McKenna Cup 2024

[Keyser soze]

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. 

Even for the GAA, where a bit of parochialism is de rigeur, this takes the biscuit for levels of delusion.

[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.

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. 

Even for the GAA, where a bit of parochialism is de rigeur, this takes the biscuit for levels of delusion.

It's hilarious 
Let's flip this the other way, which of the Armagh forwards would improve the Derry team.
Murnin would be the only one I'd really want. Rian O'neill, maybe for long range frees but he's too much a liability in my view. Admittedly, I don't know enough about those younger players coming through, might be class.

Paul Cassidy - Allstar nominee
S McGuigan - Allstar
E Doherty - Young player of the year

Yellocard says "Certainly not forwards in the traditional sense". What forwards are these days? Forwards all play as defenders when not in possession, so don't know what this comment is supposed to mean.

I'd be reasonably confident in saying that Armagh might win the McKenna cup.
They might even get promoted out of Div 2.
That would be a successful year for them I think.
They've got the easier side of the draw in Ulster - maybe another Ulster final. Mental strength to win it if they do?

[inroundthesquare]

Does the £25 pass I bought for the mckenna cup series cover the semis and final?

Just the semis.
TG4 usually cover the final.

[inroundthesquare]

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.

2021 - no. Tyrone All-Ireland champions.
2022 - debatable whether Derry were better than Armagh considering respective performances against Galway
2023 - yes

[Goals_Will_Come]

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. 

Even for the GAA, where a bit of parochialism is de rigeur, this takes the biscuit for levels of delusion.

It's hilarious 
Let's flip this the other way, which of the Armagh forwards would improve the Derry team.
Murnin would be the only one I'd really want. Rian O'neill, maybe for long range frees but he's too much a liability in my view. Admittedly, I don't know enough about those younger players coming through, might be class.

Paul Cassidy - Allstar nominee
S McGuigan - Allstar
E Doherty - Young player of the year

Yellocard says "Certainly not forwards in the traditional sense". What forwards are these days? Forwards all play as defenders when not in possession, so don't know what this comment is supposed to mean.

I'd be reasonably confident in saying that Armagh might win the McKenna cup.
They might even get promoted out of Div 2.
That would be a successful year for them I think.
They've got the easier side of the draw in Ulster - maybe another Ulster final. Mental strength to win it if they do?

Aye no one in Ireland would want Rian O'Neill in their forward line...

[trailer]

Armagh are the greatest team ever. Absolutely unrivalled. Their players are far far superior to any other team.
Now, remind me how many Ulster titles they've won in the last 10 years?

Hard to bate Armagh for absolute delusion. Whole county needs reprogrammed a la Germany 1945

[Mario]

2021 - no. Tyrone All-Ireland champions.
2022 - debatable whether Derry were better than Armagh considering respective performances against Galway
2023 - yes

Let's be honest Galway were far superior in the qf that day. They led by 6 points until injury time and then the madness happened. There was a feeling amongst Armagh fans at this time that they missed out on an AI final on pens, totally ignoring the fact they'd have to beat Derry.

[God14]

My 6 forwards of Derry / Armagh combined....

Ethan Doherty   Oisin O'Neill   Soupy Campbell
Andrew Murnin   Rian Oneill   Shane McGuigan

The reality is however, bar ethan Rafferty in goals, youd nearly go all Derry from 1 to 9

[93-DY-SAM]

Armagh for Sam (we just don't know which year yet!)

[trailer]

My 6 forwards of Derry / Armagh combined....

Ethan Doherty   Oisin O'Neill   Soupy Campbell
Andrew Murnin   Rian Oneill   Shane McGuigan

The reality is however, bar ethan Rafferty in goals, youd nearly go all Derry from 1 to 9

Is this a serious post?

[JoG2]

My 6 forwards of Derry / Armagh combined....

Ethan Doherty   Oisin O'Neill   Soupy Campbell
Andrew Murnin   Rian Oneill   Shane McGuigan

The reality is however, bar ethan Rafferty in goals, youd nearly go all Derry from 1 to 9

Is this a serious post?

Oisin O'Neill nailed on, not sure about McGuigan or Rian O'Neill or Ethan though... They'd have to earn their place

[trailer]

My 6 forwards of Derry / Armagh combined....

Ethan Doherty   Oisin O'Neill   Soupy Campbell
Andrew Murnin   Rian Oneill   Shane McGuigan

The reality is however, bar ethan Rafferty in goals, youd nearly go all Derry from 1 to 9

Is this a serious post?

Oisin O'Neill nailed on, not sure about McGuigan or Rian O'Neill or Ethan though... They'd have to earn their place

I need a lie down. You guys are f**king crazy.

[RedHand88]

My 6 forwards of Derry / Armagh combined....

Ethan Doherty   Oisin O'Neill   Soupy Campbell
Andrew Murnin   Rian Oneill   Shane McGuigan

The reality is however, bar ethan Rafferty in goals, youd nearly go all Derry from 1 to 9

Is this a serious post?

Oisin O'Neill nailed on, not sure about McGuigan or Rian O'Neill or Ethan though... They'd have to earn their place

Have they been practicing penalty shootouts all winter?

[tonto1888]

Armagh for Sam (we just don't know which year yet!)

as likely to win it as Derry. ie not

[tonto1888]

2021 - no. Tyrone All-Ireland champions.
2022 - debatable whether Derry were better than Armagh considering respective performances against Galway
2023 - yes

Let's be honest Galway were far superior in the qf that day. They led by 6 points until injury time and then the madness happened. There was a feeling amongst Armagh fans at this time that they missed out on an AI final on pens, totally ignoring the fact they'd have to beat Derry.

disagree. The feeling was more we missed out on a good chance of reaching the final