Messages

Is it just me or is the media latching on to Kildare's bad form and ripping the bag out of it all week and creating the conditions where things are going to be difficult for the management to recover?

On the Sunday Game last night I think someone said about how Kildare should be challenging for All-Irelands and shouldn't be in the Tailtean Cup. What planet are they on? They won't be happy with where they are at, but Meath, whose record in modern times is much stronger, played in the Tailtean last year.

The media have to have a story and unfortunately this year it is Kildare's turn and they have been given a gift by the chairman whose comments were pretty lousy. Feel sorry for the management having to deal with that kind of stuff.

As for the game, it was like a training exercise for Armagh. At one point you could hear the players shouting 30 seconds to get a score. Ended up in a wide.
 

Won't have done either team any good.

Kildare has the population of Roscommon, Cavan and Monaghan put together. They should do better.

Meath in the same boat.

Is it just me or is the media latching on to Kildare's bad form and ripping the bag out of it all week and creating the conditions where things are going to be difficult for the management to recover?

On the Sunday Game last night I think someone said about how Kildare should be challenging for All-Irelands and shouldn't be in the Tailtean Cup. What planet are they on? They won't be happy with where they are at, but Meath, whose record in modern times is much stronger, played in the Tailtean last year.

The media have to have a story and unfortunately this year it is Kildare's turn and they have been given a gift by the chairman whose comments were pretty lousy. Feel sorry for the management having to deal with that kind of stuff.

As for the game, it was like a training exercise for Armagh. At one point you could hear the players shouting 30 seconds to get a score. Ended up in a wide.
 

Won't have done either team any good.

I think there used to be a thread along these lines. Has to be some funny ones out there.

This one made me laugh.

Athletic Grounds, Qualifiers 1st Round 2022, Armagh v Tyrone.

MC makes the following announcement on the tannoy:

An Fogra
Could the owner of car registration ABC 1234 please return to their car.

They have left their doors open............

with the key in the ignition..................

and the engine running

 

There were some great posters.

Easytiger
Hardyarse
Bummer
Bud
AZ Offaly

Question for Derry supporters on here! 
Should the CB have him back?

Are they still selling that Rag?

.. The rag's rag

Finger on the pulse. Meenagh gone.... only a matter of time til RG back

Do you think Derry CB should have him back?

https://www.sportsjoe.ie/gaa/niall-morgan-292262?fbclid=IwAR044NrwpUSJLyveR3ZSrBkH0U0UFxH2Nh-yA9_vjLI2dBHbDzYFyBIjVJg

One of the benefits of the slit season apparently.

Bob Barker, who starred for more than five consecutive decades as a TV game-show host, including 35 as the host of The Price Is Right.  99 years young.

Didn't he also knock the crap out of Happy Gilmore?

The obese Nolan pics aren't the ones he's in bother for

I presumed it was the image of Nolan in braces that was claimed to be the sexually explicit  item. Still it's just a pile of outrage about nothing much, when Nolan's real crimes lie elsewhere.
It's akin to getting outraged over Al Capone's tax fraud.

Go and read the story properly.

Seeing as the hyper sensitive BBC are taking absolutely no action, you tell me what's got you riled up?
Ulster says no to half naked man in braces?

Flip sake Main Street. You have got the wrong end of the stick. Just go and read the story again.  I don't think the photo you're describing is the issue.

The obese Nolan pics aren't the ones he's in bother for

I presumed it was the image of Nolan in braces that was claimed to be the sexually explicit  item. Still it's just a pile of outrage about nothing much, when Nolan's real crimes lie elsewhere.
It's akin to getting outraged over Al Capone's tax fraud.

Go and read the story properly.

The provincial championships need to be seeded also for the current system to work.  Connacht allowing a system where the three strongest teams are on one side of the draw is nuts and just means that the final will be a damp squib. It means a team outside the top 20 is guaranteed a place in the super 16s and means that two of the strongest teams in the country (based on league standings) go into the group stages as a lower seed.   

For the sake of the integrity of the provinces alone (never mind the Super 16s), the provincial championships should be seeded.   Obviously this is more important in Munster, Connacht and to a lesser extent Leinster. 

I see some suggestions like Brian Stafford, Colin Corkery etc.  My memory of Stafford was kicking a lot of 21 and 30 yard frees off the ground in front of the post and Ger Canning talking about his clinical finishing. 

Watching Galligan yesterday and Colm Reape today, it occurred to me that the standard of dead ball kicking has never been higher. Some of those guys are capable of scoring from 60 metres which would hardly have been attempted in those days.

I'm not sure who is the best ever, but I'm fairly sure, whoever it is, is either still playing or was playing up to very recently. 

Relegation a disappointment for Armagh, but need some perspective.  In a very competitive division, Armagh have been blighted by injury (and loss of form in some cases), throughout the league and have been robbing Peter to pay Paul in a number of important positions.

They were competitive in every game, with a score difference of -3. Not taking away from Monaghan's achievement, it may have been different had Mayo something to play for yesterday.  But only 4 times in the last 10 years has 5 points been enough to keep you up, so we can have no complaints. 

The negativity in the games v Galway and Kerry was disappointing.  But in both cases, the opposition was also negative and as I said after the Galway match, it's like a zero sum game.  When one team goes that negative now, the other will have to do likewise. 

In terms of yesterday's game, it was probably the best Armagh played so far this year, despite some rustiness in the lads coming back from injury. The failure to push up and drive on in the second half manifested itself again after they went ahead with 10 minutes to go.  Management must take some responsibility for this, but so too must the players.  There needs to be better leadership and decision making on the pitch. 

In the last five years, Dublin, Mayo, Roscommon and Galway have all been relegated and each have bounced back quickly and improved.  Meanwhile, Kildare, Meath, Cavan, Cork and Down have stayed down. Armagh need to make sure to come back to the top table and they are well equipped to do so. 

Finally, for all of the giving out about McGeeney and there has been some fair criticism, I'd be far more concerned about the lack of underage success in Armagh since 2009. The real concern is that the current competitiveness of this team is built on a house of sand and that when the elder statesmen of this team retire, that we haven't many replacements coming through.  I think that is why some supporters are losing the run of themselves with impatience: they realise that we have a window to achieve something now, that will start to close in the next 18 months.

On Armagh's misfiring, Cahair O'Kane has a good article in today's Irish News.  He makes an important point about them not having a settled team and how their defence is working but attack is malfunctioning.  The management would probably argue that this lack of continuity has been forced due to injuries, but there are only about 5 positions that are settled assuming no injuries to these players.  Those being FB (Forker), CHB (McCabe), Grugan (CHF), Murnin (FF).  The only other certainties is that either Hall or Comiskey will start at 10.  McKay is generally in the full back line.

I couldn't really tell you who or what our midfield is.  To a large degree team-sheets are irrelevant and positions are only relevant for the throw-in.  Our full forward, corner forward and goalkeeper compete for kickouts.  When we defend, we flood the defense and when we go forward, we flood the attack. So the question isn't necessarily what position the player is playing, but whether they are given the same role every week and they know where they will slot in.  From no.7 up, it's very hard to tell.   

Just my own thoughts on where teams are at,

Mayo - the real deal. Can they find another 10% to win Sam?
Galway - Inconsistent and stuttering. Flashes of brilliance but not top 3 in country. Regressed from last year.
Kerry - Take out their key men and theyre ordinary. With key men, they can retain Sam. Returning to form, slowly.
Rossies - 3 wins in a row, 3 defeats in a row. Flattered to deceive. Lucky to escape relegation.
Armagh - Playing much more conservatively than '22. Progressed last year but not this year so far.
Tyrone - Only a fool would rule out Tyrone. Between them and Derry for Ulster. Have the players.
Monaghan - The jury is out. If they can stay up that will be a huge achievement. Playing better in attack.
Donegal - Lucky they are in Div 1 cos if they were in Div.2 they'd be relegated from there too. Playing terribly.

Not sure how Galway have regressed? We've been missing a good scatter of front line players for pretty much every league game. Yet, they're still heading into the last round with a chance of a league final. While it hasn't been flashy they already know they have that in their locker with a full deck. I'd say they are delighted to have expanded the viable squad options to be honest.

No way has Galway regressed.