I have refrained from commenting on this post until now and like all right thinking people totally condemn the actions of that individual who let himself and his county down with his actions on Sunday. I firmly believe he will be dealt with in the proper manner by the Tyrone County Board. I cannot however not comment on the over the top reaction of some of the Donegal supporters on here. I was at the game and stood behind the goals tyrone where playing into in the second half. I had a good view of the incidents involving Murphy and he can have no complaints after having already been booked as what he did merited a yellow card. I was not one of those booing murphy as i dont believe in that sort of action but it happens in every ground in the country and for people to come on here and proclaim their children where scarred by the actions is just OTT. This post is getting nearly as ridiculous as the reaction after the derrytresk game last year. Nothing i heard in the terraces on sunday was any different from what i hear in many grounds and for people to come here to say Tyrone Supporters where any worse than Donegal supporters on Sunday are simply trying to stir a reaction. Supporters around me from both counties where abusing players from both teams and it was no better or worse than other games i have been at. So Donegal supporters stop polishing your halo's you have as many bad eggs following you as we do in tyrone. Onto the game itself Tyrone will have come out of sundays win with a massive injection of belief after suffering defeats in the last 3 meetings with Donegal to have finally beaten them will give the players massive belief for the challenges that lie ahead. To say that the game means nothing is a massive lie Donegal can point to different factors from the game but it will be a blow to Donegal to have lost on sunday irrespective of what supporters will say on here. Another defeat for Tyrone on Sunday would have been a huge blow as it would have raised doubts in many players minds. I wouldn't be too concerned about donegals comeack as once Tyrone went 7 ahead they went defensive and wern't comitting as many men forward as before. It sets the tie up nicely for may and i do believe the way this has panned out will not have helped Donegals plans to host the game in ballybofey as there will be huge interest in this game now and it could well attract 25-30 thousand.

rahillyman (Tyrone) - Posts: 314 - 06/03/2013 10:40:46    1343768

every county has it's quota of idiots. most have a very poor knowledge of the game and think they're helping their county with the booing etc. To move things on I feel it's time for to get high profile players, managers etc to come out and call for an end to the abuse players receive and the booing of frees. Our game is going down a very dodgy road with regard to fans and I for one would hate to see a situation where opposing fans would have to be segregated. what happened on Sunday could have happened anywhere but it's all our faults as we have accepted the gradual erosion of standards of behavior at matches by supporters.

lillyboy (Kildare) - Posts: 429 - 06/03/2013 10:53:02    1343779

We all have to remember as well that the booing took place of a player who was walking towards his own dug out after a very nasty challenge warranted a second yellow. This was not an incident were a player was booed while taking a free kick or penalty. That kind of thing usually takes place in Croke Park. Im not condoning booing, it needs wiped out from our game.

Also Sundays match has a real raw edge to it, i felt at anytime there was going to be a field fight between the players. After the whistle had blown there were a number of Donegal players (we know who) that wanted seconds, tripping up Tyrone players and looking for trouble. At that point I thought this was going to get really ugly. The two teams converged at the half way point next to the tunnel and with some of the Tyrone heavy hitters at hand I thought this was going to get really bad.

Thank fully it didnt and today we are talking about a few idiot fans and not something worse.

cacsmckilly (Tyrone) - Posts: 1294 - 06/03/2013 11:08:12    1343796

rahillyman
County: Tyrone
Posts: 102
it will be a blow to Donegal to have lost on sunday irrespective of what supporters will say on here. Another defeat for Tyrone on Sunday would have been a huge blow as it would have raised doubts in many players minds. I do believe the way this has panned out will not have helped Donegals plans to host the game in ballybofey as there will be huge interest in this game now and it could well attract 25-30 thousand.

While I agree that Donegal would like to have won on Sunday, it won't worry them too much that they didn't. JMcG said not that long ago that he couldn't care less about the league & wouldn't worry even if Donegal were relegated. All his thoughts & actions are based on the championship.

This time last year Down beat them in the league & Kerry beat them by double scores in Killarney, it all counted for nothing when it mattered. If you look at last Sunday he had Neil Gallagher in at full forward, just to see how it would work, it didn't. He had two county minors from last year playing just to bed them in & Frank McGlynn was at centre half back not to mention Lacey being absent. None of this will apply in May.

As for Donegal's "plans" on playing the game in Ballybofey, that is where the game will be played unless Donegal themselves decide different. It is a home tie and no one can take it from them. There were less than 10,000 at Healy Park last Sunday so Ballybofey can comfortably hold a much larger crowd without having to worry too much about fair weather supporters. The game is also live on T.V. I would say that last Sunday, if anything, lessened the chances of the game going to Clones which is effectively a home venue for Tyrone when you look at the distances involved for both sets of supporters.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 06/03/2013 11:59:26    1343842

There were less than 10,000 at Healy Park last Sunday so Ballybofey can comfortably hold a much larger crowd without having to worry too much about fair weather supporters

That is a ridicoulous statement. How can the attendance of a league game in March be compared to the attendance of a Championship match in the Summer. What nonsense, the crowd will be twice that of Sundays. Better get a move on then in adapting Ballybofey as the deadline is almost here

cacsmckilly (Tyrone) - Posts: 1294 - 06/03/2013 12:59:40    1343929

Rahillys man

You sound like you're trying to convince yourself that losing to Tyrone in the league is a major setback for Donegal.

We lost to Kerry in the league last year (arguably an even bigger setback going by your league-orientated analysis) yet we beat them when it matters. In championship. We will beat Tyrone when it matters too. Just like we have done the last two years running in championship. The league run didn't serve Tyrone too well last year when it came to the real stuff.

Donegal_abroad (Donegal) - Posts: 1351 - 06/03/2013 13:00:07    1343932

cacsmckilly
County: Tyrone
Posts: 579

1343929
There were less than 10,000 at Healy Park last Sunday so Ballybofey can comfortably hold a much larger crowd without having to worry too much about fair weather supporters

That is a ridicoulous statement. How can the attendance of a league game in March be compared to the attendance of a Championship match in the Summer. What nonsense, the crowd will be twice that of Sundays. Better get a move on then in adapting Ballybofey as the deadline is almost here

Fair enough, if the modifications are not done then the game is moved, otherwise by your own figures then Ballybofey with a capacity of 18,000, almost twice last Sunday, will be close enough.

There is no law that says that anyone & everyone who wants to go to a game has to get to go. People are disappointed every year who want to go to the Ulster final but I don't hear calls for it to be moved to Croke Park. The All Ireland final is hugely oversubscribed every year, that's life.

I have to say that the concern of some Tyrone posters for all & sundry to get to the game is quite touching & heartwarming. The faint suspicion that they simply don't fancy facing Donegal in Ballybofey is probably just paranoia on my part.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 06/03/2013 13:21:52    1343964

Brilliant the way Donegal supporters are pretending tp buy the JMCG rubbish line about not caring losing League games.

All Ireland Champs being beaten in League games is very very sore and they are hurting very badly even if trying to convince us to believe otherwise.

Murphy's reaction was a little glimse into the real feelings.

KELF (Kildare) - Posts: 775 - 06/03/2013 13:32:57    1343980

I have to agree with kelf. Last year having lost no matches the year before in league or championship it sucked losing the league games. Losing any game is crap but as defending champions it was particularly gicky.

Jackeen (Dublin) - Posts: 4097 - 06/03/2013 13:46:49    1343996

Jackeen
County: Dublin
Posts: 2187

1343996 I have to agree with kelf. Last year having lost no matches the year before in league or championship it sucked losing the league games. Losing any game is crap but as defending champions it was particularly gicky.
_______________

It's def a sore one! The buzz and aura surrounding the team def takes a battering

It didn't do us any favours... We were all expecting the vibe to return to the team. It just never happened apart from a 20 minute spell against Mayo.

Beelzedub (Dublin) - Posts: 480 - 06/03/2013 13:52:37    1344009

Here lads it was the same with Tyrone, we won sam and then the league all of a sudden didnt really matter. It didnt really matter to the point that we found ourselves in division 2 playing Meath and Monaghan. Then it became clear after being dumped out of the championship year after year that being in division one does actually matter, it matters a hell of alot because before you know it you are struggling against the top league teams in the championship.

cacsmckilly (Tyrone) - Posts: 1294 - 06/03/2013 14:00:49    1344023

Lads the league is a load of cock. Ask any Cork man if he'd trade all their recent league titles for another Sam and I know what answer you'd get.
Aye it's nice winning matches and noone likes losing but the real drama begins in May. Hopefully by the time August and September roll around noone is going to give a fiddlers about a wee match in Omagh in March.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9264 - 06/03/2013 14:03:29    1344025

KELF
County: Kildare
Posts: 657

1343980
Brilliant the way Donegal supporters are pretending tp buy the JMCG rubbish line about not caring losing League games.

All Ireland Champs being beaten in League games is very very sore and they are hurting very badly even if trying to convince us to believe otherwise.

Murphy's reaction was a little glimse into the real feelings.

It all depends what you are trying to do. JMcG want to win a third Ulster title in a row & a back to back All Ireland. He has made no secret of this & why it would be a surprise to anyone is mystifying. It worked well last year so why change a winning formula. If he fails in this then he can be judged.

Other teams may take a different approach which is fair enough, to each their own but if anyone thinks that what Donegal produced on Sunday will bear any resemblance to what they will produce in May just hasn't been paying attention.

Besides which Kelf, how would you know how Donegal feel after they lose a league game For a Kildare man you seem well informed!!!!

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 06/03/2013 14:12:49    1344036

Lockjaw
County: Donegal
Posts: 2640

1344025 Lads the league is a load of cock. Ask any Cork man if he'd trade all their recent league titles for another Sam and I know what answer you'd get.
Aye it's nice winning matches and noone likes losing but the real drama begins in May. Hopefully by the time August and September roll around noone is going to give a fiddlers about a wee match in Omagh in March.

Keep telling yourself that LockJaw, hope McGuinness hasnt lost that magic wond of his

If Donegal are not doing it now, there is no guarantee that they will do it come championship.

cacsmckilly (Tyrone) - Posts: 1294 - 06/03/2013 14:13:31    1344037

cacsmckilly
County: Tyrone
Posts: 581

1344037 Lockjaw
County: Donegal
Posts: 2640

1344025 Lads the league is a load of cock. Ask any Cork man if he'd trade all their recent league titles for another Sam and I know what answer you'd get.
Aye it's nice winning matches and noone likes losing but the real drama begins in May. Hopefully by the time August and September roll around noone is going to give a fiddlers about a wee match in Omagh in March.

Keep telling yourself that LockJaw, hope McGuinness hasnt lost that magic wond of his

If Donegal are not doing it now, there is no guarantee that they will do it come championship.
_________

Very true. Dublin went through Div 1 in 2011 only losing one game (The final) by a single point

We carried that form into the Summer

Then look at our form in 2012 and our disaster of a league campaign - we then also carried that form into the summer

I'd be a little concerned if I was a Donegal supporter... just like I was last year as a Dub supporter.

Beelzedub (Dublin) - Posts: 480 - 06/03/2013 14:20:02    1344046

cacsmckilly
County: Tyrone
Posts: 581

If Donegal are not doing it now, there is no guarantee that they will do it come championship.

Cacs
If there is one thing I have learned in the last 50+ years it's that there is no guarantee about anything. A good league doesn't guarantee you anything either.
Whoever is ready & well prepared on the day will win & I am prepared to back JMcG in that.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 06/03/2013 14:20:16    1344047

MuckrossHead
County: Donegal
Posts: 602

1344047 cacsmckilly
County: Tyrone
Posts: 581

If Donegal are not doing it now, there is no guarantee that they will do it come championship.

Cacs
If there is one thing I have learned in the last 50+ years it's that there is no guarantee about anything. A good league doesn't guarantee you anything either.
Whoever is ready & well prepared on the day will win & I am prepared to back JMcG in that.

We are just trying to make a point about the importance of the league from experience.....Dublin and Tyrone can vouch for this. Perhaps you boys will learn this to

cacsmckilly (Tyrone) - Posts: 1294 - 06/03/2013 14:26:39    1344055

Maybe so Cacs maybe so, the proof of the pudding will be in the eating.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 06/03/2013 14:32:30    1344068

MuckrossHead
County: Donegal
Posts: 604

1344068 Maybe so Cacs maybe so, the proof of the pudding will be in the eating.

By the way MuckrossHead, whats it like in MountCharles? Booked a wee place there for a few days over the Easter Hols

cacsmckilly (Tyrone) - Posts: 1294 - 06/03/2013 14:38:47    1344073

Beelzedub
County: Dublin
Posts: 412


Very true. Dublin went through Div 1 in 2011 only losing one game (The final) by a single point

We carried that form into the Summer

Then look at our form in 2012 and our disaster of a league campaign - we then also carried that form into the summer

I'd be a little concerned if I was a Donegal supporter... just like I was last year as a Dub supporter.

I would agree with you, if we were taking the same approach as Dublin did. Donegal's approach however in nearer to the Kerry approach of old where they "wintered well" and came out rested & ready for the summer.

In the three games up to now we have seen minors playing 70 minutes, players playing in positions they never played in before & hopefully will never play in again not to mention 3 or 4 players feeling their way back in after injury. Combine this with the fact that they only got back from holiday in late Jan & I don't expect to see our form coming until to until April. The last couple of league games especially the last one against Dublin will be important & if we are not showing form by then my brow will be furrowing!!!

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 06/03/2013 14:54:22    1344091