Armagh Club football & hurling

[Truth hurts]

It's the same year on year. Armagh must be crap,  yadda yadda. Is it ever considered that we have simply a club that produces outstanding footballers year on year?  Is it recognised that before we won in 1996 we actually had 24 county titles?  Probably should have won a few Ulster's but the mindset for Ulster was not there to match the football ability. We have won county titles in every decade apart from the 1950's since the club was formed at the end of the 19th century. I would suspect no other club can match that. We can produce 2-3 year on year who join the senior team and every few years we have players like a Rian, or a Jamie or an Oisin. Next one likely to be Aaron O Neill but he is very young yet,  just turned 18 a few months ago. There's a few others coming up in younger age groups who will add as the years go on.

I remember it being said we'd never replace the Macs, francie, Oisin etc. we did. The next group the same and the same will be said of this group. The team of 1996-2000 now have groups of sons either on the current squad or working through the underage teams. This process will continue. The Kernan's all have sons at underage. Francie has sons and nephews, the McEntees, Oisin....all of them. The cycle will continue

That is a serious tradition. Does Cross have big numbers at underage? The big teams in Down would field two teams at every age level. Bredagh, Burren, and Carryduff, would Cross be similar?

[Onthe40]

lets call a spade a spade
How many Div1 clubs in Armagh would challenge for a senior championship in Derry or Tyrone consistently?
Cross and that is it....

[Armagh18]

It's the same year on year. Armagh must be crap,  yadda yadda. Is it ever considered that we have simply a club that produces outstanding footballers year on year?  Is it recognised that before we won in 1996 we actually had 24 county titles?  Probably should have won a few Ulster's but the mindset for Ulster was not there to match the football ability. We have won county titles in every decade apart from the 1950's since the club was formed at the end of the 19th century. I would suspect no other club can match that. We can produce 2-3 year on year who join the senior team and every few years we have players like a Rian, or a Jamie or an Oisin. Next one likely to be Aaron O Neill but he is very young yet,  just turned 18 a few months ago. There's a few others coming up in younger age groups who will add as the years go on.

I remember it being said we'd never replace the Macs, francie, Oisin etc. we did. The next group the same and the same will be said of this group. The team of 1996-2000 now have groups of sons either on the current squad or working through the underage teams. This process will continue. The Kernan's all have sons at underage. Francie has sons and nephews, the McEntees, Oisin....all of them. The cycle will continue

Fair play yas feckers! Makes it easier for young lads as well coming in to play beside the likes of AK, Jamie, Rian etc who in turn would have came in to play alongside the likes of Oisin, Francie etc etc. Didn't know that record of a title in every decade bar the 50's some going given what was going on in Cross in the 70s/80s/90s.

Still suspect Clann Eireann would have given Cross a better game than CNG. 2 good teams in Lurgan there who'll be Cross' nearest challengers in the next few years, plenty of good minor teams from all 3 clubs the last few years. Cullyhanna be there or there abouts next year if they keep that team together. 

[Armagh18]

I main point still stands, what have the other clubs been doing that Cross have dominated, particularly from 96 onward. I fully accepted that there were a number of Cross teams in that period that will stand the test of time. However the there has been a period now where Cross have won and aren't close to being a threat in Ulster.
Someone reference my own county without realising they were making my point. Dungiven, Bellaghy, Ballinderry, Loup, Slaugtneil and now Glen all have won the Ulster club.  Our club championship is a graveyard for any club with ambitions of dominating for years such a Cross. The mentality of club football in Derry is fierce. Please don't tell me if Cross were in Derry they would be winning county titles year in and out. Definitely not.

Glen look like walking through Derry for a few years yet. Did S'Neill not have a fair period of dominance there a few years back as well?

Cross are a different breed. BCB summed it up very well.

[general_lee]

I main point still stands, what have the other clubs been doing that Cross have dominated, particularly from 96 onward. I fully accepted that there were a number of Cross teams in that period that will stand the test of time. However the there has been a period now where Cross have won and aren't close to being a threat in Ulster.
Someone reference my own county without realising they were making my point. Dungiven, Bellaghy, Ballinderry, Loup, Slaugtneil and now Glen all have won the Ulster club.  Our club championship is a graveyard for any club with ambitions of dominating for years such a Cross. The mentality of club football in Derry is fierce. Please don't tell me if Cross were in Derry they would be winning county titles year in and out. Definitely not.

You're complaining about Armagh clubs rolling over when the exact same is now happening in Derry? First Ballinderry, then Slaughtneil and now Glen. Fair enough there was greater competition back in the early/mid 00s but I know enough about Derry football to know it's a shadow of its former self. Magherafelt 5/1?

[naka]

As Aaron Kernan picks up his 18th senior championship medal, it further confirms how crap the senior clubs in Armagh are that they annually role over. What is it Cross are doing the rest of you are not apart from living rent free in your heads.

having a catchment area that is second to none
there is simply too may clubs in armagh
lurgan has 4 teams
camlough/ bessbrook  2 teams and am not counting corrinshego)
cross has a committed area with no infiltration from soccer
fair play though to both clanns in lurgan they are investing in youth which will get rewards in the future

[shawshank]

I main point still stands, what have the other clubs been doing that Cross have dominated, particularly from 96 onward. I fully accepted that there were a number of Cross teams in that period that will stand the test of time. However the there has been a period now where Cross have won and aren't close to being a threat in Ulster.
Someone reference my own county without realising they were making my point. Dungiven, Bellaghy, Ballinderry, Loup, Slaugtneil and now Glen all have won the Ulster club.  Our club championship is a graveyard for any club with ambitions of dominating for years such a Cross. The mentality of club football in Derry is fierce. Please don't tell me if Cross were in Derry they would be winning county titles year in and out. Definitely not.

You're complaining about Armagh clubs rolling over when the exact same is now happening in Derry? First Ballinderry, then Slaughtneil and now Glen. Fair enough there was greater competition back in the early/mid 00s but I know enough about Derry football to know it's a shadow of its former self. Magherafelt 5/1?

Your not getting it. Cross dominant in Armagh for how long. Meanwhile in the same period in Derry six clubs have won Ulster, four in AI Ireland finals, with two additional clubs making the county title breakthrough.
Do you see it.

[tyroneman]

As Aaron Kernan picks up his 18th senior championship medal, it further confirms how crap the senior clubs in Armagh are that they annually role over. What is it Cross are doing the rest of you are not apart from living rent free in your heads.

having a catchment area that is second to none
there is simply too may clubs in armagh
lurgan has 4 teams
camlough/ bessbrook  2 teams and am not counting corrinshego)
cross has a committed area with no infiltration from soccer
fair play though to both clanns in lurgan they are investing in youth which will get rewards in the future

Some fair points there.

Cross do great work in bringing players through..just enough to keep supplementing the senior team with real quality. As said before they are usually there or threrabouts in Minor as well.

Having said that....when you think of competing for resources....against other GAA clubs (and numerous soccer clubs)

Lurgan actually has 5 teams:

Clann Eireann
Clan Na Gael
St Peters
St Pauls
Eire Og (you can debate it's in Craigavon, I'd say it's on the border, lol)

and 4 within a few miles of the town

Wolfe Tones
Sarsfields
St Mary's (Antrim)
St Michaels (Down)

Compare that to the catchment Cross have....... and imagine if Lurgan had 1 or 2 superclubs.....

[armaghniac]

As Aaron Kernan picks up his 18th senior championship medal, it further confirms how crap the senior clubs in Armagh are that they annually role over. What is it Cross are doing the rest of you are not apart from living rent free in your heads.

having a catchment area that is second to none
there is simply too may clubs in armagh
lurgan has 4 teams
camlough/ bessbrook  2 teams and am not counting corrinshego)
cross has a committed area with no infiltration from soccer
fair play though to both clanns in lurgan they are investing in youth which will get rewards in the future

Some fair points there.

Cross do great work in bringing players through..just enough to keep supplementing the senior team with real quality. As said before they are usually there or threrabouts in Minor as well.

Having said that....when you think of competing for resources....against other GAA clubs (and numerous soccer clubs)

Lurgan actually has 5 teams:

Clann Eireann
Clan Na Gael
St Peters
St Pauls
Eire Og (you can debate it's in Craigavon, I'd say it's on the border, lol)

and 4 within a few miles of the town

Wolfe Tones
Sarsfields
St Mary's (Antrim)
St Michaels (Down)

Compare that to the catchment Cross have....... and imagine if Lurgan had 1 or 2 superclubs.....

As I pointed out before, Cross has about the average pick of Armagh clubs. Remember that it too has 3 other clubs in its parish. It may have a better success of getting the attention of that cohort or a lack of alternatives, but it does not have huge numbers, only decent numbers.
Someone posted above about city clubs like Bredagh having 2 underage teams, such places have lots of youth and a big fall off in numbers. Cross, or any place like it, does not have enough people to have 2 underage teams but is able to keep most players all the way through.

[tonto1888]

As Aaron Kernan picks up his 18th senior championship medal, it further confirms how crap the senior clubs in Armagh are that they annually role over. What is it Cross are doing the rest of you are not apart from living rent free in your heads.

having a catchment area that is second to none
there is simply too may clubs in armagh
lurgan has 4 teams
camlough/ bessbrook  2 teams and am not counting corrinshego)
cross has a committed area with no infiltration from soccer
fair play though to both clanns in lurgan they are investing in youth which will get rewards in the future

Some fair points there.

Cross do great work in bringing players through..just enough to keep supplementing the senior team with real quality. As said before they are usually there or threrabouts in Minor as well.

Having said that....when you think of competing for resources....against other GAA clubs (and numerous soccer clubs)

Lurgan actually has 5 teams:

Clann Eireann
Clan Na Gael
St Peters
St Pauls
Eire Og (you can debate it's in Craigavon, I'd say it's on the border, lol)

and 4 within a few miles of the town

Wolfe Tones
Sarsfields
St Mary's (Antrim)
St Michaels (Down)

Compare that to the catchment Cross have....... and imagine if Lurgan had 1 or 2 superclubs.....

Eire Og is definitely not a Lurgan club

[DuffleKing]

Their pitch is 1.3 miles from Davitt Park 

[Armagh18]

As Aaron Kernan picks up his 18th senior championship medal, it further confirms how crap the senior clubs in Armagh are that they annually role over. What is it Cross are doing the rest of you are not apart from living rent free in your heads.

having a catchment area that is second to none
there is simply too may clubs in armagh
lurgan has 4 teams
camlough/ bessbrook  2 teams and am not counting corrinshego)
cross has a committed area with no infiltration from soccer
fair play though to both clanns in lurgan they are investing in youth which will get rewards in the future

Some fair points there.

Cross do great work in bringing players through..just enough to keep supplementing the senior team with real quality. As said before they are usually there or threrabouts in Minor as well.

Having said that....when you think of competing for resources....against other GAA clubs (and numerous soccer clubs)

Lurgan actually has 5 teams:

Clann Eireann
Clan Na Gael
St Peters
St Pauls
Eire Og (you can debate it's in Craigavon, I'd say it's on the border, lol)

and 4 within a few miles of the town

Wolfe Tones
Sarsfields
St Mary's (Antrim)
St Michaels (Down)

Compare that to the catchment Cross have....... and imagine if Lurgan had 1 or 2 superclubs.....

Eire Og is definitely not a Lurgan club

Anything north of Armagh city is by definition a shower of yappy townie huers from Lurgan!

[marty34]

How many clubs are in Armagh city? Pearse Ógs and Harps?

Any more?

[general_lee]

How many clubs are in Armagh city? Pearse Ógs and Harps?

Any more?

Cuchulainn hurling club.

Madden, Grange, Ballymacnab probably the 3 three nearest football clubs.

[brokencrossbar1]

This argument about our pick is a red herring. We have families who reproduce generation upon generation. The team that started on Sunday for instance the goalkeeper and the cumiskey lads are first cousins on both their mammies side,  their mammies are sisters of John Donaldson. The goalkeepers daddy played on the same underage team as me and is from a long line of his family who played in the club. The Cumiskey's are related to Orin McKeown, my nephew, through their daddy. Orin is also a brother of Paul McKewon county player and AI winning captain. Paul Hughes grandfather played on the 1947 county championship win and his family are absolutely core Cross people. AK we know, the O Neills we know, Cian McConville we know, Jamie Clarke's family have been associated with the club for generations we several of them having played for Armagh in the 1950's. Orin Kieran's transferred on but the Kieran's family are long associated with the club. The Morris family have been involved in the club for generations as well. The only 'outsider' is Chris Crowley,  he married a cousin of mine who's father played in the 1970's and his father played in the 1940/50's and were heavily involved in the establishment of our current grounds in the 1950's.  The point I'm making is that we have tradition throughout and that is our success. The same with clubs like Bsllyhale in the hurling. Generations of families decade on decade. That's what we are.