Ulster Senior football championship 2024

[David McKeown]

Is it really? Most counties have goals at the start of the year, get promoted, avoid relegation, beat neighbours etc. do they really need a coping mechanism of devaluing competitions, I seriously doubt it.  There are about 26 counties under the new system never going win Sam, Derry don't need another Ulster but will probably win it, any other county would relish it.

I believe JoG2 was referring the fans attempting to devalue a competition as a defense mechanism for if they don't win it. Armagh will have failed this year (again) if they do not win Ulster. How anyone can think different is beyond me.

What if they lose Ulster but play in an All Ireland final. Is that a bigger failure than winning Ulster and then going out in the groups?

[ardtole]

At the start of the year for Down, promotion was the be all and end all, that has been comfortably secured.

But after losing the d3 final and a lacklustre display v Antrim all of a sudden its doom and gloom again.

[tonto1888]

Does Rodgers get the credit he deserves?

He's been immense for Derry the past 3 years.

He has outperformed Glass (and Glass has been good) without getting the same credit always pops up with big scores too.

Glass has probably been better than him this year so far though. Rodgers was quiet enough until the league final but again had  a massive game when it mattered.

as an outsider looking in it seems that Rodgers doesnt get the credit he deserves. Glass gets the most of it. Thats nothing against Glass as he is an awesome footballer but Id rogers is on equal footing with him

[tonto1888]

Is it really? Most counties have goals at the start of the year, get promoted, avoid relegation, beat neighbours etc. do they really need a coping mechanism of devaluing competitions, I seriously doubt it.  There are about 26 counties under the new system never going win Sam, Derry don't need another Ulster but will probably win it, any other county would relish it.

I believe JoG2 was referring the fans attempting to devalue a competition as a defense mechanism for if they don't win it. Armagh will have failed this year (again) if they do not win Ulster. How anyone can think different is beyond me.

if we were to be beaten by derry in the final would that count as a failure? Not getting to the final will certainly be a failure. Not winning it is not necessarily a failure

[tonto1888]

Armagh age profile not against then if they don't get sthing in the next 2/3yrs. Some of there best players are over 30

Yeah 4 massive players in Grugan, Forker, Murnin and Soupy all over 30 but I'd say theres a few years left in them yet. Grugan be the hardest replaced of those I think.

Murnin would be 34/35, hardly a few years left in him

[tonto1888]

Is it really? Most counties have goals at the start of the year, get promoted, avoid relegation, beat neighbours etc. do they really need a coping mechanism of devaluing competitions, I seriously doubt it.  There are about 26 counties under the new system never going win Sam, Derry don't need another Ulster but will probably win it, any other county would relish it.

I believe JoG2 was referring the fans attempting to devalue a competition as a defense mechanism for if they don't win it. Armagh will have failed this year (again) if they do not win Ulster. How anyone can think different is beyond me.

Armagh will have failed agreed, Armagh will continue to fail until the County Board grows a set and get rid of McGeeney but they aren't devaluing it.  Who's these fans devaluing it two people on a discussion board, most counties would love to win Ulster, doubt Fermanagh, Antrim and Monaghan are sitting there thinking as sure it means nothing.

Would be a failure for Armagh not to reach the Ulster final. Derry will be strong favourites to win the final should they reach it.  Armagh comfortably bounced back to Div 1 and in 2025 will be their 4th year in the last 5 years to play in Div 1 and the last two years they reached the All Ireland quarter final only losing out on penalty shootouts.

Would another manager have got much more out of Armagh than McGeeney has? I highly doubt it when you consider Armagh haven't won U20/21 Ulster title since 2007 and U17/18 Ulster title since 2009 plus club football especially Crossmaglen hasn't been as strong as they use to be.

theres an opinion within Armagh that we have left behind an Ulster and at least one AISF in the last 2 years due to the negative tactics we have seen. So maybe another manager might, and I stress might, have achieved more than McGeeney. Or we could have got thumped in all those games

[David McKeown]

Armagh age profile not against then if they don't get sthing in the next 2/3yrs. Some of there best players are over 30

Yeah 4 massive players in Grugan, Forker, Murnin and Soupy all over 30 but I'd say theres a few years left in them yet. Grugan be the hardest replaced of those I think.

Murnin would be 34/35, hardly a few years left in him

He's 32 turns 33 in the summer

[tonto1888]

Armagh age profile not against then if they don't get sthing in the next 2/3yrs. Some of there best players are over 30

Yeah 4 massive players in Grugan, Forker, Murnin and Soupy all over 30 but I'd say theres a few years left in them yet. Grugan be the hardest replaced of those I think.

Murnin would be 34/35, hardly a few years left in him

He's 32 turns 33 in the summer

I take it back. It was 2009 he was on the minors. I had 2007 in my head. Morgan and Grugan the same age then

[David McKeown]

Is it really? Most counties have goals at the start of the year, get promoted, avoid relegation, beat neighbours etc. do they really need a coping mechanism of devaluing competitions, I seriously doubt it.  There are about 26 counties under the new system never going win Sam, Derry don't need another Ulster but will probably win it, any other county would relish it.

I believe JoG2 was referring the fans attempting to devalue a competition as a defense mechanism for if they don't win it. Armagh will have failed this year (again) if they do not win Ulster. How anyone can think different is beyond me.

Armagh will have failed agreed, Armagh will continue to fail until the County Board grows a set and get rid of McGeeney but they aren't devaluing it.  Who's these fans devaluing it two people on a discussion board, most counties would love to win Ulster, doubt Fermanagh, Antrim and Monaghan are sitting there thinking as sure it means nothing.

Would be a failure for Armagh not to reach the Ulster final. Derry will be strong favourites to win the final should they reach it.  Armagh comfortably bounced back to Div 1 and in 2025 will be their 4th year in the last 5 years to play in Div 1 and the last two years they reached the All Ireland quarter final only losing out on penalty shootouts.

Would another manager have got much more out of Armagh than McGeeney has? I highly doubt it when you consider Armagh haven't won U20/21 Ulster title since 2007 and U17/18 Ulster title since 2009 plus club football especially Crossmaglen hasn't been as strong as they use to be.

theres an opinion within Armagh that we have left behind an Ulster and at least one AISF in the last 2 years due to the negative tactics we have seen. So maybe another manager might, and I stress might, have achieved more than McGeeney. Or we could have got thumped in all those games

It's a tough one for me. I think Geezer deserves a lot of credit for building a strong squad with 23/24 players who I would consider all to be good inter county footballers albeit without too many superstars.

That said I think he also deserves criticism for an ultra conservative approach to games against good teams. Is that because

a he doesn't think Armagh are good enough to go toe to toe with a big team.

B Armagh are not good enough and he's trying to cover weaknesses

Or

C He lacks the ability to take Armagh to the next level.

For me the jury is still out. I would love to see us really go for teams with a fast flowing direct style of attack that we showed in some games over the last three years (Dublin at Croke Park for example). That way I think Armagh and Geezer could be fairly analysed.

[tonto1888]

Is it really? Most counties have goals at the start of the year, get promoted, avoid relegation, beat neighbours etc. do they really need a coping mechanism of devaluing competitions, I seriously doubt it.  There are about 26 counties under the new system never going win Sam, Derry don't need another Ulster but will probably win it, any other county would relish it.

I believe JoG2 was referring the fans attempting to devalue a competition as a defense mechanism for if they don't win it. Armagh will have failed this year (again) if they do not win Ulster. How anyone can think different is beyond me.

Armagh will have failed agreed, Armagh will continue to fail until the County Board grows a set and get rid of McGeeney but they aren't devaluing it.  Who's these fans devaluing it two people on a discussion board, most counties would love to win Ulster, doubt Fermanagh, Antrim and Monaghan are sitting there thinking as sure it means nothing.

Would be a failure for Armagh not to reach the Ulster final. Derry will be strong favourites to win the final should they reach it.  Armagh comfortably bounced back to Div 1 and in 2025 will be their 4th year in the last 5 years to play in Div 1 and the last two years they reached the All Ireland quarter final only losing out on penalty shootouts.

Would another manager have got much more out of Armagh than McGeeney has? I highly doubt it when you consider Armagh haven't won U20/21 Ulster title since 2007 and U17/18 Ulster title since 2009 plus club football especially Crossmaglen hasn't been as strong as they use to be.

theres an opinion within Armagh that we have left behind an Ulster and at least one AISF in the last 2 years due to the negative tactics we have seen. So maybe another manager might, and I stress might, have achieved more than McGeeney. Or we could have got thumped in all those games

It's a tough one for me. I think Geezer deserves a lot of credit for building a strong squad with 23/24 players who I would consider all to be good inter county footballers albeit without too many superstars.

That said I think he also deserves criticism for an ultra conservative approach to games against good teams. Is that because

a he doesn't think Armagh are good enough to go toe to toe with a big team.

B Armagh are not good enough and he's trying to cover weaknesses

Or

C He lacks the ability to take Armagh to the next level.

For me the jury is still out. I would love to see us really go for teams with a fast flowing direct style of attack that we showed in some games over the last three years (Dublin at Croke Park for example). That way I think Armagh and Geezer could be fairly analysed.

I definitely agree with the last sentence. If we play that style of football and lose-  a la Roscommon in Laois a few years ago - I could take it. Its the likes of the Monaghan game last year and Donegal a couple weeks ago which really irritate me

[Wildweasel74]

This site is making the over projection of a Derry v Armagh final. I rather literally take it one game at a time, this Saturday could see us out on our ass very handy,

[Armamike]

From Kieran taking over until the past 2 years Armagh struggled for years to get a win or two in the Ulster championship and that has been the most disappointing thing for me.  Not being able to beat teams they could/should have been beating over 6 or 7 years.  That's not all down to lack of underage success.  We have though improved markedly in terms of conditioning and tightened up a good bit at the back. Seem better organised these past 2 years but the question is still very much out on whether they can take the next step, i.e. get through tight games and win something or get further than a quarter final. 

[Mario]

This site is making the over projection of a Derry v Armagh final. I rather literally take it one game at a time, this Saturday could see us out on our ass very handy,

I was listening to Damian Cassidy on Highland Radio and he made the point that Derry are usually terrible in the Championship after winning the D1 league. Loads of examples of first round defeats, the last one being Fermanagh in 2008 after beating Kerry to win the league. Different era's and all, and we've never had a team as consistent as this one but food for thought.

[tbrick18]

This site is making the over projection of a Derry v Armagh final. I rather literally take it one game at a time, this Saturday could see us out on our ass very handy,

100%
I've been saying all along, Donegal could knock us out in the first round.
I'd love to see us win another Ulster - but if we get beaten on Saturday it wouldn't be a huge shock.
Donegal were in the final 2 years ago and we just beat them.

[Armagh18]

Is it really? Most counties have goals at the start of the year, get promoted, avoid relegation, beat neighbours etc. do they really need a coping mechanism of devaluing competitions, I seriously doubt it.  There are about 26 counties under the new system never going win Sam, Derry don't need another Ulster but will probably win it, any other county would relish it.

I believe JoG2 was referring the fans attempting to devalue a competition as a defense mechanism for if they don't win it. Armagh will have failed this year (again) if they do not win Ulster. How anyone can think different is beyond me.

Armagh will have failed agreed, Armagh will continue to fail until the County Board grows a set and get rid of McGeeney but they aren't devaluing it.  Who's these fans devaluing it two people on a discussion board, most counties would love to win Ulster, doubt Fermanagh, Antrim and Monaghan are sitting there thinking as sure it means nothing.

Would be a failure for Armagh not to reach the Ulster final. Derry will be strong favourites to win the final should they reach it.  Armagh comfortably bounced back to Div 1 and in 2025 will be their 4th year in the last 5 years to play in Div 1 and the last two years they reached the All Ireland quarter final only losing out on penalty shootouts.

Would another manager have got much more out of Armagh than McGeeney has? I highly doubt it when you consider Armagh haven't won U20/21 Ulster title since 2007 and U17/18 Ulster title since 2009 plus club football especially Crossmaglen hasn't been as strong as they use to be.

theres an opinion within Armagh that we have left behind an Ulster and at least one AISF in the last 2 years due to the negative tactics we have seen. So maybe another manager might, and I stress might, have achieved more than McGeeney. Or we could have got thumped in all those games

It's a tough one for me. I think Geezer deserves a lot of credit for building a strong squad with 23/24 players who I would consider all to be good inter county footballers albeit without too many superstars.

That said I think he also deserves criticism for an ultra conservative approach to games against good teams. Is that because

a he doesn't think Armagh are good enough to go toe to toe with a big team.

B Armagh are not good enough and he's trying to cover weaknesses

Or

C He lacks the ability to take Armagh to the next level.

For me the jury is still out. I would love to see us really go for teams with a fast flowing direct style of attack that we showed in some games over the last three years (Dublin at Croke Park for example). That way I think Armagh and Geezer could be fairly analysed.

I definitely agree with the last sentence. If we play that style of football and lose-  a la Roscommon in Laois a few years ago - I could take it. Its the likes of the Monaghan game last year and Donegal a couple weeks ago which really irritate me

Yeah 100%, been saying that for a while now.