Quote from: JoG2 on May 13, 2024, 08:27:46 AMQuote from: thewobbler on May 13, 2024, 08:00:06 AMIt's not lazy analysis Tonto.
Armagh sat back deeper and counter attacked with fewer numbers after going 4 ahead.
Armagh took the easy point ahead of the clear goal opportunity.
Armagh refused two kickable marks in preference for clock killing.
Armagh were 2 ahead in extra time and then went into hiding. Witness Donegal's last or second last point were most Armagh players drifted across to the left-half back position - with no attempt to make contact - and left the other half open.
Armagh have better players than Donegal, more experienced players than Donegal and better conditioned players than Donegal. But a fear of losing strangled them once again.
Looking for other reasons for them not winning is wrong.
I'd disagree. Donegal @ CP a few weeks ago defended and ran at Derry constantly for 70+ minutes.
Ciaran Thompson
2 McDonnells
McHugh
Ban Gallagher
Oisin Gallen
Langan etc.. All been there and done it in Ulster
If they have a fear of losing that you gleefully seem to talk about, then they aren't better players. Better players pull it out of the bag when needed.
Armagh score more penalties than Derry / Donegal in '23 /' 24, they're double Ulster champions (extremely fine margins), all of a sudden they are big game players, not afraid,and you talk about lazy analysis. Again, you must have operated at some level in big finals with all the pressure that comes with it to be such an authority on the subject
Penalties are a cruel way to decide finals and it comes down to a lot of luck.
Well done to both set of players yesterday, I wouldn't say one has a better group of players than the other, they couldn't be more even and I thought it was a good final.
Armagh were stronger for 55 minutes and like the Tyrone game I thought Donegal were losing the tactical battle.
They finish stronger though and Donegal's conditioning appears to be on a different level - it'll be interesting if they can maintain that during the All Ireland series.
Armagh will be gutted but a bad team doesn't lose two Ulster finals and two All Ireland QF's on penalties, they are competing and taking very good teams to the brink. I think Armagh will be back in a All Ireland QF and maybe those small margins will go their way.