu (Donegal) - Posts: 1686 - 07/05/2013 15:51:31    1380041

Never mind Clones, I think this game could have gotten a goo crowd in Croke Park. I wonder was it ever on the table?

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5030 - 07/05/2013 16:21:34    1380064

15 players start the game lads, that is a full team.

TheGateKeeper (Tyrone) - Posts: 2843 - 07/05/2013 16:24:44    1380067

I think Tyrone will shade this one.

Manfred (Derry) - Posts: 20 - 07/05/2013 16:25:25    1380068

TheGateKeeper
County: Tyrone
Posts: 1601

1380067
15 players start the game lads, that is a full team.
__________________
I cant see 15 finishing it, can you?

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 07/05/2013 16:33:45    1380072

The pressure is really on Donegal, as a result of McGuinness's repeated supercilious attitude towards the league. He has tried to devalue the league by constantly referencing the Ulster Championship as the only show in town. That's his choice, but he's gonna look very foolish indeed if they don't beat Tyrone. On the other hand Harte has gone for the league(as he would have even if they were All Ire champions) and already has a league final under his belt.I've always liked and followed Donegal with the old family connection, but I think Jim (of the "Jimmy's losing matches" fame) is just a wee bit big for his boots, and I would like to see Tyrone win it.

gaelantrim (Antrim) - Posts: 1616 - 07/05/2013 17:02:06    1380094

In all honesty gaelantrim I don't think JMcG said anything that other managers, players & commentators Mickey Harte included, have said.
To say that he "tried to devalue the league" is silly. All he said was that it wasn't important to them this year & he had very good reasons. The All Ireland celebrations, late club championship, injuries to key players & team holiday in the new year meant that Donegal were going to be well behind other teams in preparation. The players also needed & deserved a break from hard training which only began last month.
Donegal have a chance to win three Ulster titles in a row, something never done before by a Donegal team & only done once in 50 years. McGuinness was honest enough to say that that's where his focus was going to be, not a league title that he felt they probably couldn't win anyway for the reasons given above.

Mind you well done on the use of the word "supercilious". I'd say that's a first on HS!!

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5030 - 07/05/2013 18:24:04    1380146

brendtheredhand
I cant see 15 finishing it, can you?


I'd say both teams will be warned about discipline by
their respective camps! Losing a man would be a crucial
blow to either team, however if both teams lost a man,
the game might just open up more.

TheGateKeeper (Tyrone) - Posts: 2843 - 07/05/2013 19:51:54    1380216

I think Tyrone will win it. Probably are the better team. We've got 3 All Irelands; they've only got 2.

tyroneed (Tyrone) - Posts: 753 - 07/05/2013 20:03:40    1380221

tyroneed
County: Tyrone
Posts: 86

1380221 I think Tyrone will win it. Probably are the better team. We've got 3 All Irelands; they've only got 2.


I dont think any of that will matter on the 26th. Do You???????

DLlegends (Donegal) - Posts: 503 - 07/05/2013 20:27:19    1380232

Whatever the result it will be a huge surprise if these two teams don't reach the last eight at least. Of the two i think Donegal will have longer championship.

Gaa_lover (USA) - Posts: 3993 - 07/05/2013 20:33:32    1380237

I'm surprised by the level of optimism in Tyrone about this game, I would have thought the 'go to' thing would be to play the underdog knowing that there is a legitimate chance of winning in fairness, easing expectation. But it's been quite the opposite actually, most Tyrone supporters believe that they'll claim a big scalp next month and have no problem publicly saying this on the message board.

I'm not so sure, Tyrone will be playing a lot of young lads not necessarily battle hardened and it will only take one or two to freeze on the big day for Donegal to exploit this. Donegal aren't fooling me, I know come that day they'll be absolutely relentless as usual and I'm not so sure Tyrone will be able to handle this. I agree it's going to be low scoring, something like 8 - 9. 9 - 10 perhaps. A goal wins this game.

I could be completely wrong, I was impressed with how Tyrone performed against Dublin without Steven O'Neill and that actually makes me second guess myself but I just think the experience Donegal have racked up in the last two years will see them over the line here.

GetOverTheBar (Tyrone) - Posts: 1388 - 07/05/2013 21:15:05    1380258

I think Tyrone have a great chance here and I wouldn't have said that a few months back. They are slowly rebuilding and are a lot more battle hardened this season than Donegal; they have been at the business end of the National League and mentally and physically may be better conditioned. Do Donegal still have the desire and fire to take on and beat a fiery Tyrone again? Only time will tell; great game to look forward to. I agree, never mind Clones, Croke Park would have been the best stage for this and playing there with a full house may have been an advantage to both teams later in the year.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9840 - 07/05/2013 21:30:33    1380271