McKenna Cup 2024

[Captain Obvious]

Plenty of room for improvement for Armagh. Have Tyrone peaked in January for a second year in a row?

[ONeill]

Any day ye bate Armagh is a good day, in any sport.

Good luck against Tipperary next time out. I think ye'll have enough to beat them.

[yellowcard]

Tyrone fans feeling smug and self satisfied tonight after a vintage performance. I'm content in the knowledge that McGeeney wasn't too bothered with the result. McKeever didn't slam or smash anyone tonight, however Cavanagh was up to his usual swan lake impressions.

[BennyHarp]

Tyrone fans feeling smug and self satisfied tonight after a vintage performance. I'm content in the knowledge that McGeeney wasn't too bothered with the result. McKeever didn't slam or smash anyone tonight, however Cavanagh was up to his usual swan lake impressions.

A serious question here, who will Armagh have back on board for the championship, that wasn't there tonight?

[bennydorano]

Likely candidates that i can think of-
A goalie
Andy Mallon
Vernon
James Morgan
Kieran Toner (days r numbered tbh)
Stephen Harald(meh)
Caolan Rafferty
Gavin McParland
Ethan Rafferty

[Redhand Santa]

Tyrone were probably missing more starters. Never read too much into these games but it's always nice to beat armagh and even better in armagh. Was happy with some of the unproven players tonight. Hughes McCann and lavery all had decent games. Keeper did well again too.

Hopefully tyrone can up it further for the national league and pick up good few points early on. Very tough division 1 again this year.

[Redhand Santa]

Tyrone missing Morgan, mcrory, mccarron, mcnabb, justy, joe, Clark (if fit) and McCurry. I'd say at least 5 or 6 of them will start. Didn't count coney but couldn't rule him out starting either.

[Throw ball]

Likely candidates that i can think of-
A goalie
Andy Mallon
Vernon
James Morgan
Kieran Toner (days r numbered tbh)
Stephen Harald(meh)
Caolan Rafferty
Gavin McParland
Ethan Rafferty

You missed Dyas. Hopefully Murnin, Declan McKenna and a few others can make a difference.

From the team that lost to Donegal in the summer Mallon, Vernon, Kernan (retired), Harold, Dyas, Forker and Carragher (left panel) did not start tonight. Only Shields, Findon, Tony Kernan and the keeper played in the same positions.

[BennyCake]

Tyrone fans feeling smug and self satisfied tonight after a vintage performance. I'm content in the knowledge that McGeeney wasn't too bothered with the result. McKeever didn't slam or smash anyone tonight, however Cavanagh was up to his usual swan lake impressions.

And I noticed he clipped McKeever late while he was on the ground after winning a free.

[orangeman]

Armagh won't be worried about tonight's result but the manner of the defeat will rankle with players, managers and supporters.
Mc Geeney and co turned round a bigger deficit last year but Armagh have more work done at this stage.

Tyrone travelling nicely.

[BennyCake]

What was tonight's attendance?

[Throw ball]

What was tonight's attendance?

7552

[rionach 4]

Tyrone came and hammered us in our own backyard. Those of us that line the banks of the Blackwater find games like tonight hard to stomach irrespective of the competition. I deliberately didnt post after the first game because my general synopsis of that game was Tyrone were slow and lethargic (but still won) and we were much sharper.
Tonight Tyrone were streets ahead in the sharpness stakes. Again their movement up front was excellent and they wiped us out in the middle. But for a few catches by Aaron and a few runs by soupy it was a no show in this area. I counted winning two breaking balls in the first half alone . Tyrone upped the work-rate and the intensity which I knew they would and they looked stronger physically than us in most departments. Their defence in particular were very tight and while Armagh did well to open them up a few times ,they looked a solid bunch.

Maybe a  few players were watching themselves carefully. Ciaran Mckeever Aaron Findon and Finn mo all had to be careful not to pick up another red. We didn't mix it at all. Yes the mistake by the keeper was horrible and the kickouts in general were slow but the ease with which they went through us for the goals was alarming. Skeet McAliskey literally pushed aside our defence for their third goal, mind you it was a lucky rebound that set Cavanagh up.

Lets clear a few things up Sean Cavanagh is a fabulous player. Forget about the diving whinging all that etc etc, he is quality, end of story and I'll stand by that point with anyone. He shuffled his feet  close to the line in front of me and left the defender for dead and Brendy is no slouch by any means . We had no answer to him . Brendan did as well as anyone could but there was no doubting for me who was on top. why oh why did we leave such space in front of him.
In the first half he was hit time and time again with early ball. I know it's better than Omagh last year score wise but tonight we looked third division and they first.  To be fair had we went to Omagh and beat them like they did us tonight we would be booking hotels in Dublin for Sept. We are not as good as we think we are and on the other hand not as bad as that tonight , somewhere in between. The journeys to Clare, Sligo, Limerick and wexford will tell us all we need to know and after tonight those journeys look even longer.

[BennyCake]

I'd agree with most of that, r4.

We aren't as good as we think we are. Last year has raised expectation in Armagh, but I fear the progress many predict this year may not work out that way.

Yes it's only January, but we are laboured in our build up play, slow to release ball and we will definitely miss the accurate foot passing of Aaron Kernan this year. We don't have a decent passer to replace him. Also, we lack a Cavanagh-type target/go-to man.

[rrhf]

Grimley was the yin to mcgeeeneys yang. Who is gonna make the call?