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As a Tyrone man dare I say I'm backing (and slightly hoping) our neighbours to do the business on Sunday.

To me both teams have have had the makings of a side that could challenge the top teams for a few years now but have been struggling to put the puzzle together. They seem to have both found the balance they were looking for. It could be a cracking game.

The momentum and support Armagh have will be enough to get them over the line. Their confidence will be sky high and they'll genuinely go into this All-Ireland series believing they can beat anyone and that alone can often be enough to transform players.

Yous Tyrone sh*tbags are setting us up for a fall i reckon Niall Morgan and now you lol

The Galway Croke Park thing is overplayed a bit. In the last 10 years they've played there 7 times. A 1-6 record looks crap on the face of it but only once were they favourites and they were rank outsiders for 5 of them. Played Cork and Donegal soon after those two were competing in finals and Galway were in the doldrums. Lost two and won 1 v Kerry which is a decent return for most counties. Lost to Mayo last year after running out of steam and multiple injuries after an excellent first half. A great second half display from mayo on that on etbf. The one real black mark was a loss to Tipperary. In hindsight that team wasn't near the level required

The Corofin lads have spent their club careers running amok in Croker. About 8 panel members won an u20 All Ireland v Dublin there two years back. Others have won underage AI's there also. I don't think the venue will be an excuse

Even lost to Roscommon this year there and it was unexpected.

Armagh have been probably one of the few teams who have had a huge spread of scorers through the league and championship and a lot from play. I get what you mean they flatter to deceive at the business end but so do Galway. I think Galway have only won 1 game in Croke Park since 2001 including league Armagh have won a right few games there in recent times. It will be an intresting Match up thats for sure. I think the game will be won on the day massively influenced by the keepers kickout Midfield battle and how the ref fairs out for both teams. I think its a toss up between the both in terms of Player Ability   

Kevin McStay on OTB was saying he coaches defenders in that position to not hold on to the ball if running back towards your own goal.  Just lay it off straightaway  to the keeper.  You're unsighted and if you try to turn round, bang, you're hit and the ball's dropped.

Very strange I heard him say but nearly sure your not allowed to pass it back to the keeper anymore but he defo should have anyway prob would have been a free but....

Clones bigger longer though patton probably wont be able to kick as long

at least donegal cant narrow the pitch, so taht will make it easier for Armagh to at least win their own kickout.
actually buzzing myself for sunday if we get the injured guys on the pitch.
Mc Geeney needs to go for it, attack their kick out and push on.

Clones bigger longer though patton probably wont be able to kick as long

When did Donegal narrow the pitch?

this year in ballyboffey
one could see clearly that the pitch was moved in at either side

It still looked very tight to the terraces on tv. Can't have been by much.

one could see clearly the markings, which tightened the whole pitch and
also allowed the bigger donegal men around the middle to close the space for the kickouts which meant rafferty had more often than not to go long.
armagh were cleaned out when this happened

The pitch being moved in a metre on each side (according to the BBC) would have given it the same dimensions as Croke Park. Incidentally, that's still far bigger than Clones.

[keeper who is comfortable carrying the ball]

McGeeney wants a keeper who is comfortable carrying the ball. Ethan fits the bill

Are you saying (a) Blaine isn't comfortable carrying the ball and (b) distribution and shot stopping is now defunct for the Armagh team.  In his one game to date Rafferty didn't know when to stop carrying the ball, he is going make a Beggan cockup if he continues.

Thats just it I dont think his shot stopping is great and his distribution is only good if teams don't push up which I think every team in the country have started to do with us. Ethan was hitting Rian O Neill on our own 45 2 weeks ago with the assistance of the wind obviously.

Blaine has made a few mistakes against Monaghan and against Tyrone he was wiltering under the pressure I thought when they Pushed up on his kickout. Maybe McGeeney thought he had to do something. Ethan had a serious injury last year not sure if he was available for the mckenna cup There doesnt seem to be a obvious number 2 with macgill in the u-20s I think.... Ethan done well against Mayo. I hope he gets his 2nd chance

Given how Armagh are defending this year, with the backline shored up, I wouldn't class changing the goalkeeper as 'experimental shite', and I think I read that Huges plays outfield for his club ironically enough.  I would imagine he was training good enough as a goalkeeper to earn his place last weekend, nothing is given.

Blaine won the intermediate this year playing in nets for Carrickcruppen and was hugely influential in their completely shock win.

Have defend McGeeney numerous times but the decision to play Rafferty in nets is baffling. By all means try it in the McKenna cup or later in the league when safety is secured, not in a hugely tough game against one of the best teams in the country when we really could have done with a win. Don't see what Rafferty brings bar distance on the kickout.

Its not really baffling Ethan use to be a soccer keeper, plus he can come out and offer more than Blaine with regards to that. Think Blaine is a decent keeper but he makes a lot of mistakes and isnt comfortable in a tense situation think its a worthwhile exercise to see if Ethan is any better.