Tyrone really should have won that last night. Kicked the game away, some of the decision making and execution late on last night was frankly awful.
McAliskey had a terrible game, Brennan did absolutely nothing bar slot over a few close range frees.
I don’t real think the style has much to do with it, Monaghan force you to play a certain way, if you look at the results this season in the league, teams have generally scored what Tyrone did last night. It was the same failings of the Dublin game again, we gave ourselves a decent platform in the game but the composure and decision making in attack was our downfall.
Mayo hit 0-13 against them.
Kildare hit 0-12 against them
Kerry hit 0-14 against them
They don’t allow you to kick the ball in with the bodies they get back and they mirrored each other in style last night.
Conor Lane was typically awful in his refereeing of the game, some of the frees he blew for in the scoring range was pathetic as there was no to minimal contact with them, this went for both sides but Tyrone probably fared out worse overall. The worst was one he gave to Owen Duffy near the end after he leaned into Hampsey and fell over, worse than that he gave Hamspey a yellow for it.
Kieran McGeary and Michael McKernan were our best players on the night. McGeary was very good against Donegal in the McKenna Cup last weekend and improved that form tonight, he tackles superbly and is one of our best players at breaking tackles, his surges won a lot of frees and set up a lot of chances last night. Meyler also had a great game in the half back line surging forward. They have played most of their football in the half forward line under Harte but are better utilised there.
McKernan was superb at the back, scored a wonderful point and should be a nailed on starter come championship.
On the basis of it, I thought Tyrone were the dominant team for 50 minutes of that game after a slow opening but their wastefulness cost them, defensively we were solid without being overly defensive. The lack of conviction and poor decision making made them kick it away. Harte’s final shot at the end which fell into Beggan’s hands was endemic of it, it wasn’t really on, it was a difficult chance and he forced it, rather showing the composure and craft to keep the ball and work it into a more gettable score. With the way Lane was handing frees out last night, Tyrone could easily have bought a handy one in front of goal.
Staying in Div 1 is obviously very important, more for the future but the league performances don’t worry me too much in respect for the summer. The pitches play a lot different this time of the year and generally don’t suit Tyrone. Harte, to be fair is trying to alter things this year although some of the players seems confused at the minute as to what they’re meant to be at. We’re also rotating the squad much more this year than we did in last year’s league.
I’d like to see the following team for Donegal the next day:
- Morgan
- HP McGeary
- McNamee
- McKernan
- Meyler
- Hampsey
- K McGeary
- Cavanagh
- M Donnelly
- R Donnelly
- Sludden
- Harte
- L Brennan
- McShane
- Bradley
