Excited for this year’s football in general. I believe Donegal have the ability to take the honours this year, but they’d need to have Michael Murphy back for the Tyrone to get past that hurdle.
Monaghan, Tyrone, Armagh or Donegal could win this year. Can’t see Cavan challenging this year with the shock third successive relagation and I don’t think Derry are yet at the standard.
Bring it on!
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Nobody in Ulster is capable of winning a Senior Football AI this year.
Donegal might win Ulster.
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I thought Donegal might give the whole thing a rattle last year but I’d agree with you
Anyone can win Ulster.
It’s the beauty of it.
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As regards a stand alone Championship for great fare, tis the Ulster Football & Munster Hurling….
Fergal Logan has confirmed McShane is back in contention for the Cavan match but Canavan is a big doubt.
It looks like it is probably a bad sprain for Canavan which is good news as I thought it might have been worse but Logan said he’s a chance of making it.
I would expect McShane to start off the bench against Cavan anyway. He has not played a match in about 17 months at this point so can only see him getting 20 minutes near the end.
Hopefully the management team have finally copped on that McKenna can’t be used in the full forward line.
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Odhran MacNiallais ruled out for the down game. Pity, the guy oozes class.
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McNamee’s appeal successful. Fuck you David Gough.
I’d start with the same XV as the Cavan game. Hopefully McKenna available for the bench. Can’t see Canavan making it.
We’re doomed.
I do fancy Tyrone but I think a lot will depend on the availability of McKenna.
As I said earlier I’d go with the same starting XV as against Cavan, I think it was a solid performance from Tyrone, actually playing with a couple of midfielders helped immensely and the defence had tightened up. McKenna had a poor league campaign so think he needs so more time to adapt. Can’t see Canavan being fit for the bench.
If we win the kickout battle we win this game IMO, I think we have better defenders than Donegal at present, McNamee being available is a big boost as he has generally got the better of McBrearty when we have played. Generally Tyrone have done well on the big guys for Donegal in recent years - Murphy, McHugh and McBrearty have been largely held, the problem is that the Donegal supporting cast have turned the matches in recent years - it’s been the guys like Brennan, Langan, Thompson, McFadden and Mogan who have stood out.
Hampsey will likely tag Murphy
McNamee on McBrearty
Meyler on McHugh
Tyrone match up well in this regard.
I’m not a huge fan of McKernan but he was very good at the weekend, he has a tendency to be rash and follow the ball too much but he has great aggression and pace and hopefully a bit more focus and discipline can mold him into a top class corner back, still a young player and Brennan will be a huge test.
Would imagine it will be Harte on Thompson, O’Neill on O’Donnell and R Brennan on Langan. Again I think Tyrone match up fairly well there. The one I’d worry most about is as I mentioned earlier - McKernan on Jamie Brennan.
Midfield will likely be Kilpatrick and R Donnelly/Kennedy against McFadden and McGonagle. I think the performance of Kilpatrick last week was a huge positive and Tyrone can hope to break even in this sector Sunday after Donegal dominating the midfield in previous encounters.
Donegal’s trump card is their starting forward line will likely contain far more scoring firepower - all six of Thompson, O’Donnell, Langan, Murphy, Brennan and McBrearty are capable of racking up big scores.
Tyrone’s six in contrast of Meyler, Sludden, McGeary, Donnelly, Donaghy and McCurry will only real have McCurry and Donaghy capable of providing a serious scoring threat - Mattie and Sludden might be good for a point or two but Meyler and McGeary are not really going to threaten the scoreboard.
The plus point for Tyrone will be springing the likes of McShane, possibly McKenna, Bradley, T McCann, Burns and Kennedy from the bench.
I’m going to tip for Tyrone by 3 or 4 with the bench making the difference.
That’s a massive loss. Gives someone else a chance to be the hero for the day, mind!
I see Forker and Kennedy starting ahead of Finn and Murnin.
We’re like the walking wounded. Murphy, MacNiallais, Gillsespie, Mogan, McGrath carrying knocks with Eoghan Ban, Gallen, McMenamin not showing anything lime their pre-injury form yet. However, despite that…we have the quality but we’ll be well marshalled. Murphy, McBrearty, McHugh will be well nullified I’m expecting so it’ll be down to the supporting cast.
Jamie Brennan has a knack for showing his best vs Tyrone. We’ll need O Donnell and Langan to push on from last weekend and show people their threat.
I expect a tense, turgid, dour, exciting, physical, gnarly and hot affair. Everything you usually get from THE Ulster derby. Whoever wins this will go one step further and beat I’m predicting Armagh.
Heart says Donegal by 1 point in a single goal match, head says Tyrone by 3-4 points.
Lovely high veldt look to the Newry pitch.
That bounce fairly fooled Beggan but unless Monaghan collapse in the second half, this game is over.
Red rover.
I was going to say Armagh have played some lovely football and look more than capable of opening Monaghan up, but Monaghan are more than opening Armagh up, they’re tearing them to shreds.