McKenna Cup 2024

[tonto1888]

Armagh have played Dublin regularly in friendlies since Dessie Farrell took over. Himself and Geezer are former club team mates.

I'd be more concerned how Bumpy O'Hagan and the county board thought it was a good idea to allow a bunch of young U-20 rookies to travel to Donegal to play a well conditioned team who have had a foreign training camp and weeks of hard training under their belts. It certainly wasn't done with the welfare of those young players in mind and just as well Donegal fielded a good few rookies themselves or it could have been a whole lot worse.

Wouldn't be too worried about the young lads. A chance to test yourself against top players in front of a good crowd- above all a senior appearance for your county which a lot of them may see few of again. Out and play with no pressure and no expectations as everyone knew Donegal would win well- out and put a shift in.

Well I'd beg to differ. There are Sigerson Cup teams or other U-20 county teams that can be used for that purpose. There were lads playing last night who have barely established themselves on their club senior teams never mind facing senior inter county players. The difference in terms of physical development between a good 18-19 year old and a well seasoned 25/26 year old player is huge.

Maybe it will sound the ultimate death knell for the pre season competitions though which have become even more pointless since the provincial competitions have become separated from the All Ireland series.

How many are in Sigerson teams? I had a look at the UUJ and Queens panels and I think there were 5 Armagh combined - that's a different discussion as to why we have so few. I doubt any who played on Wednesday were among them

[tonto1888]

Just right. Madness looking Armagh to tr**p to Ballybofey at half 7 the first Wednesday in Jan for a glorified friendly against a team we be meeting in the league soon. We fulfilled the fixture and gave young lads a chance to be able to say the played for their county. Some might never play again but theres a couple there who'll be big names for us in the future hopefully.

That's one way of spinning it. The other way is that Armagh showed the competition complete disrespect. They sent their u20s to take a hiding which did them no favours at all. Meanwhile, instead of fulfilling their obligations McGeeney brought his players to Dublin to play the All-Ireland Champions, perhaps they see themselves more at Dublins level and Donegal are below them? All in all, a very strange call by Armagh no matter how you look at it.

Armagh wouldn't be the first team to 'disrespect' the competition.

Any details on this game v Dublin?

[Armagh18]

McGeeney not wanting to show his hand for the league         

Show his hand? Unless he's being growing players in a lab I doubt it's a big secret what his hand is. we're a small county and we can't pull 5 David Cliffords in that no one is gonna know about.

[DuffleKing]

Armagh have played Dublin regularly in friendlies since Dessie Farrell took over. Himself and Geezer are former club team mates.

I'd be more concerned how Bumpy O'Hagan and the county board thought it was a good idea to allow a bunch of young U-20 rookies to travel to Donegal to play a well conditioned team who have had a foreign training camp and weeks of hard training under their belts. It certainly wasn't done with the welfare of those young players in mind and just as well Donegal fielded a good few rookies themselves or it could have been a whole lot worse.

Wouldn't be too worried about the young lads. A chance to test yourself against top players in front of a good crowd- above all a senior appearance for your county which a lot of them may see few of again. Out and play with no pressure and no expectations as everyone knew Donegal would win well- out and put a shift in.

Well I'd beg to differ. There are Sigerson Cup teams or other U-20 county teams that can be used for that purpose. There were lads playing last night who have barely established themselves on their club senior teams never mind facing senior inter county players. The difference in terms of physical development between a good 18-19 year old and a well seasoned 25/26 year old player is huge.

Maybe it will sound the ultimate death knell for the pre season competitions though which have become even more pointless since the provincial competitions have become separated from the All Ireland series.

Doesn't matter what me or you think, at end of the day Geezer makes the call and I can see his thinking. 

For what it's worth I agree with you. Rather see(relatively) older lads who've been around a couple of years but not nailed down a starting spot like Cian McConville or Justin Kieran as well as likes of Ciaron O'Hanlon O O'Neill and Mark Shields etc who've been injured and not played much last year or 2. Maybe give a few of the best U20's there a chance along with those older boys.

Anyway come June/July we aren't gonna give a shite who played in the McKenna cup lol.

Geezer is the boy, he makes the big calls and he stares off into the distance mysteriously thinking of the next cutting edge thing he will do.

And yet, he has won zero as a manager.

While not holding up Cavan as the perfect example, we managed to play Dublin in a challenge game this year already and also to field a proper team in the McKenna Cup.

And got a much bigger hiding than our u20s got in Ballybofey.

Not the first time teams have played an u20 team or been off on team holidays in this window. Couldn't care less - McKenna Cup is a pot filler for the Ulster Council and no more at this stage.

National League is the focus at this stage.

[illdecide]

Some people getting their knickers in a twist about a McKenna cup game and the usual guys talking dung as they've done for years looking a reaction. The long running joke was even the McKenna's didn't go to watch the McKenna cup, it's there to win if you want to take it seriously and it's there to experiment with youth or however you want. If he'd fielded a strong team and still got beat then that would have been another shit show on here.

Donegal would have known well in advance of the Armagh team and what they were going to face/expect, it was a win win for everyone. Donegal got a run out and tried a few players getting minutes into their legs and Armagh got their young guns a game and there were a few who done themselves not harm at all but as someone stated earlier Donegal were always going to win this game handy enough and thats what happened...Build a bridge for yourselves frig sake.

[tonto1888]

Some people getting their knickers in a twist about a McKenna cup game and the usual guys talking dung as they've done for years looking a reaction. The long running joke was even the McKenna's didn't go to watch the McKenna cup, it's there to win if you want to take it seriously and it's there to experiment with youth or however you want. If he'd fielded a strong team and still got beat then that would have been another shit show on here.

Donegal would have known well in advance of the Armagh team and what they were going to face/expect, it was a win win for everyone. Donegal got a run out and tried a few players getting minutes into their legs and Armagh got their young guns a game and there were a few who done themselves not harm at all but as someone stated earlier Donegal were always going to win this game handy enough and thats what happened...Build a bridge for yourselves frig sake.

Good post. Should be the end of it. Somehow I doubt it tho

[armaghniac]

Some people getting their knickers in a twist about a McKenna cup game and the usual guys talking dung as they've done for years looking a reaction. The long running joke was even the McKenna's didn't go to watch the McKenna cup, it's there to win if you want to take it seriously and it's there to experiment with youth or however you want. If he'd fielded a strong team and still got beat then that would have been another shit show on here.

Donegal would have known well in advance of the Armagh team and what they were going to face/expect, it was a win win for everyone. Donegal got a run out and tried a few players getting minutes into their legs and Armagh got their young guns a game and there were a few who done themselves not harm at all but as someone stated earlier Donegal were always going to win this game handy enough and thats what happened...Build a bridge for yourselves frig sake.

Good post. Should be the end of it. Somehow I doubt it tho

Armagh have had similar mismatches in games like this even when they had players of all ages selected, the U20s did rightly.

[StephenC]

So why exactly did Armagh send a young team out? I haven't read a credible answer yet. Like, it's not cause of travel given that they went to Dublin. Is it really about not wanting to reveal tactics before a league game? Seems hard to belive that; Armagh are a settled team with relatively well established patterns of play. Is it that they wouldn't get enough of a challenge from Donegal? Possibly, but the gap isn't that big. 2 fingers to the McKenna cup? Don't see why they would want to do that.

Genuinely interested.

[God14]

Its especially difficult to beat a neighboring side whom you know very well... twice...in a matter of weeks. McGeeney swerved it saving his powder for the league game. Sound move in my opinion.

[lurganblue]

The only thing I took from the game was that we could have big concerns at the GK position for the league.

I've no real problem with the decision to approach it like an U20 game but I would have preferred a few fringe players from the senior squad last year included too.

As a club, it was nice to see a lot of our younger lads get a run out.

[Armagh18]

The only thing I took from the game was that we could have big concerns at the GK position for the league.

I've no real problem with the decision to approach it like an U20 game but I would have preferred a few fringe players from the senior squad last year included too.

As a club, it was nice to see a lot of our younger lads get a run out.

Blaine Hughes and Shea Magill both grand options. Yous DLB's are doing something right for sure, credit to the club. 

[inroundthesquare]

McGeeney feared of a potential McKenna Cup semi or final penalty shootout

[toby47]

So why exactly did Armagh send a young team out? I haven't read a credible answer yet. Like, it's not cause of travel given that they went to Dublin. Is it really about not wanting to reveal tactics before a league game? Seems hard to belive that; Armagh are a settled team with relatively well established patterns of play. Is it that they wouldn't get enough of a challenge from Donegal? Possibly, but the gap isn't that big. 2 fingers to the McKenna cup? Don't see why they would want to do that.

Genuinely interested.

I think you answered it yourself. A settled team, try to find a few youngsters capable of standing up, and bring them on a bit.

I can't see what he's done wrong, approach it whatever way you see fit. Dublin done the same a few years ago and got a few players like Sean Bugler, Tom Lahiff & McMahon who then went on to start league games that year and ended up with All-Ireland medals a few years later.

No big deal, teams have done it before, teams will do it again next year. Are people going to cry every time it happens.

[Armagh18]

So why exactly did Armagh send a young team out? I haven't read a credible answer yet. Like, it's not cause of travel given that they went to Dublin. Is it really about not wanting to reveal tactics before a league game? Seems hard to belive that; Armagh are a settled team with relatively well established patterns of play. Is it that they wouldn't get enough of a challenge from Donegal? Possibly, but the gap isn't that big. 2 fingers to the McKenna cup? Don't see why they would want to do that.

Genuinely interested.

I think you answered it yourself. A settled team, try to find a few youngsters capable of standing up, and bring them on a bit.

I can't see what he's done wrong, approach it whatever way you see fit. Dublin done the same a few years ago and got a few players like Sean Bugler, Tom Lahiff & McMahon who then went on to start league games that year and ended up with All-Ireland medals a few years later.

No big deal, teams have done it before, teams will do it again next year. Are people going to cry every time it happens.

Yes.

[illdecide]

So why exactly did Armagh send a young team out? I haven't read a credible answer yet. Like, it's not cause of travel given that they went to Dublin. Is it really about not wanting to reveal tactics before a league game? Seems hard to belive that; Armagh are a settled team with relatively well established patterns of play. Is it that they wouldn't get enough of a challenge from Donegal? Possibly, but the gap isn't that big. 2 fingers to the McKenna cup? Don't see why they would want to do that.

Genuinely interested.

Armagh or any team for that matter don't have to give u a reason, two teams got a run out instead of fielding one team and a shit show of sending a different team on at HT and it like a circus. It is what it is and park it, no one died and loads of guys got a game of football who wouldn't normally get one...winner winner...