Armagh Club football & hurling

Started by holylandsniper, November 09, 2006, 10:44:31 PM

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charlieTully

Will the fianna give cross any trouble at all?

Throw ball

Quote from: charlieTully on October 21, 2018, 09:35:01 PM
Will the fianna give cross any trouble at all?

BCB will tell you that Cross are a young team who have overachieved this year and Coalisland should start favourites  ;D

Personally I would expect a close game. If McGahon plays at full forward he could cause Cross trouble. At the other end who McKernan picks up and how he does could also be key. Hampsey  will need a big game.

It will be interesting to see the free count. Cross have given away very few frees in the championship key games this year. Coalisland on the other hand seem to need frees to keep the scoring board going. I have a feeling referees in Armagh in general are not too whistle happy. Things may change in Ulster.

brokencrossbar1

Quote from: Throw ball on October 21, 2018, 10:01:09 PM
Quote from: charlieTully on October 21, 2018, 09:35:01 PM
Will the fianna give cross any trouble at all?

BCB will tell you that Cross are a young team who have overachieved this year and Coalisland should start favourites  ;D


Jesus you read my mind!!! 

Honestly though a lot will depend on how our lads enjoy this one. It really is a huge achievement for this young team. 6 starters u21 and 2 subs who came on, one being a minor. Probably a year ahead of schedule for them but the success of yesterday can only be a boost. As Aaron said in his after match speech it's hard being a Cross senior if you don't have at least a county medal in your pocket so hopefully this will be the start for a lot of them to build a strong future.

I know very little about Coalisland apart from the Hampsey lads and Donnelly in nets but they beat a fancied Killyclogher team and have been knocking the door for a few seasons. They too may party but from Reports close to the camp it has been heard that an Ulster challenge is in their radar with some of the stronger teams out.  Peter Donnelly is a cute hoor in nets and will have them well ready for the battle. Having home advantage is a small bit of a bonus for us but ironically Coalisland is closer to Armagh than Cross!!!

Hopefully our older bodies heal quickly and the few lads carrying injuries into yesterday will heal a bit more and the lads in longer injuries can get closer to full fitness. We have a good chance but there's a lot to do yet.

Ethan Tremblay

One of the better finals in Armagh over the last few years and credit goes to both teams and the ref, who let it flow.  Thought the nab capitalised well on the high ball into the forward line, Grugan was hard to handle and is the old school full forward you rarely see anymore. 

Up the other end, cross were clinical as expected and the game was won in midfield with O'Neil and Hanratty doing the business (didn't realise Hanratty could shoot).  They were impressive all over the park, but seemed slightly exposed at the back.  It will be interesting to see how far the proceed in Ulster. 

I think the Nab may have missed there chance and be hard to see them pushing hard next year as they did this.  Armagh football is in a healthy position regardless. 
I tend to think of myself as a one man wolfpack...

The Iceman

looked to be a great game of football from the highlights....
I know you can't tell much from one game, so to those who have seen Jack Grugan and that young lad McConville throughout the campaign - whats the thoughts on them? Is Jack county standard now? McConville future prospect?
I will always keep myself mentally alert, physically strong and morally straight

BIGONE

By all accounts ballymacnabb had Cross beat and then they substituted their keeper?
All these Maghery men think they'd have beat Cross easy in the final and that it's coming back down the road to them again next year?

brokencrossbar1

Quote from: BIGONE on November 07, 2018, 03:59:47 PM
By all accounts ballymacnabb had Cross beat and then they substituted their keeper?
All these Maghery men think they'd have beat Cross easy in the final and that it's coming back down the road to them again next year?

Well sure let them think that. Next year is next year.

Throw ball

Quote from: BIGONE on November 07, 2018, 03:59:47 PM
By all accounts ballymacnabb had Cross beat and then they substituted their keeper?
All these Maghery men think they'd have beat Cross easy in the final and that it's coming back down the road to them again next year?

Cross were well on top when the keeper was subbed. Maghery and Harps had their problems this year and they along with Ballymacnab and Cullyhanna will give Cross their fill of it next year. Hopefully another team steps forward too.

Rufus T Firefly

Quote from: BIGONE on November 07, 2018, 03:59:47 PM
By all accounts ballymacnabb had Cross beat and then they substituted their keeper?
All these Maghery men think they'd have beat Cross easy in the final and that it's coming back down the road to them again next year?



Thinking about next year, and indeed for the next few years, my fear would be a reassertion of Rangers dominance. I think Maghery were undone this year by injuries to key players, which exposed the lack of depth in their squad. However the age profile of some of their most important players suggests to me that this side will not again reach the peak of their 2017 semi-final victory over Rangers.

For St Pats, this year represented a crushing disappointment, and a personal friend who is close to the team was of the opinion that they had put everything into this year and that they are unlikely now to be able to make a title winning challenge in the near future. Certainly the manner in which they were beaten in the semi-final is bound to have left long term mental scars.

The Nab are a bit like St Pats - put a huge effort into this year, and but for Rangers unforeseen renaissance, there is a likelihood they may have snatched their Holy Grail. Now they are as far away as ever and know that they played to the absolute limit of their powers and still come up short. That will also be a big psychological blow to come back from. The Nab's issue is that they lack strength in depth in what is a twenty man game. The County Final was as loud a reinforcement of that principle as it was possible to get.

I don't believe this Rangers team are as good as previous incarnations but they have a young profile and are likely to improve over the coming years, which is ominous for the rest of us.

brokencrossbar1

Quote from: Rufus T Firefly on November 09, 2018, 10:27:06 AM
Quote from: BIGONE on November 07, 2018, 03:59:47 PM
By all accounts ballymacnabb had Cross beat and then they substituted their keeper?
All these Maghery men think they'd have beat Cross easy in the final and that it's coming back down the road to them again next year?



Thinking about next year, and indeed for the next few years, my fear would be a reassertion of Rangers dominance. I think Maghery were undone this year by injuries to key players, which exposed the lack of depth in their squad. However the age profile of some of their most important players suggests to me that this side will not again reach the peak of their 2017 semi-final victory over Rangers.

For St Pats, this year represented a crushing disappointment, and a personal friend who is close to the team was of the opinion that they had put everything into this year and that they are unlikely now to be able to make a title winning challenge in the near future. Certainly the manner in which they were beaten in the semi-final is bound to have left long term mental scars.

The Nab are a bit like St Pats - put a huge effort into this year, and but for Rangers unforeseen renaissance, there is a likelihood they may have snatched their Holy Grail. Now they are as far away as ever and know that they played to the absolute limit of their powers and still come up short. That will also be a big psychological blow to come back from. The Nab's issue is that they lack strength in depth in what is a twenty man game. The County Final was as loud a reinforcement of that principle as it was possible to get.

I don't believe this Rangers team are as good as previous incarnations but they have a young profile and are likely to improve over the coming years, which is ominous for the rest of us.

That's a pretty fair assessment Rufus.  I think the key for us in the future is that the players that are playing in the central areas are still quite young or indeed the majority are very young.  James Morgan is mid 20's, 2 O'Neill's and Stephen Morris in midfield are u21.  With Jamie back now next year we will have a more lethal forward line.  I have to say the idea of having him, Tony Kernan, Rian, Kyle Carragher and young Cian McConville in a forward line along with 1 from any 4-5 players is pretty exciting.  AK will be very hard to replace,  but this was said before about other great players and there wasn't that much of an issue.  There is plenty of talent coming through from underage,  you don't win repeated minors and u21s without their being talent.  This years win was crucial in that it was the young lads 'first' one on their own as such and consequently it will breed confidence.  I know what is coming through,  there are 2 more O'Neill brothers for instance, and the youngest has the potential to be the best.  He is only 13 but by the time his older brothers are established in their mid 20's he, and a great bunch of young lads of his age, will all be breaking through.  3-4 every year I reckon for the next 5-6 years will start to replace the older guard.  What will also happen then is the likes of the Kernan brothers will be looking at the management of the seniors and they will not accept anything except the very best.  Stephen is already cutting his teeth and has won a minor in his first year in the job. 

Are they as good as previous teams?  Potentially I think they are and a few wins under the belt and you could see a similar dominance that was there before.  The only real challenge at underage to the players coming through was Clann Eireann and you can already see the wheels falling off them now.  13 in a row will not happen but there's plenty going to be won

BIGONE

You would have to questions Cross' depth when they had to introduce Tony Kernan in Ulster club who has barely kicked a ball this year? Maghery clear up the injuries and they definitely have another championship in them. Great appointment by Armagh with McKeever taking over the U17's. Lads will have great respect for him which is a good starting point.

armaghniac

Quote from: BIGONE on November 09, 2018, 11:41:45 AM
You would have to questions Cross' depth when they had to introduce Tony Kernan in Ulster club who has barely kicked a ball this year?

Because they wanted him to "kick a ball" before the next round?
If at first you don't succeed, then goto Plan B

general_lee

Can't see anyone consistently challenging Cross anytime soon and it's the same old problem, the chasing teams have no real championship pedigree (bar Harps).

Cullyhanna maybe have the players but haven't the balls to win a championship, much like Dromintee in years gone by. That ship has sailed.

The nab put a mammoth effort in this year but it will take more of the same to even get close and whether they have it in them remains to be seen. Could be another Cullyhanna

Time is not on maghery's side. If things go their way and with a bit of luck they could *maybe* reach the heights of 2016. Not sure they have much talent coming through the ranks though?

Harps seem to have gone backwards last year. Not sure what happened but if they regrouped it's possible they could challenge as they have the players and the tradition of winning championships.

Clann Eireann were the great white hope but have regressed, still time for them though, it's easy saying the wheels come off when you compare what their young players have to look up to compared to their peers in cross.

Rest of Div 1A and B are much of a muchness and won't be causing any surprises anytime soon. Looks like Gerry Fegan will be in cross for the foreseeable

Ethan Tremblay

Agree with General Lee on most points. 

Cross have young players in major positions across the pitch and they are confident enough to use them there.  They had a tough campaign in Armagh and are now playing in Ulster, this experience is invaluable. 

Don't agree with the point on the Harps though.  To be honest, Lennon is their main scoring threat up front, but nobody else seems to be delivering them the same firepower and his number is already marked.  I've watched them a few times during the year and they were poor all over the pitch.  Shocking to see how much the digressed from the year before. 

There are 3/4 teams that will realistically be challenging for the championship next year.  The usual 3 contenders of cross, cullyhanna and maghery and any other team in 1a that hits form and has confidence, whether that be the nab or the harps again. 

There is a clear divide in standard between 1a and 1b, no division 1b teams will be anywhere near the business end in my honest opinion.  But again, the format of league and championship seeding was a huge success. 
I tend to think of myself as a one man wolfpack...

Throw ball

Although I would agree that Cross hold the aces at the minute I still feel that next season any of Cullyhanna, Ballymacnab , Harps or Maghery could beat them. Maghery had major injuries this year. I was disappointed in Cullyhanna but in Nugent, Duffy and McQuillan, among others, they have some very good players. Nab are short on depth and would be disappointed in this season. Harps had a bad year but have good players and did get to minor final this year so will have others coming through. They might need a change in direction though either through new management or a shake up in tactics. My big hope is that teams go our believing they can win rather than throwing the towel in as they did in the past.