Mickey Harte's Red Hand Army - 2015 Season

Sport
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Terrific player in his prime Stephen O’Neill, one of the very best forwards of the last 20 years.

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We’re going to be dining at the top table this year, lads. Heard Peter Donnelly has the boys on the Nutri Bullets.

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Tyrone will be lucky to win a game.

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Seeing as we have four very good teams such as Donegal, Armagh, Derry and Down on our side of the draw it will be difficult but I’ve bought into what Sean Cavanagh said today and I think we’ll have a much more defensive system. We’ll be much tougher, both physically and mentally. We have the footballers and I believe we’ll show that to anyone this year.

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I MEAN ANY GAME, LEAGUE OR CHAMPIONSHIP.

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My provisional Tyrone side for the upcoming season:

  1. Morgan
  2. McCrory
  3. Justy
  4. McCarron
  5. Tierney
  6. Joe McMahon
  7. Harte
  8. Colm Cavanagh
  9. Sean Cavanagh
  10. McNabb
  11. O’Neill
  12. Grugan
  13. McCurry
  14. Mattie Donnelly
  15. McAliskey

We’d probably line up with McNabb playing a sweeper role and Donnelly moving out to wing forward. Think that team would make us much stronger out the centre of the pitch where we were lacking this year. The big questions for Tyrone would be at 6 and 11.

We need a solid anchor in defence who will hold his position and not recklessly bomb forward. Joe McMahon is best suited to this as he’s also an excellent distributor of the ball, hopefully he commits for another year and stays fit.

At 11 we need a playmaker, O’Neill has all the attributes to succeed here and I think it will be his best position going forward. He needs to work on his fitness, always looks a bit overweight.

Hopefully Conor Clarke can get back to his best as well after his injury and nail a place down.

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Ciaran McGinley and Conan Grugan won’t be available this year. Not too bothered about McGinley but I was hoping Grugan would push on this year.

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McKenna Cup Panel:

Ronan McNamee – Achadh Uí Aráin
Aidan McCrory – Aireagal Chiaráin
Peter Harte – Aireagal Chiaráin
Mark Donnelly – An Charraig Mhór
Niall McKenna – An Domhnach Mór
Cathal McCarron – An Droim Mhór
Colm Cavanagh – An Mhaigh
Sean Cavanagh – An Mhaigh
Justin McMahon – An Omaigh
Barry Tierney – An Omaigh
Kyle Coney – Ard Bó
Shay McGuigan – Ard Bó
Dwayne Quinn – Cluain Eo
PJ Lavery – Cluain Eo
Mickey O’Neill – Cluain Eo
Tiernan McCann – Coill an Chlochair
Padraig McNulty – DĂșn Geanainn
Patrick Quinn – DĂșn Geanainn
Cathal McShane – E R UĂ­ NĂ©ill
Niall Morgan – Éadan na dTorc
Darren McCurry – Éadan na dTorc
Ryan McKenna – Eaglais
Emmett McKenna – Eaglais
Peter Hughes – Eiscreach
Plunkett Kane – Oileán a’Ghuail
Rory Brennan – Trí Leac

Ronan O’Neill and Mattie Donnelly will be playing with UUJ for the McKenna Cup this year.
McAliskey, PJ Quinn and Danny McBride are recovering from surgery but should be back sometime around the league campaign.
Ronan McNabb is in Australia but should return before the league starts.
Conor Clarke is still recovering from his cruciate surgery.
Joe McMahon, Conor Gormley and Dermy Carlin aren’t included so not sure where their futures lie, hopefully the former two commit.
Also Grugan and McGinley unavailable this year as alluded to already.

McShane, Brennan, Dwayne Quinn and McNulty are the newcomers - a half forward, two defenders and a midfielder respectively.

Thought we might try a few more out given the absentees rather than going with the familiar fringe players like Hughes and Kane etc.

There are a few areas we need to sort out, no.6 being the biggest worry, I’m hoping Dwayne Quinn could be the answer here - also worth looking at McNamee there. Good chance for the likes of Kane, McKenna and McNulty to stake their claim for a midfield spot. The half forward line is another area for concern, a lot of lads who can play there but they’ve failed to impress. Big chance for the likes of Shay McGuigan to get the no.11 shirt. We don’t have too many full forward options so a big opportunity for Patrick Quinn who could give us the answer to a target man in the full forward line. Interesting few months ahead, I don’t know what to make of Tyrone for the coming year, Peter Donnelly’s role gives me some confidence but I’ll wait and see how the McKenna Cup and league go first of all.

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I’d like to see something likes this for the Armagh game:

  1. Morgan

  2. McCrory

  3. Justy

  4. McCarron

  5. Tierney

  6. Dwayne Quinn

  7. Harte

  8. Colm Cavanagh

  9. Padraig McNulty

  10. Lavery

  11. McGuigan

  12. Sean Cavanagh

  13. McCurry

  14. Patrick Quinn

  15. Coney

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Tyrone (McKenna Cup v Armagh) - Niall Morgan (Edendork); Aidan McCrory (Errigal Ciaran), Ronan McNamee (Aghyaran), Cathal McCarron (Dromore); Tiernan McCann (Killyclogher), Ryan McKenna (Eglish), Peter Harte (Errigal Ciaran); Colm Cavanagh (Moy), Padraig McNulty (Dungannon); PJ Lavery (Clonoe), Kyle Coney (Ardboe), Peter Hughes (Eskra); Darren McCurry (Edendork), Sean Cavanagh (Moy), Shea McGuigan (Ardboe).

Ryan McKenna at 6? :eek:

He’d wanted to have done some bulking up to play in that position. Full back line is strong, apart from that it looks like a bit of a mismatch of a team. I think Sean Cavanagh is much more effective in the middle of the pitch but he’s not a great fielder in that area and neglects his defensive duties from time to time, good to have a look at McNulty anyway. Glad to see Lavery at wing forward and also worth having a look at Coney at 11. There are limited options in the full forward line so it’s not really awfully surprising to the likes of Cavanagh and McGuigan in there. Peter Hughes has had plenty of options at this stage and I don’t think he is county standard.

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Peter Canavan has also joined Fergal Lohan’s u21 backroom team, Dooher is also part of this. I’d expect Tyrone to turn the books at this grade this year.

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Could you précis all that in a poem for us bomber?

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We travel to the Athletic Grounds
Entry is ten pounds
Not of semtex
Nothing that complex

It’s the return of Fergus
I don’t see the big fuss
At full back is McNamee
He’s built like an oak tree

McCann, McKenna and Harte
All play from the start
McNulty makes his debut
Colly Cavanagh is not new

Lavery is at ten
Coney for the win
Hughes makes up the line
I hope that they entwine

Seanie heads the attack
And we’re on the right track
McGuigan in the corner
McCurry with the afterburner

Can also be chanted along to the tune of “That’s Why We’re Champions”

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The first verse alone is worthy of a star. Great effort against the clock. :clap:

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Wonder will mccarron get many verbals this year after his movie exploits

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Colm Cavanagh and Ciaran McKeever straight reds.

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12 mins gone

2 straight reds, 3 yellows.

0-02 each.

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Black card for Cathal McCarron.

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Actually Ryan McKenna, Dwanye Quinn replaces him.

Armagh 0-04 Tyrone 0-03

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McKeever :smiley: New year, same knacker shit :clap: