Messages

Was at Armagh v Donegal game and after reading posts here watched second half again. The Jarly Burns frees given by the referee were always going to be given. Nowadays you cannot pull at a player or put you hand on a shoulder, especially when he is travelling so fast. Armagh have been poor this year but even at the game I never thought Armagh were going to lose. Each time Donegal got close Armagh pushed ahead again. They also had a couple to good goal scoring chances  Donegal have plenty of work to do. As for the referee when watching it again he wasn't as bad as I thought in real time. I also note how when Armagh give away more frees than opposition we are told they don't know how to tackle but when give away less the referee is biased.

Armagh were very cynical in blocking runners for kickouts. Unpunished by the ref many times despite being pointed out several times.

Going by the amount of ball they win around midfield they are obviously not much good at this!

Never mind referees , players or bad decisions that pitch in Dr Hyde Park is terrible. Players slipping everywhere. Someone could get badly injured.

A friend of mine played County hurling on it. Said it was one of the best pitches he was ever on. The old surface before it was relayed was old school. A bumpy field.

Ros were certainly guilty of buying frees and feigning injury. Its not great to see but most teams utilise the dark arts these days. Ros were a soft naive team before this year. We are sick of the narrative of great forwards but conceding monster scores once anyone has a right go at us. So, personally I will accept a bit of cynical stuff as that is part of the streetwise game management that top teams often have. We appear miles ahead of where we were in that regard and not such a soft touch tactically anymore.

Maybe it was because surface was wet but players lost their footing a lot.

Never mind referees , players or bad decisions that pitch in Dr Hyde Park is terrible. Players slipping everywhere. Someone could get badly injured.

Morgan is one man fouling machine. He should have had a yellow even before the ball was threw in.
For all Araon Kernans ability he was badly caught out for the second goal. That said hes been some role model.
I think Drew Wylie set the template on how to mark O'Neil. He wasn't used that sort of attention and it rattled him

The comments on Morgan show how reputations can overshadow reality. The improvement in Morgan's discipline the last few years has been remarkable. Probably still as annoying as always but alot smarter. Every team has a player like him.

Calls for an all star for Rian O'Neill this year were wide of the mark I thought and cemented by his performance last night for Cross.
He's undoubtedly a talent but has a tendency to drift out in games when it matters. He's young and it will come for him eventually though as he has size, pace and accuracy off either peg.
Armagh club football is bang average at the minute as well.

Talk that O'Neill was an injury doubt before the game yesterday. Perhaps this was a factor in his performance.

Armagh club football is probably worse than average at the minute. Structures are good and run well enough, but there's little depth of talent developing across the club scene.

The fact he spend so long in full forward line may support that.

Half-time Derrynoose 1-7 0-3 Letterkenny.

How can a town the size of Letterkenny be junior? Are there other teams in area?

In the North the under 17 system means that a young fella going into year 13 ( old lower 6th) could have no football - under 19 is a waste of time. That is unless he is an elite player. I am also of the opinion that to say small clubs will fold if they are unable to field a 17 or 18 year old means the club isn't sufficient in the first place. It may be a struggle for 1 year but generally these players will come along one year later. In many cases the clubs want the better younger player to replace a poorer older player. The welfare of the younger player isn't even considered. I know that will be an unpopular opinion.

Having been involved at underage club football for many years I also find the under 15 grade a player welfare problem. Puberty means, in my opinion, that you can have a massive difference physically from the youngest player and oldest in the age group. This is most evident in the grade one player as the matches are much more physical.  Moving to even age range will lesson this problem.

Don't know much about either video but I am sure the fact that one is 7 years old - and if he has been punished before - will discourage nationalist's from playing for the North even more. They really are good at shooting themselves in the foot!

Never my favourite referee

Haven't got a chance to watch yet.

As a general view though the GAA can probably do little about online abuse. It is a worldwide societal problem

What they could try and act upon though is the sledging that goes on during games at all levels. At this time they should be aware that mental abuse can be as bad as physical.

It might also help if ex players and pundits were more considered and if politicians stayed out if it !

RTE could also get their own house in order. Instead of the Sunday game setting a witch-hunt agenda it could maybe try and analyse the games.

Good to see Sean Kelly cleared.

Since the match I have read and heard much vitriol against Armagh and individual players which as a proud Armagh and GAA man I find hard to take. By not appealing Nugent's card the County Board have obviously decided that dragging things on any further won't help the county. Harsh on Nugent.

TK was wrong, has accepted his punishment and should be allowed to move on. Some people need to realise how dangerous their anonymous comments can be to the person on the receiving end. Society is in a severe crisis with this type of thing.

Some have pointed out that Armagh must be to blame as they have been involved in 3 melees in the past year. But in truth a melee can only develop if both teams get involved.  On all occasions blame has to be shared.

Watching this current Armagh team play football is properly entertaining. They have been involved in high profile games in the last few years that have been among the most exciting of the year - v Roscommon in Portloaise,  Mayo in Castlebar, Monaghan in Newry and Galway in Croke Park to name a few. They play football. They play with pace on their good days.

I do wonder if the poor press will effect how their games are refereed going forward. But I would rather watch them play than watch some of the slow hand passing, side to side teams there are out there. Teams that are 'cute' .

Good luck to the teams left in the championship.  Let's hope for some colour and excitement.

While I completely agree with the above that we need to move on from the TK stuff as he's had his punishment now (and it's no Galway people here who are calling for his head), the idea that comer was the instigator is wrong and needs to stop.

Morgan, somewhat understandably in the joys of utter celebration, shouldered comer in the back and started mouthing a bit. Comer, who doesn't shy away from much to be fair, shoved back and then comer was surrounded by a few Armagh and then everyone started piling over. That's what happened and saying otherwise is starting a wrongful discussion about a player who still has to go perform in 2 weeks

I think you are close enough to what started it although I wouldn't quite say everyone started to pile as it doesn't take into account that they were going that way anyway to get to the changing rooms.

I have an idea who the second Armagh player that could be in bother is. Given what else went on I think that would be seen in this part of the world as the GAA pandering to the media.

Just out of interest, who is overrating him?

People in Armagh. His championship record is woeful.

His championship record is very poor.  Up until the past few weeks there were plenty in Armagh who thought he's had enough time.   In his defence, he hasn't had the benefit of any underage success coming through the system.  He has also managed a happy squad who seem back him strongly.

I'm just curious as to where the overrated thing comes from.  It's been used quite a bit on here.  I don't see many in the media or pundits eulogising him.

The longevity is hard to understand. As a Galway fan I have seen a lot of mediocre hurling and football managers over the years. I think Geezer is mediocre.

To be fair club football in Armagh has been poor for a number of years and there hasn't been any underage success. New systems have been put in place. The next few years will show if they are working

I gave up reading this thread and skipped to this page where a Galway man talked the most sense.

Before going further I will say TK deserves a ban and I hope he learns from it. He has the potential to be a very good player. People do stupid things and all they can do is learn from it. Other players have done the same without half the abuse.

As for the accusations Armagh somehow are especially profound at dirty tricks and starting melees - wise up. Every team has players who will push the line. Armagh no more than others. And the melees can only start if 2 teams get involved.

For me a big part of the problem with this Armagh team is that they aren't cute enough. Without criticising Galway they had players to win frees, lie injured to stop momentum and block runners with half fouls that go unpunished. Most Armagh players take it as an affront to be treated by the physio! I think this more than anything contributes to them getting involved in melees. It is not in their nature to walk away.

As for what started yesterday's row. From were I sat Morgan gave Comer a bit of a shove and Comer overreacted - probably mad at the finish to game. He then pushed someone else and everyone charged in. The majority were trying to separate others.

I have been at nearly every game possible,  home and away, that Armagh have played since Geezer took over. The majority of the time the games have been exciting. There is a reason so many went to support them yesterday.  Even those who wouldn't know a football if it hit them on the head. Armagh are good to watch .

Good luck Galway in rest of championship. I didn't hear their supporters complain about dirty tricks yesterday.