Down v Armagh - Newry - 20 March 2010

[Dubh driocht]

Tony, first of all, Up your hole.
Secondly, a fairly comprehensive victory over a second rate outfit with limited ambition.Sluden did give us a lot in the first 20 although 8 up after 8 , when youse had 15, puts paid to the inevitable 'we only had 14 'argument. He did well to spot the first yellow for Moriarity against Kearney ( one James would have been proud of) and I didn't see the second but was told it was deserved.
Thirdly, I thought we had strong performers in the half back line, Kalum King is my man for MF, Maginn and Lavery were excellent off the bench and the Clarkes ,Kearney,Poland and Benny superb.
In the same way it takes 20 to win a game with our Mc Iver inspired gameplan, it takes different men to rise to the challenge in different games, and 7 points did not flatter us.
Finally, in the last quarter, if Sluden hadn't penalised us 4 times for silly handpass infringements we would have won by 10/12 points.
So , off to Mullingar we go and our opponents go back to the drawing board.

[T Fearon]

A lot of flaws evident tonight. We conceded a terrible goal in the first minute (even worse than the early goal conceded in Navan). Why also is it the two corner forwards are always first to be hauled off? Also Malachy Mackin was dire when he came on, how many more chances does he deserve.

That said towards the end of the first half when we got the score back to 2 points, I was looking forward to a rip roaring second half, but the referee spoiled the game by sending Moriarity off unnecssarily.

[amallon]

Tony you weren't looking at too many when you were leaving with 5 to go in the game!

[AFS]

Load of shite.

Playing catch up from McEvoy's Heartyesque fcuk up. Can't afford to let any team run up an eight point lead, never mind a hyped up Down side on a roll. Did well to get back into it, but the sending off killed our chances and the game as a spectacle. What was it for, no one had a clue in the crowd? Ref definitely seemed like the officious sort who wasn't for letting anything go, maybe he was right to but it didn't help the game. In addition to their decent forwardline, Down have a good blanket defense defensive system and there are few teams that'll beat them easily. But we're no great barometer at this stage, so although they're moving in the right direction, talk of Ulster titles or anything else is a bit premature.

Even allowing for being a man down, we were very flat and unimaginative. Only McDonnell offered any scoring threat in the second half after the withdrawal of Henderson and Forker. The management did not come out well with these two changes. The introduction of Vernon stank of panic. Charlie wasn't fit to fart tonight and we were effectively playing with 13 men with him on the field. His move to midfield didn't help either as it took Austin, who'd been doing well, away from there. Although Mackin did alright, we needed Forker, or at least another forward on the pitch. We'd 5 or 6 midfielders and one FF after that change. It made no sense, we weren't doing too badly around the middle, but were struggling up front.

Still a solid shot at promotion, two wins should secure second spot, but a wee bit of a reality check for any that had allowed themselves to get carried away by the last three wins. We're still very much in the infancy of any revival.

But who gives a f**k about the league anyway.

[T Fearon]

Aidan I always leave my seat 5 minutes before the end, and watch the concluding moments from near the exit point.

Pity a potentially great game was spoiled tonight by an over fussy referee.

[T Fearon]

AFS, I agree with a lot of what you say and in hindisght we were lucky enough to come away from Portlaoise with a win, whereas we beat Westmeath and Kildare teams that threw in the towel far too easily.

But I would have loved to see how we would have panned out tonight with 15 men for the full 70 minutes, and I just hope this defeat does not have a prolonged psychological aftermath.

I don't undertsand taking off corner forwards when neither of them were getting any decent ball. Young Forker particularly must be disillusioned.

Not sure I'd want promotion to Division One next year. I doubt if we'd win a game and we could end up completely demoralised.

Thought also the obvious substitution wasn't made tonight.... Brian Mallon an experienced half forward who can score.

[goldenyears]

I think sending off was for a swinging elbow but I could be wrong

Total anti climax to game as Armagh were soooo poor in 2nd half

[ardmhaca08]

Apparantly marty clarkes ribs broke. Mckeever must be proud. What a dirty act it was.

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

Apparantly marty clarkes ribs broke. Mckeever must be proud. What a dirty act it was.

Would be amazed if that dig he hit him for the yellow card broke a rib. Must have been another incident.

[ardmhaca08]

Dunno maybe it was when mckeever stood on him? Had the kids with me tonight such a role model mckeever is.

[pintsofguinness]

Apparantly marty clarkes ribs broke. Mckeever must be proud. What a dirty act it was.

that's the thing, he probably is.

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

Dunno maybe it was when mckeever stood on him? Had the kids with me tonight such a role model mckeever is.

Stood on him? You're inventing things now. But sure when you're so intent on vilifying one man why bother with facts. Or may be the injury was just one of those unfortunate things that happen in football from time to time.

[fitzroyalty]

To be honest Armagh got what they deserved from that game, the fannying about in the first ten cost us dearly; the goal and a few soft as f**k frees should have been avoided. That said, Down were far more up for it, their forward line looked so much more dangerous than ours. Think O'Rourke made too many changes, bringing Vernon on was a waste of a substitute cos he did next to f.a when he came on. What did Finn Mo go for, was it two yellows?

[illdecide]

Down fully deserved their win and no Armagh men can say any different, they were hungrier and first to every ball. When Armagh were attacking it was across the pitch with 10 passes and going no where fast, this was down to good defending by Down and good tactic's by the management.

As for Armagh I'm really disappointed with the decisions from the line tonight: taking Henderson off and replacing him with Vernon who wasn't fit and cannot play that position was madness. Don't wanna name players but there are a number of lads on the Armagh panel that just don't cut it, how many years is it gonna take people to realise that these  lads are not county standard, very good club players these lads but not inter county.

When is Armagh gonna realise that the time for big strapping lads throughout you're team is gone (10 years ago) the game is all about speed and great agility not big Ogre's...really disappointed with Armagh tonight and was impressed with Down, they have speed and smart footballers in their team. Coulter looked sharp tonight and looked like he's shed a few pounds

[lemallon]

Why is no armagh man mentioning the most obviously horrible management decision.  Gareth Swift in the first half along with Kieran Toner was by far our best player.  He had been instrumental in clawing back the 8 point lead to 3.  Half time comes and he is switched to full forward.  Because of his absence we are no longer able to win a ball around the middle and he doesent get a single touch.  A horrrible decision by the management team only exacerbated by the removal of Forker for Mackin.  Mackin has absolutely no football brain whose only talent is to solo the ball and then kick it blind.  Forget about him he simply isnt good enough.
            The Mc Keever discipline situation is reaching crisis point.  He now seems to revel in trying to bully his direct opponent while not concentrating on playing football.  The man has serious talent but is going to get banned soon so we may get used to being without him. Waving to he crowd while we are getting heavily defeated is also pathetic.   Aaron Kernan is playing his way off the team.  Non existant tonight.  Lacks the physical strength needed for 11.  Imagine what Graham Canty would do on him.  Paul Kernan not good enough either.  Terrible decision making on the ball while Danny Hughes was probably man of the match.  Management are providing no protection to full back line who I thought did well in trying circumstances.  Also what is the kickout stategy.  Toner was amazing in first half.  Then no ball kicked to him in second with Charlie Vernon playing while obviously unable to move. 
             Have to say all my previous optimism has evaporated.  James Mc Cartan showed himself capable of setting a team out with a system and style which will prove hard to beat.  Our strategy substitutions and system were an embarrassment.  We are in big trouble and am not shy to say it.