AIQF 2017 Tír Eoghain vs Ard Macha, Sat. August 5th @4pm

[lenny]

I stayed for the vast majority of the Dublin game and they do play more offensive than Tyrone. However, it isn't to the degree that people would have you believe. When Monaghan were on the attack there were regularly only two Dublin attackers in the Farney half. Like Tyrone they will bomb forward when possession is won back. Tyrone will leave Bradley up and that's it.

Just having a quick look through Twitter and i noticed this pic from Wooly Parkinson. Dublin played like this for the majority of the second half.

What's amazing there is monaghan have left only 2 men back to mark 2. Against tyrone there will be at least 4 or 5 back marking those 2.

[phpearse]

I thought Tyrone were very average yesterday. Combined some decent play with lots of sloppy play. I guess once Tyrone went up 8 points in the first few minutes, the game was never going to be a contest. Players drop the intensity that little bit but still too many mistakes and poor play.

Armagh were so poor that even when Tyrone played middlin they still won by 18 points. It seems as if the only tight games the top 3-4 teams can get is at their own training sessions. Tyrone will have to raise the levels considerably for the Dublin game.

A couple of observations from yesterday. Peter Harte is some player. Tiernan McCann has turned into a serious player for Tyrone. He has a great dummy where he motions one way and then goes the other. But it is done at pace and he is past you in a flash. He always solos with the head up. Sludden not as influential as he normally is. Had a great game against the Dubs in the league, so hopefully, he can repeat that. Mattie Donnelly gets a ton of ball and rarely wastes it but you still expect more from the lad but maybe that is unfair on him. 

Hospital pass to Colm Cavanagh but Donaghy came out with the intention to nail Cavanagh and caught him with the knee. Hopefully nothing more than a knock as he is so important to the way Tyrone play.

Jamie Clarke lucky to stay on the field when he dropped his knees onto McCann (I think). McCarron wasn't impressed by that and he picked up a card for his reaction.

Harte not inclined to change winning teams but there a few Tyrone players that should be struggling to keep their places. You do feel that Tyrone have been building themselves up for a shot at Dublin. We'll see what they are like in a few weeks time. Sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for!

[Aughafad]

It'll be interesting what the sunday game analysts say about the donaghy cowardly challenge with the knee and the incident were clarke dropped the knees on mccann, if they even mention it at all.

Yesterday wasn't a dirty game in the slightest but i thought those two incidents stood out.

[WT4E]

In other news, that Mayo muppet David Brady predicted "an Armagh win - Tyrone haven't been tested in Ulster, and Armagh have the momentum..."  Why are clowns such as that afforded the oxygen to spout such drivel?

Well that article was factually incorrect from the start when it said "MAYO LEGEND" 

[Il Bomber Destro]

I thought Tyrone were very average yesterday. Combined some decent play with lots of sloppy play. I guess once Tyrone went up 8 points in the first few minutes, the game was never going to be a contest. Players drop the intensity that little bit but still too many mistakes and poor play.

Armagh were so poor that even when Tyrone played middlin they still won by 18 points. It seems as if the only tight games the top 3-4 teams can get is at their own training sessions. Tyrone will have to raise the levels considerably for the Dublin game.

A couple of observations from yesterday. Peter Harte is some player. Tiernan McCann has turned into a serious player for Tyrone. He has a great dummy where he motions one way and then goes the other. But it is done at pace and he is past you in a flash. He always solos with the head up. Sludden not as influential as he normally is. Had a great game against the Dubs in the league, so hopefully, he can repeat that. Mattie Donnelly gets a ton of ball and rarely wastes it but you still expect more from the lad but maybe that is unfair on him. 

Hospital pass to Colm Cavanagh but Donaghy came out with the intention to nail Cavanagh and caught him with the knee. Hopefully nothing more than a knock as he is so important to the way Tyrone play.

Jamie Clarke lucky to stay on the field when he dropped his knees onto McCann (I think). McCarron wasn't impressed by that and he picked up a card for his reaction.

Harte not inclined to change winning teams but there a few Tyrone players that should be struggling to keep their places. You do feel that Tyrone have been building themselves up for a shot at Dublin. We'll see what they are like in a few weeks time. Sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for!

Yeah, a lot of players really played within himself.

McGeary and Conall McCann were well off the pace and are big contenders to be dropped next time round. McCann blew about 4 scorable chances and made a few poor mistakes in possession. McGeary didn't really impact the game and had a few wayward passes. McCarron looked off the pace and had Clarke been more accurate would have been taken for four or five from play.

In saying that, I think it's only a good thing that we've reached the semi-final by playing in second gear. Guys like Sludden, Hampsey and Donnelly were really quiet yesterday. We need to step it up now but we're in a very good place.

[MK]

A few further random thoughts.

Why did we not believe in ourselves and just have a go? The no fear mantra was quickly forgotten about. Mickey Harte has given every Armagh manager the runaround, we always seem to feel the need to try & 2nd guess his intentions and develop a plan for him rather than just play to our strengths. The loss of Murnin was huge here tho, we wud have been different with him.


At least 1-2 or 1-3 of the first 1-5 came from direct or indirect pressure put on the Armagh Keeper's kickouts. Having done so well v Kildare we assumed this area would be a positive but it quickly turned to a negative very quickly.

I knew the game was up when Jamie Clarke & McParland were both on the edge of our square within the first 10 minutes.

Every substitution further weakened the team, tho I think we did looked jaded so it was a lose lose situation  for Mcgeeney really.

Ciaran Mc Keever for Grimley was probably the strangest substitution of the day as,although a fine servant over the years,I dont recall him playing as the fulcrum of  their attack at any point in all his  daysin orange

[T Fearon]

What are you on about? Mc Keever scored goals from full forward this season in the NFL.

[Sportacus]

Ach yesterday was just a flop.  It was like Lurgan Celtic playing Barcelona.  The atmosphere was a disaster as everyone figured out after about ten minutes that it was over.  Literally thousands left at halftime in the Dublin game.  Very disappointing that Armagh didn't give it a go, McGeeney's comments are strange - how can a managers thoughts be so disconnected from what the players just did on the pitch ten minutes earlier. Tyrone's athleticism is impressive and they have a game plan which they implement very well.  Their forwards haven't met McMahon, Cooper etc yet and that's were they will be severely tested.

Some dicks on that road driving back up.  Flying up the inside, cutting in, causing everyone else to break, don't know how there wasn't a pile up - I saw two cars swerve to avoid a serious accident.  Sickening really that a small number of people are prepared to put lives at risk.     

[omaghjoe]

Ach yesterday was just a flop.  It was like Lurgan Celtic playing Barcelona.   

This sums it up nicely for me

[MK]

What are you on about? Mc Keever scored goals from full forward this season in the NFL.

Surely such a prolific goal machine might have been introduced earlier then....

[Throw ball]

I thought Tyrone were very average yesterday. Combined some decent play with lots of sloppy play. I guess once Tyrone went up 8 points in the first few minutes, the game was never going to be a contest. Players drop the intensity that little bit but still too many mistakes and poor play.

Armagh were so poor that even when Tyrone played middlin they still won by 18 points. It seems as if the only tight games the top 3-4 teams can get is at their own training sessions. Tyrone will have to raise the levels considerably for the Dublin game.

A couple of observations from yesterday. Peter Harte is some player. Tiernan McCann has turned into a serious player for Tyrone. He has a great dummy where he motions one way and then goes the other. But it is done at pace and he is past you in a flash. He always solos with the head up. Sludden not as influential as he normally is. Had a great game against the Dubs in the league, so hopefully, he can repeat that. Mattie Donnelly gets a ton of ball and rarely wastes it but you still expect more from the lad but maybe that is unfair on him. 

Hospital pass to Colm Cavanagh but Donaghy came out with the intention to nail Cavanagh and caught him with the knee. Hopefully nothing more than a knock as he is so important to the way Tyrone play.

Jamie Clarke lucky to stay on the field when he dropped his knees onto McCann (I think). McCarron wasn't impressed by that and he picked up a card for his reaction.

Harte not inclined to change winning teams but there a few Tyrone players that should be struggling to keep their places. You do feel that Tyrone have been building themselves up for a shot at Dublin. We'll see what they are like in a few weeks time. Sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for!

Win by 18 points and still crying. I felt the tackle from Clarke you refer to was accidental. Obviously though a Tyrone player would never do such a thing. The Donaghy one was borderline red. It could be said he raised his knee to protect himself. He had to go for the ball and it was a hospital pass to Cavanagh. I assume if either of these is raised the clothesline tackle from Cavanagh on Campbell in the first half will also be considered. For me such a tackle should always be red. I even started a thread earlier in the year saying so.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Ciarán Mc Keever, whilst a great servant of Armagh football  was a most curious introduction into the fray. As I remarked at the time, even as a wrecking ball he was of no use.

[Orior]

Ciarán Mc Keever, whilst a great servant of Armagh football  was a most curious introduction into the fray. As I remarked at the time, even as a wrecking ball he was of no use.

He came on against Tipp to defend a lead. Can only think that Saturday was a swan song. Sad that we had no other forwards to get a taste of headquarters

[Il Bomber Destro]

Good to see Dyas back for Armagh yet.

A classy player so hopefully he can make his comeback next year.

[illdecide]

Ach lads c'mon regarding Ciaran McK...the games was over when he came on and it's quite clear that KMcG was giving him his last runout at HQ before the lad hangs up his boots, didn't see much wrong there as he's been a great servant for Armagh over the years and got a few minutes to see out his intercounty career as the match had already been won by Tyrone and there was no way back.