NFL Division 1 2024

[twohands!!!]

I'm hoping, from an Armagh perspective, that this new over defensive strategy was just a tester in the league, and somewhere, soon, Armagh will unleash their foot passing attacking football they became known for last year.  I think they over-focused on the free flowing, attacking game last year and left the back door open, so it does no harm to strike a balance, however this ultra-defensive set-up allied with hand-passing the ball back and forwards across the 45 yard line, back and forwards, forwards and back, sideways, back again .... jeez, it's awful stuff. 

Get the ball in early to marquee forwards, and utilise O'Neill as the target man which everything hangs off ... not have Rian sweeping in the halfback line.  I don't think we'll see much change in Omagh this Sunday with Armagh trying to eek out a result anyway possible, but hopefully later in the spring when the ground hardens, we'll see more of the fast moving attacking play from 2022 ... I can't believe it has disappeared so quickly. 

Sunday will not be one for the purists ... and with more than a passing interest in proceedings in Castlebar 😳

The thing is that I don't think any side in the GAA has ever just managed to unleash an attacking approach overnight after concentrating on the defensive side of things without sacrificing significantly on the defensive side.
So many people seem to think it's a matter of sorting out the defence and then working on the attack after.
The game just doesn't work that way - you have to sort out both at the same time because the hardest part is getting the balance right in terms of when to attack/when to defend/when and where to take risks.
Now maybe Armagh will be more attacking come championship but I really can't see it happening with it causing issues at the back. It's why I'd have Armagh in the dangerous/might take out other dangerous teams/even serious contenders but I would be very surprised if they managed to win Sam, especially with the new structure.

[galwayman]

Galway have had a good league, I know most of us would have been delighted to be in this position before a ball had been kicked and got worse losing Comer & Finnerty in the opening games.

Defensively depth has been added which is surprising Silke & Molloy were already missing but Hernon, O'Flaherty, McGrath & Eoghan Kelly and possibly Mulcahy look comfortable at this level so Joyce will be delighted. O'Flaherty is still u20 whilst McGrath and Hernon would be u21's and Eoghan Kelly has only been taking football seriously the last few years so definite scope for more improvement. Hernon has played very little football the last 18 months due to injury.

Culhane must be frustrated as he knows he'd have got a decent run with the big guns in attack missing but certainly played his part on Saturday and his 2nd mark was really well worked something Galway probably haven't used as much as they should.

Fairly sure I heard Fitzmaurice say Molloy will back for the summer, now we've all heard is recovery is going well but that would seem very fanciful given the nature of his injury.

As Mouview stated midfield is a worry as McDaid clearly is carrying an injury and think Conroy will struggle to last 70 minutes come the summer. Will need to see more of Maher, not convinced how comfortable he is on the ball but its a position we're short in; James McLaughlin been unlucky with injuries so far but he's going to have a lot of hype to live upto.


Goes without saying the issue in net will continue, don't see Joyce dropping Gleeson.

Galway are going nicely but are still going to rely on top players staying fit, I do think the good news is Galway have more top players then they did last year.

Tomo will be a great option to be able to bring in off the bench. His shooting accuracy is his biggest attribute as he is not blessed with much pace. If we can find a way for him to take advanced marks like he did the last day he will fire them over all day. He is effectively the fourth scoring forward we have (after Wash, Finnerty and Comer) but I do think we're better off utilizing him as an impact sub as opposed to being a starter.

[seafoid]

https://www.rte.ie/sport/football/2023/0320/1364205-nfl-permutations-plot-lines-aplenty-ahead-of-final-day/
There's only one absolute certainty heading into the final round of Division 1 games, and that's Mayo's presence in the league final after Kevin McStay's revigorated outfit collected 10 points from a possible 12 - the latest of those wins coming against Donegal.

Galway are best placed to join them there and they will ensure a Connacht derby if they avoid defeat at home to Kerry.

Three other sides hold out hope of a top-two finish though.

If the Kingdom can win in Salthill, and Roscommon and Tyrone fail to win against Donegal and Armagh respectively, they'll set up a repeat of last year's final. Even if Tyrone and/or Roscommon win, a big scoring win could see Jack O'Connor's side progress.

Roscommon and Tyrone both need Kerry to win first and foremost to keep their final hopes alive. After that, if they win their games, then scoring difference will come into play.

As many as four teams could finish on eight points and at the moment Galway (+10) have the best scoring difference, with Kerry (+4) next and Tyrone and Roscommon both on +1.

The nature of the beast that is Division 1 football means that Kerry, Tyrone and Roscommon could technically still be relegated, but that would take a series of unfortunate events – or fortunate depending on where your loyalties lie.


For the fifth season in a row, Monaghan's safety hopes comes down to the final round
For that to happen, Monaghan would need to win in Mayo and Armagh in Tyrone. That would leave the second relegation spot on six points – the total Kerry, Tyrone and Roscommon are currently on - and scoring difference would again come into play.

The Farney County are the kings of last-day heroics, but if Armagh were to avoid a defeat in Omagh, then they'd need a massive win in Mayo to have any chance of survival. Their simplest route is victory in Castlebar and hope that Tyrone do them a favour.

Armagh have their destiny in their own hands and a win over Tyrone would be enough. A Mayo win over Monaghan would also secure another season in the top tier.

Mathematically, Donegal can still survive but their fate has been all but sealed.

Paddy Carr's side would need to beat Roscommon and hope that Monaghan and Mayo ends in a draw and Tyrone beat Armagh. If that was to happen, they'd still need a huge points swing with their scoring difference 28 points worse off than the Orchard County.

[LeoMc]

That doesn't make sense.

or the fifth season in a row, Monaghan's safety hopes comes down to the final round
For that to happen, Monaghan would need to win in Mayo and Armagh in Tyrone. That would leave the second relegation spot on six points – the total Kerry, Tyrone and Roscommon are currently on - and scoring difference would again come into play.

The Farney County are the kings of last-day heroics, but if Armagh were to avoid a defeat in Omagh, then they'd need a massive win in Mayo to have any chance of survival. Their simplest route is victory in Castlebar and hope that Tyrone do them a favour.


The first paragraph claims Monaghan needs Armagh to win, the second claims they need Tyrone to win!

[Armagh18]

That doesn't make sense.

or the fifth season in a row, Monaghan's safety hopes comes down to the final round
For that to happen, Monaghan would need to win in Mayo and Armagh in Tyrone. That would leave the second relegation spot on six points – the total Kerry, Tyrone and Roscommon are currently on - and scoring difference would again come into play.

The Farney County are the kings of last-day heroics, but if Armagh were to avoid a defeat in Omagh, then they'd need a massive win in Mayo to have any chance of survival. Their simplest route is victory in Castlebar and hope that Tyrone do them a favour.


The first paragraph claims Monaghan needs Armagh to win, the second claims they need Tyrone to win!

Think the word lose is missing there in first paragraph. They need us to lose in Tyrone

[blanketattack]

That doesn't make sense.

or the fifth season in a row, Monaghan's safety hopes comes down to the final round
For that to happen, Monaghan would need to win in Mayo and Armagh in Tyrone. That would leave the second relegation spot on six points – the total Kerry, Tyrone and Roscommon are currently on - and scoring difference would again come into play.

The Farney County are the kings of last-day heroics, but if Armagh were to avoid a defeat in Omagh, then they'd need a massive win in Mayo to have any chance of survival. Their simplest route is victory in Castlebar and hope that Tyrone do them a favour.


The first paragraph claims Monaghan needs Armagh to win, the second claims they need Tyrone to win!

Strange alright. Mentions Armagh winning in Omagh, avoiding defeat and losing.
1st scenario puts Monaghan and Tyrone on 6 points, but he forgets to mention that Roscommon or Kerry also need to lose to put another team on 6 points and bring points difference into it instead of head-to-head.

2nd scenario is essentially the same, if Armagh avoid defeat, it means either Tyrone or Armagh finish on 6 points, but again that's no good on their own as Monaghan would lose on head-to-head, so need someone to join them on 6.

[illdecide]

Some twists and turns TBF. Bar Mayo every team has something to play for and I suppose that's what you would want. The games this weekend will probably go the way I think they will with one exception "The Mayo v Monaghan game". With Mayo already guaranteed a play off spot will they play a weakened team?. If they still play their strongest team will Mayo go out with the cutting edge they've had? Monaghan can win this game bad and all as they've been due to Mayo maybe unintentionally taking their foot of the gas a bit (it is a natural thing to do when you don't have to win and they may well not set out to do this).

Tyrone v Armagh - Tyrone to win by 3pts
Kerry v Galway - Kerry to win by 5pts
Mayo v Monaghan - Mayo should win this but see above...
Roscommon v Donegal - Rossies to win by 3pts

If them results worked out like that or similar then Kerry would play Mayo os scoring difference with 4 teams on 8pts but the bottom is all about what happens in Mayo game.

[skeog]

No foot of gas Mayo are on a mission game in Healy Park is being hyped up but in reality its a dead rubber.

[Redhand Santa]

No foot of gas Mayo are on a mission game in Healy Park is being hyped up but in reality its a dead rubber.

It's definitely not a dead rubber for Armagh. The bookies aren't usually far away and they have Monaghan at 6/4 to win in Mayo. Given Mayo have a league final the following Sunday and the first round of championship the week after I'd be surprised if they don't make at least 5/6 changes for this one. They should probably still win it but with the disruption to their team and Monaghan's motivation to stay up an away win is far from impossible.

I don't think you'll see any holding back in Omagh. Armagh will be going flat out to get the win and stay up. Tyrone won't want to lose any momentum now going into the championship and after what happened last year against Armagh have a bit of a point to prove. It'll be a physical hard fought game.

[naka]

Actually fancy Monaghan to stay up .
If I were mayo given what's ahead I would rest my main players as they have bigger games upcoming .
Armagh have been poor this year and Tyrone are hitting some form , I can only see one winner in Omagh .

[illdecide]

Actually fancy Monaghan to stay up .
If I were mayo given what's ahead I would rest my main players as they have bigger games upcoming .
Armagh have been poor this year and Tyrone are hitting some form , I can only see one winner in Omagh .

I would agree with that Naka, why would Mayo risk any of their top players in a game that means nothing to them. As for Omagh...it will be tight but i expect Tyrone to win by a few...

[Redhand Santa]

Tyrone haven't beaten Armagh or Derry in the last 5/6 attempts - have really struggled to break down their defences and conceded goals on the break. Will be interesting to see if any improvement this week. Based on this and Armagh's desire to stay up they probably should be favourites.

[God14]

Tyrone haven't beaten Armagh or Derry in the last 5/6 attempts - have really struggled to break down their defences and conceded goals on the break. Will be interesting to see if any improvement this week. Based on this and Armagh's desire to stay up they probably should be favourites.

Would agree with that. There is a style to win Ulster derbys and a separate style to compete with the big guns down south. We've really struggled with Derry & Armagh so it will be interesting to see what has been learned.

[clarshack]

Armagh are favourites this Sunday. Tyrone couldn't beat them 3 times last season.

[Taylor]

Tyrone are favourites - and deservedly so.

Forget about the last 5 or 6 years - we are slowly starting to look like a team again.

Armagh on the other hand have regressed completely from last year