Tyrone's Joe McMahon and Donegal's Michael Murphy battling in last season's Ulster meeting. INPHO/Presseye/Russell Pritchard
Preview
Tyrone v Donegal - Ulster SFC Match Guide
Down booked their berth in this year’s Ulster final last Sunday. Donegal and Tyrone are vying in tomorrow’s semi-final in Clones to be their opponents in that glamour game.
Saturday: Tyrone v Donegal, Clones, 4.30pm, (David Coldrick, Meath)
Latest from the medics and the management… It’s all quiet on the northern front as both sides have been able to name unchanged sides, though the holders will welcome Rory Kavanagh back onto the bench.
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Michael Murphy and Stephen O’Neill headline two impressive forward lines.
TYRONE SF: Pascal McConnell: Aidan McCrory, Justin McMahon, Dermot Carlin; Cathal McCarron, Conor Gormley, Sean O’Neill; Joe McMahon, Colm Cavanagh; Ronan McNabb, Mark Donnelly, Peter Harte; Martin Penrose, Stephen O’Neill, Owen Mulligan.
DONEGAL SF: Paul Durcan; Paddy McGrath, Neil McGee, Frank McGlynn; Eamon McGee, Karl Lacey, A Thompson, Neil Gallagher; Declan Walsh, Leo McLoone, Mark McHugh; Ryan Bradley; Paddy McBrearty, Michael Murphy, Colm McFadden.
Checking the odds…It’s an evenly balanced contest with Donegal just favoured at 4/5 while Tyrone are available at 5/4.
Clues from the form guide…It’s been relatively plain sailing for Donegal to date in the defence of their Ulster crown. They encountered a few sticky passages during their opening round win over Cavan before pulling clear at the finish. While their quarter-final victory over an admittedly poor Derry team, was a routine affair as they won by a comfortable margin. Tyrone survived a thrilling test of endurance against Armagh. They were asked serious questions and to answer them with a victory in the home of their rivals was sweet for Mickey Harte and his players. It was a good response after the disappointment of their Division 2 league final loss to Kildare when they could not compete in the sprint for the finish line that day in Croke Park.
The game breakers are…Donegal’s style has undergone alterations this season and there has been evidence of a greater expansion to their play. The spread of scorers in their championship games to date has highlighted their firepower but this will be a more difficult test and a more accurate gauge over whether their attacking strategies can succeed. Having Michael Murphy restored to fitness is an obvious boost to Donegal while the form of Karl Lacey, Neil Gallagher, Mark McHugh and Colm McFadden is all in a good place now.
Tyrone’s forward line were in starring form against Armagh with Martin Penrose spearheading their drive and his stellar form was supplemented by the contributions of Owen Mulligan and Stephen O’Neill. Extracting the best from Peter Harte is something Tyrone will have mulled over as after a league spent at the heart of the defence, he opened the championship in an attacking role. Tyrone’s work-rate fell down during spells against Armagh and that will need to be addressed against the Donegal machine that Jimmy McGuinness has constructed.
Gazing into the crystal ball…The power base has shifted in Ulster with Donegal now the kingpins. The reigning champions have not done much wrong in the interim and it’s difficult to question their status. Tyrone will be gunning to take them down after the wounding nature of last year’s defeat in the championship to Jimmy McGuinness’s side. Mickey Harte saw his players squander great scoring chances on that occasion and it was a reversal that generated a well of regrets. But the manner in which they were dismantled by Kildare in the league final raises questions over the standing of this Tyrone team. The victory over Armagh assuaged those concerns to some extent. Yet the truth is that Donegal’s form and their standard of player look likely to translate into that few points more on the scoreboard.
Tyrone v Donegal - Ulster SFC Match Guide
ULSTER SFC SEMI-FINAL
Saturday: Tyrone v Donegal, Clones, 4.30pm, (David Coldrick, Meath)
Latest from the medics and the management… It’s all quiet on the northern front as both sides have been able to name unchanged sides, though the holders will welcome Rory Kavanagh back onto the bench.
Michael Murphy and Stephen O’Neill headline two impressive forward lines.
Checking the odds…It’s an evenly balanced contest with Donegal just favoured at 4/5 while Tyrone are available at 5/4.
Clues from the form guide…It’s been relatively plain sailing for Donegal to date in the defence of their Ulster crown. They encountered a few sticky passages during their opening round win over Cavan before pulling clear at the finish. While their quarter-final victory over an admittedly poor Derry team, was a routine affair as they won by a comfortable margin. Tyrone survived a thrilling test of endurance against Armagh. They were asked serious questions and to answer them with a victory in the home of their rivals was sweet for Mickey Harte and his players. It was a good response after the disappointment of their Division 2 league final loss to Kildare when they could not compete in the sprint for the finish line that day in Croke Park.
The game breakers are…Donegal’s style has undergone alterations this season and there has been evidence of a greater expansion to their play. The spread of scorers in their championship games to date has highlighted their firepower but this will be a more difficult test and a more accurate gauge over whether their attacking strategies can succeed. Having Michael Murphy restored to fitness is an obvious boost to Donegal while the form of Karl Lacey, Neil Gallagher, Mark McHugh and Colm McFadden is all in a good place now.
Tyrone’s forward line were in starring form against Armagh with Martin Penrose spearheading their drive and his stellar form was supplemented by the contributions of Owen Mulligan and Stephen O’Neill. Extracting the best from Peter Harte is something Tyrone will have mulled over as after a league spent at the heart of the defence, he opened the championship in an attacking role. Tyrone’s work-rate fell down during spells against Armagh and that will need to be addressed against the Donegal machine that Jimmy McGuinness has constructed.
Gazing into the crystal ball…The power base has shifted in Ulster with Donegal now the kingpins. The reigning champions have not done much wrong in the interim and it’s difficult to question their status. Tyrone will be gunning to take them down after the wounding nature of last year’s defeat in the championship to Jimmy McGuinness’s side. Mickey Harte saw his players squander great scoring chances on that occasion and it was a reversal that generated a well of regrets. But the manner in which they were dismantled by Kildare in the league final raises questions over the standing of this Tyrone team. The victory over Armagh assuaged those concerns to some extent. Yet the truth is that Donegal’s form and their standard of player look likely to translate into that few points more on the scoreboard.
Verdict: Donegal
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