Messages

[Games shouldn't be won and lost just on kickouts. The FRC needs to fix this.]

To be fair to Armagh, they lost because they couldn't win their own kickout.  2024 rules they would not have gotten blitzed the way they did.  Didn't someone suggest a while back that the rule changes were tailor made for Kerry?  I know that's sour grapes but I had to write it.

I've been struggling with the kickout rules for over 5 months(since Kerry scored two goals off Derry kickouts at the end of their league game).  The team being scored on shouldn't be penalized the way the new rules punish them.  I've seen too many games in which one team goes on a 5-10 minute scoring spree because the opponent can't get any possession.

Yes I know each ball is 50/50, however if anyone has been keeping count I bet that the team winning its kickout immediately get a scoring opportunity maybe 10% of the time, or much less.  Whereas when a team loses it's kickout it seems to be under immediate threat at least 50% of the time.

Games shouldn't be won and lost just on kickouts.  The FRC needs to fix this.

This is nonsense

Disappointed with the performance yesterday but have to be impressed by Kerry and their intensity in the middle third. I did think Armagh would have been stronger in the middle eight and that it would have went down to the wire, but it wasn't to be.

I said previously on here that I feared we would get a trimming at some point if we didn't win enough possession in the middle as every time we don't have the ball, it is almost a guaranteed score/shot for the opposition. That was evident against Tyrone, Donegal, Derry, Dublin and Galway.

That might just be the new rules in action, but we have a very questionable defensive platform and we get fewer turnovers, compared to Donegal who seem that bit tighter at the back.

The key for Armagh yesterday was to win the midfield battle and we lost it spectacularly. This was a combination of a lack of work rate in midfield and some poor kickouts, but it certainly wasn't all on Rafferty as some would suggest.

Kerry had their tactics spot on and they closed out Grugan just as Donegal did. They also kept McQuillan quiet and as Kerry rose to the occasion our guys were found wanting.

I read somewhere that outside of Dublin and Kerry, no team has done back to back finals since Armagh in 03 and none has won back to back Sams since Cork in 1989/90.

So on that basis, Armagh have performed admirably as champions and these players and management owe the county nothing.

It looks like this is could be end of the road for some of this team (it was that kind of defeat) and we could be in for a dry spell because of how much we depend on lads like Murnin, Grugan & Campbell (if any of them decide to call it a day).

Galway's defeat has the same kind of feeling to it and they may be in a similar position after yesterday. That should be a reminder to Armagh followers to be very grateful that their team got over the line in the big one last year because both teams might be going into transitional period.

You now have teams coming like Tyrone, Down & Meath and no doubt Dublin will be back. Getting back to those heights will not be a simple exercise for Armagh.

If it is to be a transitional period I would certainly trust McGeeney with that job of by leading Armagh into it. Winning the All Ireland after 10 years in charge (something that must be a record and is rarely commented on) demonstrates that very well.

After so many years of Dublin domination and sheer negativity around the sport, do the supporters of the eight quarter-finalists not feel extremely privileged to be at the centre of a festival of football in a near enough sold out Croke Park this weekend?

Good times 😁

Keeping up with the Jones's

Iggy
Chris Og
Garvan
Ryan

Is there an Ethan Rafferty playing for Meath?

I think it is Sean Rafferty

Was he not a newsreader?

Utterly embarrassing stuff.

It's very fair they've been shafted. And I'm no Donegal fan.

How? Because They have to play 6 days after a game instead of 7? I haven't heard anyone explain why this makes a difference. Anyone saying an extra day's rest can save it. Teams will be training all week from tonight.

Why give Kerry 2 days extra rest?

The optics are not good.

They've been on a long slog and extra days rest would mean a lot mentally more than anything.

Mentally it will make no difference, they wouldn't be chilled on the Saturday if they had an AI QF on Sunday. Physically it will probably make no difference either. If you haven't recovered after 6 days you are injured.

Why give Kerry 2 days extra rest?

The obvious thing to do was Armagh Kerry Dublin Tyrone double header on Saturday and both Donegal and Galway on the Sunday and it's fair for everyone.

I can totally understand Donegals grievances.

The rest of you can't see beyond county rivalries and the fact Mcguinness did a bit of giving out after the match in the Hyde.

Donegal do have a point, but they were probaly the first team back training last winter. Then went to Portugal in early December.
Paddy McBrearty as a Minor featured with Donegal seniors on the same day.

Of course they have a point and they probably had a point about the Mayo match in The Hyde! But this is perhaps the fifth intervention:
Don't want the Ulster Final in Croke Park: or the Mayo match for that matter; cross about the Hyde being used  for Mayo match: too many matches causing injuries; and now this!

I accept that the first few were possibly in response to questions from the media but while this might get a bit of a siege mentality going he's actually doing every other county a favour by taking the spotlight off them. Will he be annoying his own players also with this stuff?

What was the point of that statement?

Users of this forum in particular seem to be losing their minds over Murphy and McGuinness

Well he is evil and all-powerful according to J70!

[Jimmy whinging matches]

Pretty much nailed on it'll be:

Saturday

Galway v Meath
Dublin v Tyrone

Sunday

Donegal v monaghan
Armagh v Kerry

Jimmy whinging matches will get his way, the 6 day turnaround should have to be sucked up and accepted for finishing 2nd or 3rd in the group.

Jimmy McGirnness

I hear McGuinness was complaining yesterday about unrealistic demands and the number of injuries to players across the country? It begs the question, did he not know the championship structure when he brought a 35 year old Murphy out of retirement and then play a game where nearly every play goes through him?

Are these genuine complaints or is it all about deflecting any chat or pressure from his squad? Whatever about it, it's all becoming a bit tiresome!

Galway shouldn't stand for a 6 day turnaround and you would never hear the end of McGuinness' moaning if they put Donegal / Monaghan on the Saturday.

I didn't hear any complaints from Galway about Down having a day less last week or Cavan only having a six day turnaround.

Similarly no complaints about the back to back weekends in the Group stages etc.

Only fair thing is luck of the draw.

Would Tyrone be entitled to complain about a 13 day turnaround when Armagh have a 14 day one?

It's the third week in a row to be fair  and by putting the Dubs and Kerry on the Saturday all the teams that played this weekend get the same turnaround. The only reason to put either Donegal or Galway on the Saturday would be related to balancing out the crowds.

Can't call three of those games. Galway will beat Meath even with their injuries.

Three Ulster teams should reach the last four and lucky Galway will find a way to fall over the line.

Is this not a game too far for Galway?Think the extra games have suited Kerry But Galway needed a handy game last week and they had another battle to the end. Meath are still a bit of an unknown quantity but if any other of the remaining teams won all their group games and beat Kerry & the Dubs in the championship, they'd be definite favourites.

Armagh v Kerry boils down to Armagh limiting Clifford's influence and the way they are defending I wouldn't count on it. If they can win midfield and cut off the supply, that's half the job done, but defensively Armagh don't look as balanced as they did last year with McKay out.

Love being writ off already and the draw only made. You'd swear Donegal put 30 on us in Ulster ffs

Fancy Monaghan to turn over Donegal. Donegal the best team in the last three games at protecting the goal, but Monaghan won't get caught like Louth carrying the ball into the tackle inside the arc and will shoot from distance.

Galway shouldn't stand for a 6 day turnaround and you would never hear the end of McGuinness' moaning if they put Donegal / Monaghan on the Saturday.

Was it just my bias today or did the Dubs and Kerry get some very handy decisions at critical times.

Foreby that, neither Cork or Cavan looked like they had any belief that they could win. Cork in particular stood off the Dubs when they needed the ball in the last few minutes. Good job they've no following or they'd be driving their supporters demented!

Armagh are the best team in the competition.
I'd be surprised if they don't go back to back.

Be a fine feat if they manage it.  The last Ulster team to win back-to-back All-Ireland Senior Football Championships was your own Down in 1960 and 1961.

Armagh have been very open at the back and if they lose the midfield battle then some team could give them a bit of a trimming.