McKenna Cup 2024

[illdecide]

Suppose don't need to reply to my post as a few have already done that. Sweet Jasus I thought I'd posted something ridiculous 🤷�♂️

[tbrick18]

Nothing between the 2 teams last night, Tyrone kicked some bad wides and Armagh dropping one into the net last kick of the game. Decent game for Jan and McKenna cup, some good positives for both teams. Armagh need a strong year this year and it's getting that wee bit of luck at vital times in big games. Armagh, Derry, Monaghan, Tyrone and possibly Donegal are all evenly matched and can beat each other in any game. For me the thing that's missing for Armagh is the marquee forward that most of the top teams have, the real game changer who'll get you a score outta nothing. Oisin O'Neill back and Niall Grimley are big positives, the young lad from Portydown Conaty (prob spelt that wrong) with his pace could be an impact off the bench.

Go on, tell me where you drew that from analysis from? Derry have won the past two Ulsters, beaten all those teams consistently in the championship the past two seasons, being in two All Ireland semifinals finals. I can see why you had Armagh/tyrone/Donegal and Monaghan all lumped together, but how you put Derry into that dumbs down your post.

Derry drew with Armagh in the Ulster final and won on penalties. That implies that the teams were similar on that day, either could have won.

Correct, there was nothing to separate the sides after 100 minutes, just because Derry lifted the cup doesn't make them a better side. Also the previous year Armagh were knocked out to a Galway side on penalties who subsequently beat Derry fairly comfortably in the semi final. I'm not suggesting Armagh are a better side than Derry but if they played again tomorrow with a full hand to pick from then I couldn't call the result either way.

Armagh could have beat Derry, maybe even should have beat Derry given all that went on the week leading up the final....but didnt.
The much lauded set of forwards that day were average at best.

I'm not saying this because someone said Armagh is on a par with Derry, I'm saying it because I just do not see where this opinion of Armagh comes from. Armagh I believe do not have enough good footballers, including in the forward line. I dont think the manager is good enough either to push them on. From the outside looking in on Armagh, it feels like focus is to get them so fit and physical and hard to beat that they will win. There's no doubt that goes a long way but you need the footballers and you need tactics. McGeeney is not a tactician.
There is also a mentality issue I think with some of the Armagh players too...they don't seem to be able to push on when they should be able to, case in point against Derry when we were down to 14 men in a week where we lost our manager and had all sorts of upheavals in the camp. Losing on penalties multiple times....it can't all be bad luck. That's a lack of belief, confidence or skill, or all of those.
Relegated last year too.

Derry may well do nothing this year, but in the last 2-3 years have shown they have been better than the rest in Ulster. It's too early this year to say what levels we'll hit or how we compare to Armagh or Tyrone, but we now have a manager with 3 AI titles to his name and a team with consecutive Ulster wins and AI semi finals. Armagh can't come close to comparing with that right now.
No doubt MH was brought in to deliver an AI. I wouldn't be foolish enough to say I think we're going to do it. But I think if we keep our key players fit and maintain that hunger, we will be very close.

I do have a sneaky feeling Donegal will be really dangerous this year though and could knock us out of Ulster day one and if they do, they'd be raging hot favourites for Ulster.

[Derryman forever]

Nothing between the 2 teams last night, Tyrone kicked some bad wides and Armagh dropping one into the net last kick of the game. Decent game for Jan and McKenna cup, some good positives for both teams. Armagh need a strong year this year and it's getting that wee bit of luck at vital times in big games. Armagh, Derry, Monaghan, Tyrone and possibly Donegal are all evenly matched and can beat each other in any game. For me the thing that's missing for Armagh is the marquee forward that most of the top teams have, the real game changer who'll get you a score outta nothing. Oisin O'Neill back and Niall Grimley are big positives, the young lad from Portydown Conaty (prob spelt that wrong) with his pace could be an impact off the bench.

Armaghs strength is in their forward line and every other county in Ulster would love to have our set of forwards. I'd argue that our weakness is in defence and the problem began when we began to stifle our attacking style to play a rigid defensive running game in order to shore up the defence.

Here we go. Hold on lads... it's gonna be a long summer of Armagh for Sam.

It's a massive jump to go from the best set of forwards in Ulster to winning Sam. If you could combine the Derry side up as far as midfield with Armaghs forwards I think you would have a strong contender though.

You would Drop P Cassidy, C mcfaul, S Mcguigan, E Doherty?
For whom?

[Wildweasel74]

Derry not win Ulster this Yr, I accepted that already  but I still think we get back to an All-Ireland Semi final

[JoG2]

Derry not win Ulster this Yr, I accepted that already  but I still thin we get back to a All-Iteland Semi final

Step away from the glue WW!

[naka]

Here we go. Hold on lads... it's gonna be a long summer of Armagh for Sam.

Might as well just give them the cup now

Now now now

Trying to work out my holidays as don't want to be missing Armagh taking Sam around the county

[shawshank]

The one thing I'll say about those Armagh wans, for a team that has won absolutely feck all, they have some confidence, especially when when you consider they have a manager who has won feck all at club nor county level. I mean, if ever a team had a chance of winning an Ulster last yr, it was Armagh. Played a Derry team that was hit by as a bad a blow that any team could have leading into that final-loosing their manager in the most high profile way possible - Derry were there for the taking -  but Armagh still couldn't win the championship. 

[square_ball]

Jim is a free man!!

[RedHand88]

Jim is a free man!!

I for one, am shocked.

The GAA is a ridiculous organisation. A complete farce.

[Mario]

Nothing between the 2 teams last night, Tyrone kicked some bad wides and Armagh dropping one into the net last kick of the game. Decent game for Jan and McKenna cup, some good positives for both teams. Armagh need a strong year this year and it's getting that wee bit of luck at vital times in big games. Armagh, Derry, Monaghan, Tyrone and possibly Donegal are all evenly matched and can beat each other in any game. For me the thing that's missing for Armagh is the marquee forward that most of the top teams have, the real game changer who'll get you a score outta nothing. Oisin O'Neill back and Niall Grimley are big positives, the young lad from Portydown Conaty (prob spelt that wrong) with his pace could be an impact off the bench.

Armaghs strength is in their forward line and every other county in Ulster would love to have our set of forwards. I'd argue that our weakness is in defence and the problem began when we began to stifle our attacking style to play a rigid defensive running game in order to shore up the defence.

Here we go. Hold on lads... it's gonna be a long summer of Armagh for Sam.

It's a massive jump to go from the best set of forwards in Ulster to winning Sam. If you could combine the Derry side up as far as midfield with Armaghs forwards I think you would have a strong contender though.

You would Drop P Cassidy, C mcfaul, S Mcguigan, E Doherty?
For whom?

All 4 would start the Armagh team. I accept that Armagh probably have more depth in their forward line though.

[Rossfan]

Jim is a free man!!

I for one, am shocked.

The GAA is a ridiculous organisation. A complete farce.

+1.
Why do they bother with all those rules and regulations at all?

[ck]

"the alleged infraction was not proven"

What on earth does this even mean? Does it mean McGuinness didnt know the rule therefore he couldnt have knowingly broke it?
Seems crazy.

[AustinPowers]

Jim is a free man!!

I for one, am shocked.

The GAA is a ridiculous organisation. A complete farce.

His name must have  been spelt wrong  in Irish in the referee's report.

Why bother having  rules or handing out punishments if  they can be  easily overturned?

[yellowcard]

Nothing between the 2 teams last night, Tyrone kicked some bad wides and Armagh dropping one into the net last kick of the game. Decent game for Jan and McKenna cup, some good positives for both teams. Armagh need a strong year this year and it's getting that wee bit of luck at vital times in big games. Armagh, Derry, Monaghan, Tyrone and possibly Donegal are all evenly matched and can beat each other in any game. For me the thing that's missing for Armagh is the marquee forward that most of the top teams have, the real game changer who'll get you a score outta nothing. Oisin O'Neill back and Niall Grimley are big positives, the young lad from Portydown Conaty (prob spelt that wrong) with his pace could be an impact off the bench.

Armaghs strength is in their forward line and every other county in Ulster would love to have our set of forwards. I'd argue that our weakness is in defence and the problem began when we began to stifle our attacking style to play a rigid defensive running game in order to shore up the defence.

Here we go. Hold on lads... it's gonna be a long summer of Armagh for Sam.

It's a massive jump to go from the best set of forwards in Ulster to winning Sam. If you could combine the Derry side up as far as midfield with Armaghs forwards I think you would have a strong contender though.

You would Drop P Cassidy, C mcfaul, S Mcguigan, E Doherty?
For whom?

McGuigan would start while McFaul and Doherty, though both good players, are middle third players, best deployed scavenging for possession, putting in tackles and running the ball up the pitch. Certainly not forwards in the traditional sense. Cassidy wouldn't improve the Armagh team any. 

[imtommygunn]

He would surely. Very underrated. Could do with bulking up a bit mind you.