Armagh v Derry - Ulster Final, 14th May, 2023 @ 4pm

[Armamike]

Armagh had a disappointing League in division 1 and were unlucky to be relegated. They should go straight back up.
Derry cruised through division 2 but Dublin filleted them in the D2 final.
I don't think Armagh have much strength in depth . Is it similar with Derry ?

If Armagh are let play they probably have more scoring options.
Derry are still short of a few key players so are they good enough to do 2 in a row ?

Would disagree on that front. Good competition for places this year.  Some great scoring options to come off the bench.

[imtommygunn]

Yeah how do they talk about tactics this week...

Anyway to SF's point - Armagh have good depth in forwards but probably not elsewhere. Derry maybe lack a bit of depth but don't seem to have injuries. I would have Derry as a good bit stronger in defense and midfield but McGuigan / Ethan Doherty aside they don't pose the same threat in the forward line. That might even it out a bit.

I honestly think Derry are a better team - possibly a good bit - however a lot of their strengths is their tactics and homework on opposition etc and I am not sure this week they will have been able to do that.

Though on the flip side I think Derry fans downplay the Dublin game. Dublin ripped you apart and some try and play the 4 goals as fortuitous but it could have been about 8. If you have learned from it you'll be fine but the big question is have you. It will be very interesting to see how or if Armagh exploit this.

[Armagh18]

Armagh had a disappointing League in division 1 and were unlucky to be relegated. They should go straight back up.
Derry cruised through division 2 but Dublin filleted them in the D2 final.
I don't think Armagh have much strength in depth . Is it similar with Derry ?

If Armagh are let play they probably have more scoring options.
Derry are still short of a few key players so are they good enough to do 2 in a row ?

Few injuries to players at the minute but still have the likes of Morgan and McCambridge on the bench as defenders and Ross McQuillan, Aidan Nugent and Callum Cumiskey as forwards who are all capable of coming on and getting scores. Cian McConville (nephew of Oisin) on the bench as well who has probably been the best forward at club level in the county for a few years not but just hasn't made the step up to county level really yet.

[Snapchap]

Quick scan through the last few pages and it's clear this thread is just madness. Seems split into two groups of posters:

Group 1: Posters obsessed with gossiping about a domestic abuse allegation.
Group 2: Posters stubbornly trying to insist on analysing the game, seemingly determined to pretend that it's not a game which, considering the impact the scandal will have on Derry's preparations, makes absolutely any attempt at analysing it just look redundant/plain silly.

Not sure which group is annoying me more to be honest! 

It's not this though. Nobody is gossiping away. It's the follow on perception and impact on the GAA that people are discussing with respect to individuals within the Derry set-up that is being discussed.

This of course does not mean that people hold individual views or opinions around it.

Of course they can hold views. Just saying that the feeding frenzy is a bit much. And I certainly don't agree that the discussion has revolved around the impact upon the GAA. As far as I can see, that's an angle that barely anyone has mentioned at all!!

Why do you think so many people were saying Gallagher should stand down or be stood down? It's not because people have decided he's guilty, it's because, through whatever fault, it has now become a massive issue for the GAA that cannot be ignored, be that the impact on the team and the championship or the moral/ethical side of someone under such a cloud being involved.

Because they want to see him punished personally? Maybe its all a matter of interpretation but as far as I can see, the main subject matters of the last 20 or more pages hasn't been the impact of his actions on the wider GAA, but rather his alleged actions, whether he or she should be believed, legal procedures, the ins and outs of trial by social media, what Gallagher's statement did/didn't say, whether or not he will face personal consequences etc etc

[seafoid]

OTB on Armagh and Derry from March https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZxysKL-oAE&t=1530s

[5times5times]

No major shocks on Armagh team, same team v Down bar Campbell in for Hall.

Duffy Campbell Grugan
Murnin O'Neill Turbitt

Has to be one of the best forward lines in the country?

Strength on bench too with Morgan & McCambridge, 2 animals.

[seafoid]

OTB today on the Ulster Final with Conleith Gilligan and Joe Kernan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liXGPamg0QU&t=3060s

[seafoid]

D2 final Derry vs Dubs and the 4 goals

https://twitter.com/officialgaa/status/1642538411557900292

[Louther]

What way did ticket situation work out? More become available and everyone get one in the end?

[Armagh18]

What way did ticket situation work out? More become available and everyone get one in the end?

Nope still plenty on social media giving out.

[lenny]

No major shocks on Armagh team, same team v Down bar Campbell in for Hall.

Duffy Campbell Grugan
Murnin O'Neill Turbitt

Has to be one of the best forward lines in the country?

Strength on bench too with Morgan & McCambridge, 2 animals.

In fairness those are 6 top quality forwards.

[Armagh18]

No major shocks on Armagh team, same team v Down bar Campbell in for Hall.

Duffy Campbell Grugan
Murnin O'Neill Turbitt

Has to be one of the best forward lines in the country?

Strength on bench too with Morgan & McCambridge, 2 animals.

In fairness those are 6 top quality forwards.

6 very good forwards, Duffy doesn't get the credit he deserves at times imo, does serious work and is key.

[CK_Redhand]

From an outsider looking in, it seems as though RG micromanages everything in the Derry setup. I think this because of his constant roaring of instructions during a game. He also seems to be protective of his players, again just my perception from interviews and other actions before, during and after games.

If he is absent from the sideline, will the players miss the verbal instructions? Will somebody else provide the instructions? I think the team has enough leaders to execute a gameplan and adapt if necessary without input from the sideline. Also it has been noted that Derry's bench isn't as strong as other contenders. I don't think RG presence or absence would make much of a difference in terms of impact or timing of team selection or substitutes.

[oakleaflad]

McFaul, Heron, Murray, McWilliams, S Downey all decent options off the bench. The likes of McNeill could slot into defense without much hassle too. I think we've a bit more depth than last year and isn't as bad as made out.

[Estimator]

**I'll start with saying that Gallagher should be stepped down for Sunday's game and beyond.  And I am still hoping this happens. If he'd any gumption he would've done it himself, but everyone in Derry from the sponsors, to the players and the supporters should be making it clear to the county board that being associated with Gallagher completely tarnishes anything they achieve now and in the future with him at the helm.  If (Big If at the minute) Derry win on Sunday, Would anyone in the country be happy seeing Gallagher celebrate with the Anglo-Celt?**

It also looks like Derry are maintaining their radio silence as well. No official team announcement on their socials yet. Gaelic Life announced that it would be the same team as the Monaghan game.

As for the actual game on Sunday, I think that Armagh will push up on Derry's kick outs and try to make life as miserable as possible for Lynch. Same as they did for Patton last year in Clones. They'd either try to force Lynch into making mistakes, or as has happened in previous games, delay him for long enough for the ref to call it.  Its not like Armagh don't have big men around the middle of the pitch to cope with the ball being pinged out there. This is why I think McFaul will start, though he isn't named in the starting 15, to give Derry another option around the middle.

Similarly I think that Derry will try to do the same on the Armagh kick out, and force Rafferty into mistakes, but this could be the game where Lynch gets caught further out the field on the opposition kick out. It almost happened against Fermanagh and Monaghan. And better teams like Armagh will punish that.

Derry will also be severely tested under the high ball, but Armagh need to have something else worked out too.  Can't be doing that for 70mins+. Against Dublin the high ball was a square ball, and the 3 they conceded from "high balls" in the first two rounds were bad shots that happened to drop short. I'd say Donaghy has something else worked out for the forwards to be at.

Armagh will be a completely different animal to what Derry have faced so far, Fermanagh were missing Quigley, Monaghan had too many 30+s in the team.  Armagh are approaching this with a clean bill of health (at the minute) and a hunger to win an Ulster Title.  Plus the fitness levels and the subs off the bench, will be different to anything Derry faced in the league and championship so far, aside from the Dubs. And given what has happened this week, this tips the balance, ever so slightly, in favour of Armagh. 

Armagh won't have been distracted one bit by the news this week, could even give them a bit more focus.  But Derry's final week prep will have been tossed out the window. Derry players will be fielding questions from friends and family and work colleagues all week about non-football stuff, so it'll be hard to know where their heads are at. As well as that, the officials could definitely form part of the storyline on Sunday as well.  Gallagher (if he is on the sideline) has been spoken to by the officials a few times this year. How will they react to his normal match day behaviour? Will they clamp down on his antics more than other officials have done previously?

On Monday I'd have said Derry -4, and been fairly positive about the result.
Now, not so much.  I'd be happy just to get out of Clones with any sort of victory.