Tyrone 2022 - Reigning AI Champs

Sport
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I think intercounty teams can go back to training from the 8th December.

Action will resume with the McKenna Cup from the second week of January which it’s effectively 5 weeks away today, so it’s likely squads will be assembled shortly.

I don’t see too many changes this year in the squad. No retirements expected and we had quite a lot of faces called up in recent years who didn’t get many chances due to the chaos of Covid and condensed seasons.

So I’d say there’s a solid 10 or so players from last years squad hoping to get some game time this year.

On top of that I’d expect another 5/6 players to be added to the McKenna Cup squad on last years panel that might have something to add. I don’t think anybody stood out on last years u20 squad to come through this year so say most of the new recruits will come outside of that. Emmett McNabb probably the most impressive player in the Club Championship currently not in the squad.

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Hoping Tyrone Donegal or Kerry can put a stop to the Dubs gallop and make it more open

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Mate. A stop was put to their gallop in 2021

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Only temporary I fear

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Be nice to see Tyrone regain the title and beat the Dubs en route.

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Only a blip as I think the dubs will retain Sam for many more years unless truly put to bed a few times, a nice few pastings in the league will do fir starters, and only an Ulster team are physically up to that

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7 of the 15 players that started for Tyrone in the final against Mayo will play Intermediate Club Football next season.

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Armagh and Tyrone face off on Friday in a challenge match which is a fundraiser for a cousin of Kieran McGeeney’s who passed away suddenly this year.

Be interesting to see who features for Tyrone, trials are still underway so I’d expect a lot of new faces.

Carrickmore and Errigal are involved in a league shootout this weekend with it pretty much being a winner takes all tie so I wouldn’t expect any of either side to be involved. Moortown are still involved in the Ulster intermediate so unlikely any potential call ups there will be involved.

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They’re taunting the Dubs today @Fulvio_From_Aughnacloy

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The Burns brothers.

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The new faces on the panel are:

McCusker (Dromore)
Donnelly (Killyclogher)
Garrity (Trillick)
Nugent (Rock)
Coleman (Moy)
Jones (Dungannon)

Grimes, C Quinn, Hamill, Conroy and L Quinn have been on the panel last year or the year before but didn’t get much of an opportunity with Covid.

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Stream can be watched here…

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Cush’s cub looks a big prospect.

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Lovely guard of honour for the AI Champs.

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Tyrone lead 0-05 to 0-04 at the first water break.

Tyrone look a lot sharper, I’m not sure what the story is in Armagh at the minute but league football only finished in Tyrone last week and there’s actually a decider between Errigal and Carrickmore this weekend so it probably explains the sharpness.

McGeary, Hampsey, McShane and R Donnelly have been the standouts for Tyrone. L Brennan has been lively.

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Tyrone 0-09 Armagh 0-07 at HT

Of the fringe players, Quinn has been solid enough at full back. Grimes was excellent I thought, great burst out from corner back, not the biggest man physically but is very aggressive, has a good burst of pace and can break tackles. Hamill has been decent but he’s 26/27 now so I don’t think he’ll make the break through. Garritty and N Donnelly haven’t been too prominent, ditto Conroy and Nugent. R Donnelly and L Brennan both playing well and must be looking to have a good McKenna Cup to get a run during the league.

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Tyrone 0-19 Armagh 0-16

Good runout for both sides. Tyrone looked comfortable. Good to see McShane playing well, Lee Brennan and Conall Grimes probably the two lads who did the best for their chances tonight. Brennan dropped deep and put in a lot of work and looked lively on the ball, Grimes looks like another very good option for the back line.

Conroy has a great left foot but I don’t think he has the work rate or attitude to make it
Can’t really see McCusker or Hamill really pushing for a spot, likewise Nathan Donnelly didn’t really do enough tonight.

Everyone outside of those mentioned are either established squad members or are probably more for the future than anything.

Think Tyrone may have their u20s playing one of the games in the McKenna Cup this year. That u20 would be expected to win an Ulster in the coming year and probably an AI too, backboned by last year’s minor squads and some excellent players along with like Canavan Jr Jr and Cush Jr.

Will no doubt be other that were not involved tonight who will be given a go during the McKenna Cup.

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National League fixtures confirmed.

Sunday, January 30th: Rd.1 Tyrone v Monaghan (Omagh, 3.45pm)

Sunday, February 6t: Rd.2. Armagh v Tyrone (Armagh, 2pm)

Sunday, February 20th:Rd.3 Tyrone v Kildare (Omagh, 3.45pm)

Saturday, February 26th:Rd.4 Donegal v Tyrone (Ballybofey, 7.30pm)

Sunday, March 13th: Rd.5 Dublin v Tyrone (Omagh, 3.45pm)

Saturday, March 19th: Rd.6 Tyrone v Mayo (Omagh, 7pm)

Sunday, March 27th: Rd.7 Kerry v Tyrone (Killarney, 1.45pm)

3 All Ulster clashes in their first 4 games.

Good to get a full league campaign in this year as there was a lot of players who simply didn’t get the chance to impress last year and will be chomping at the bit this year. Be interesting to see which of them puts up their hand most and who will be the players who miss out.

I think Mattie Donnelly could be struggling to hold down a starting spot next. He’s 31 now and I think he’s losing a bit of pace, he also looks a bit lost in having a defined role in the team. Fantastic player under Harte but there would be a feeling that he takes too much out of the ball further out the field and not really as suited to the game we’re trying to play currently. Hard not to see McShane being that inside forward this year so what happens with Donnelly? Redeployed elsewhere or benched.

It was interesting that the first thing Logan and Dooher did was take the captaincy off Donnelly and give it to Hampsey. I don’t think you’d ever have seen Harte whip off Donnelly in a big game like Dooher and Logan did in the AI final so I think it’s clear they don’t rate him in the same regard as Harte did. I don’t think he really got going last year so his place could be under pressure, wonder if they might try him sitting in front of the defence with McGeary.

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Showing the Dubs far too much respect by listing them first

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HP McGeary, Ronan O’Neill and Michael Cassidy all stepping away from the panel so very likely the end of the inter county careers of all three. McGeary and O’Neill are 30 next year and both were well down the list so very understandable in those cases. Cassidy is 28 and I think if he got himself fit and injury free then he’d have an excellent chance of gaining a starting spot but competition at the back is very tough with the current defensive options and the likes of McCann, Munroe, R Brennan, Rafferty, Kelly, Quinn, Grimes etc all looking to gain a regular spot.

Paudie McNulty is apparently rejoining the squad and should be well able to compete with Kennedy and Kilpatrick for a starting berth, probably the best club midfielder in Tyrone the past few years.

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Great turnout for the happy Tyrone couple @Fulvio_From_Aughnacloy .

https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/inside-wedding-see-inside-co-22665154

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