Division 2 2024

[statto]

If Oisin O'Neill plays in and around Midfield you play Rian FF. Oisin has a knack of finding Rian. Get the other two togged out as well😂

Is there something to be said for both teams holding their cards close to their chest for the Championship and playing fairly shite on purpose??!!

I think there's an element of that with Armagh. I refuse to believe we've been fielding our strongest team available in the league.

Would Armagh fans be shocked if in 2 weeks time, we seen 2x ONeills, Kelly, Grimley, Duffy and Nugent start?

There will undoubtedly be some changes. McPartland was handed his debut last year in the Ulster championship having not featured in the League. So I think we will try a few different things out against and Fermanagh and hopefully Down.   

I think Rian and Duffy will definitely start. I'd definitely start Oisin O'Neill midfield and Nugent at his best starts also. But since we have seen so little of Kelly, Nugent and Grimley we don't actually know what sort of form they are producing in training.

I'm hoping it was part of a Geezer masterplan to use the 2023 gameplan in the League final and then unleash the new marauding Armagh come championship time.

I doubt Kelly, Grimley or Nugent will start. The 2 O'Neills may.

I know we talk about Rian being our potential star forward but he certainly hasnt shown that in a while. Now dont get me wrong... clutch moments, requiring big scores, he is our man.  Regularly keeping the scoreboard ticking, maybe not.

I really hope we see less of the liability side to his game this year.  I'm hoping for a learning curve like Forker years ago.

I don't think Oisin O'Neill will start, don't know if he has the legs for intercounty midfield.  I would think Murnin Conaty and Turbitt are nailed to start as the inside three at the minute.  Grugan should play 11, but may be shifted to the wing to accomodate an O'Neill in the forward line . 

10/12 to me are the two positions up for debate and will be between Conor 'Neill(who starts somewhere for me), Hall, McElroy, Campbell, Duffy,Grugan( if Rian/Oisin play 11).  Given that I expect Fermanagh to setup defensively Campbell should be starting along with a more workman line half forward.  Would have liked to see McQuillan get to stretch his legs in Croker as he gives something a bit different but would be surprised at this stage if gets any minutes against Fermanagh. 

[David McKeown]

Donegal deserved to win but Armagh were awful. Falling back in to all the old habits I thought they had moved away from this year (Louth match excepted).

The manner of the defeat against a Donegal who will get much better is hard to take. I'd no longer be confident of an Ulster final let alone hoping for something more. 

having saw down Fermanagh and antrim they should be making it with bit to spare.

In fairness I was maybe a little raw after the match but I am not as confident as I was before yesterday

Not saying you are one of them, but Armagh fans have unrealistic expectations for this crop of players. The team is in a better place than it was but there's  still a way to go to get to Derry's level. Is McGeeney the man, I'm not sure but I don't think there is a queue for the job.  Rian O'Neill I understand has had issues outside of the game and is being eased back in. Talking of unrealistic expectations though the fans have placed too much on his shoulders and indeed Oisin's before him. Maybe just let them play football they both are class acts on their day. It was strange I'd say that the best club team in the county didn't have one starter.

I think my view on the current crop is that we lack the very top quality players to challenge the top teams but we have very few weak links either and plenty of players who are at a decent to good inter county level.

[Armagh18]

Donegal deserved to win but Armagh were awful. Falling back in to all the old habits I thought they had moved away from this year (Louth match excepted).

The manner of the defeat against a Donegal who will get much better is hard to take. I'd no longer be confident of an Ulster final let alone hoping for something more. 

having saw down Fermanagh and antrim they should be making it with bit to spare.

In fairness I was maybe a little raw after the match but I am not as confident as I was before yesterday

Not saying you are one of them, but Armagh fans have unrealistic expectations for this crop of players. The team is in a better place than it was but there's  still a way to go to get to Derry's level. Is McGeeney the man, I'm not sure but I don't think there is a queue for the job.  Rian O'Neill I understand has had issues outside of the game and is being eased back in. Talking of unrealistic expectations though the fans have placed too much on his shoulders and indeed Oisin's before him. Maybe just let them play football they both are class acts on their day. It was strange I'd say that the best club team in the county didn't have one starter.

I think my view on the current crop is that we lack the very top quality players to challenge the top teams but we have very few weak links either and plenty of players who are at a decent to good inter county level.

yeah I think we've a decent bunch of lads who are fully bought in  and behind the management. Probably don't have enough of that top quality- as seen by club, school and underage results.

Outside the 2 O'Neills, Grugan, Murnin, Forker and Soupy we don't have too many players with that elite ability, and obviously 2 of those haven't been at their best enough and the other 4 are the wrong side of 30, however we are capable of more than the sum of our parts if that makes sense.