Down v Armagh - Newry - 20 March 2010

[Ceart agus Cóir]

EXACTLY Tony ....last decade!!! That's the past as well! What serious achievements have been made in Armagh football since AI glory and winning national league in 2005??? Nothing - provincial success means nothing with regards AI nowadays....both teams are on a par-both playing second tier football and to be fair neither side are in Top 8 teams in Country

[rory]

...and to sum up - You're shite, we're class (or vice versa)

[armaghniac]

The Allianz GAA Football National League continues this weekend with Round 5.

As you have heard the Down v Armagh game is an All-Ticket fixture in Newry, your Season Ticket is your ticket so please don't forget to bring it!

IMPORTANT

The Season Stile will be Stile 34 in Pairc Esler. The Stand is reserved seating so you will get your seat number as you walk through the stile. If you want to sit beside another Season ticket holder please walk through the stile together.

Best of luck to you and your county this weekend.


Tony and Trevor, you should enter the ground together.

[T Fearon]

ballela, congrats on avoiding senility, you must be at least 166 years of age!

I take the point about history etc, but I would venture to suggest that Down would give anything for an Ulster title right now (reduced in  prestige such an accolade undoubtedly is) and Armagh's unprecedented success all occurred in the last 7 to 8 years and is still fresh in the memory as opposed to Down's which is dust laden in the archives. As Trevor Hill would say, thats ancient geography!

I would also venture that Down need to win tomorrow night much more than Armagh, for purely psychological reasons, its akin somewhat to the 2003 All Ireland Final which as Harte has often conceded,Tyrone needed to win much more than Armagh did, for psychological reasons.

[T Fearon]

Armaghniac, I think Trevor Hill will be changing his namde to Fiveways Roundabout (where at least 4 of the five routes lead into Armagh) after the game. He will also probably have a photo of this location as his avatar.

[ziggysego]

There was me thinking things were bad between Tir Eoghain and Doire. Nothing compared to you boys! 

[T Fearon]

Ach its once every 5 years scenario, with the following characteristics

1. Down look to be making a comeback
2. Armagh visit Newry
3. Another victory for the Orange men ensues
4. Reality Check taken and a therapeutic trek to Slieve Donard by all red and blacks.
5. Down change their manager
6. Back to step 1.

Next scheduled occurence in 2013

[GAA_Punter]

Allianz NFL Division 2
Down v Armagh, Newry, 7.30pm

Both sides are unchanged from their wins over Donegal and Kildare last weekend, and these Ulster neighbours have certainly been the form teams to date in Division 2.

Down's only slip-up came following a draw with Tipperary, while Armagh have gone unbeaten in their last three games having lost a Round 1 tie to Meath by a point.

This game should produce another close encounter with the added spice of Armagh manager Paddy O'Rourke facing his old charges. Ulster derbies are generally tight affairs – expect this to be another tight affair.

VERDICT – Draw

Other previews on

http://www.sportsnewsireland.com/2010/03/19/weekend-gaelic-football-previews-saturday-20th-march-sunday-21st-march/

[fitzroyalty]

Someone said to me that you can pay in at the gate? Any truth???

[armaghniac]

Weather should be OK

A generally cloudy breezy start to Saturday morning, with still some rain in places, mainly in the east and southeast. But brighter, drier weather in the northwest and west, will extend to all parts by early afternoon, with some sunny spell developing. Top temperatures reaching 8 to 12 degrees. Moderate to fresh north to northwesterly winds, will ease through the afternoon also.

[western exile]

Never before can I remember such an air of excitement or anticipation before a Down v. Armagh NFL game in the tail end of winter. It is only for 2 Division II points after all. Yet it is all ticket! There was less excitement when they last met in Divison I.
What is in the air?

[In the Onion Bag]

Armagh's unprecedented success all occurred in the last 7 to 8 years and is still fresh in the memory as opposed to Down's which is dust laden in the archives.

I used to have a goldfish like that, bought it at the Forkhill market, called it Tony.

[armaghniac]

What is in the air?

[Puckoon]

Some cracking posts in here for the rest of us. Particularly liked the swamp donkey and the happy motherfuckers day.

Armagh by two.

[Trevor Hill]

Never before can I remember such an air of excitement or anticipation before a Down v. Armagh NFL game in the tail end of winter. It is only for 2 Division II points after all. Yet it is all ticket! There was less excitement when they last met in Divison I.
What is in the air?

For me its the changing of the guard.
I remember all to well the run up to the 99 final. Armagh had something about them that I certainly hadn't seen before, not even in `77. They looked like they could have the makings of a very good team. Down were in serious decline. Long story short Down got hammered and it was the start of a long road for Armagh that took them to the ultimate prize in 2002, but they really should have won at least one and maybe two more All Irelands. Joe Kernan famously said good teams win won, great teams win two. Armagh were so close to becoming a great team.
That team is gone. I think only Stevie remains, Clarke is injured. They have a few promising players and they aren't a bad team, but I think we are going to see a game that will set the tone for the next few years. I think Down are ready to come of age tomorrow night. It doesn't matter if it is a one point win or a cricket score, the result is all that matters and I simply cannot see Down losing this. They can slag off our defence all they want, but we are unbeaten in the league and the defence has coped very well. At midfield we have a great pairing in Ambi and King or should that be King Ambi. For me Kallum King is the Brian McGilligan of the partnership and Ambi the Tohill. Ambi will get the headlines, but King is a solid player, a steely player that Down have been missing for far too long. Up front we have the Clarke's, John is playing his best football to date ably assisted by Martin. There simply are not enough superlatives to describe this young man. He has it all. Everyone in the country just how good he is, so we sent him away to Oz to toughen him up. He left Australia with nothing to prove, he came home to play for Down. The rest of our forwards have little to prove, Coulter is among the best in the country on his day. McComiskey, Hughes and Kearney have all been effective at different times this year.
There has been plenty of talk about POR lately, first and foremost Paddy is not only a Down man, but a legend in the Mourne county. He has won it all and could be considered unlucky not to have won an Ulster title as manager in 2003, regardless of tomorrows result every one of us will wish Paddy well. Unlike a certain poster from Armagh we bear no mailice to any of our "exiles" no matter where they may be.