Armagh v Donegal (Sun 12th June, Clones, 4pm)

[Ethan Tremblay]

Again another tight encounter and one that could swing either way. 

My thinking is, that Donegal showed their hand completely against Armagh in the last game, so Armagh should be wise to how they are moving the ball and moving without the ball.  This draw suits both teams, Donegal know they have beaten Armagh in championship football, and Armagh know they have the chance to redress that, neither team should hold no big fear of the other.   

Its hard to predict who will pick up Murphy and McBrearty this time around also, as Armagh struggle to contain them when they play against them. 

Also as mentioned, how the bodies hold up from the game on Sunday may play a part in this, 7 days is a quick turnaround for the Armagh players. 

[seafoid]

If Armagh's senior players deliver,  Armagh can win it.

[Armagh18]

Again another tight encounter and one that could swing either way. 

My thinking is, that Donegal showed their hand completely against Armagh in the last game, so Armagh should be wise to how they are moving the ball and moving without the ball.  This draw suits both teams, Donegal know they have beaten Armagh in championship football, and Armagh know they have the chance to redress that, neither team should hold no big fear of the other.   

Its hard to predict who will pick up Murphy and McBrearty this time around also, as Armagh struggle to contain them when they play against them. 

Also as mentioned, how the bodies hold up from the game on Sunday may play a part in this, 7 days is a quick turnaround for the Armagh players.

Yeah would have been nice to play someone different but neither team will fear the other for sure. Forker usually does rightly on Murphy and McKay was decent on McBrearty last day out in the first half anyway. Paddy Burns another option. Wouldn't mind seeing Morgan on Murphy as he's got the strength to compete physically and loves to drive forward so could put Murphy on the back foot.

[naka]

Again another tight encounter and one that could swing either way. 

My thinking is, that Donegal showed their hand completely against Armagh in the last game, so Armagh should be wise to how they are moving the ball and moving without the ball.  This draw suits both teams, Donegal know they have beaten Armagh in championship football, and Armagh know they have the chance to redress that, neither team should hold no big fear of the other.   

Its hard to predict who will pick up Murphy and McBrearty this time around also, as Armagh struggle to contain them when they play against them. 

Also as mentioned, how the bodies hold up from the game on Sunday may play a part in this, 7 days is a quick turnaround for the Armagh players.

Yeah would have been nice to play someone different but neither team will fear the other for sure. Forker usually does rightly on Murphy and McKay was decent on McBrearty last day out in the first half anyway. Paddy Burns another option. Wouldn't mind seeing Morgan on Murphy as he's got the strength to compete physically and loves to drive forward so could put Murphy on the back foot.

would like morgan on murphy because i would want murphy having to do some chasing
armagh can`t be as bad but if we were honest in ballybofey donegal could have been out of sight at half time
tactically armagh need to go for it.

[yellowcard]

Few questions for Armagh men:

Donegal will setup defensively...
How will you not have to start hand passing across the blanket defence? What's the alternative? Kick long over the blanket before they are able to flood men back. Cavan caused Donegal full back line all sorts of problems in the first half by kicking long and but for missed chances would have led by 4 or 5 points at half time. Armagh have the ball winning players inside to be able to do this and Donegal have a weak full back line without protection. If they then flood extra men back then that creates more opportunities to run the ball with extra space. With an extra man around the middle that this will create plus Rafferty playing out the field there should be plenty of options.

How do you not engage in a short running passing game with a team flooding back and target me double teamed? See above. Transition quicker and kick long before they have time to set into position.

How do you retain 2 men inside if their markers attack en masse? They don't have the personnel in their full back line to cause damage attacking. If they do then Armagh can just rotate the men inside.

And, why confident of winning if it did come down to a shoot out? You've a forward unit of Brennan, McHugh, McBreaty and Murphy in the Donegal ranks. McHugh is not a forward but does need to be tagged running from deep. Ban Gallagher the same. Murphy is an opportunity now to be attacked and as others have suggested, Morgan could be the best option to keep him on the back foot. He doesn't seem to have the tactical discipline to play inside even though he would be far more of a threat in there at this stage of his career. McBrearty is a finisher but can go long spells without touching the ball much. He is still a threat but no longer will he score 0-6 from play every game. Brennan and Langan are dangers. So they do have some quality footballers (overall I'd say they have better players than Armagh) but they are perennial underachievers and they are lesser than the sum of their parts. Armagh are probably the opposite.  

[balladmaker]

I see the referee is Brendan Cawley ... what refereeing traits should we expect from Brendan?

[greatpoint]

at least donegal cant narrow the pitch, so taht will make it easier for Armagh to at least win their own kickout.
actually buzzing myself for sunday if we get the injured guys on the pitch.
Mc Geeney needs to go for it, attack their kick out and push on.

When did Donegal narrow the pitch?

this year in ballyboffey
one could see clearly that the pitch was moved in at either side

It still looked very tight to the terraces on tv. Can't have been by much.

one could see clearly the markings, which tightened the whole pitch and
also allowed the bigger donegal men around the middle to close the space for the kickouts which meant rafferty had more often than not to go long.
armagh were cleaned out when this happened

The pitch being moved in a metre on each side (according to the BBC) would have given it the same dimensions as Croke Park. Incidentally, that's still far bigger than Clones.

[David McKeown]

Can't see anything but a Donegal win which is unfortunate because if Armagh were to win it's more likely than not that they'd have a very favourable draw for the quarter and semi finals (if they could get there). If Armagh, Mayo and Roscommon win this weekend then Armagh have a 2/3 chance to end up on the side of the draw with Galway, Derry and one of Roscommon, Mayo or Cork/Limerick. With no disrespect to those sides if that's not a big incentive to win then I don't know what is.

[illdecide]

Can't see anything but a Donegal win which is unfortunate because if Armagh were to win it's more likely than not that they'd have a very favourable draw for the quarter and semi finals (if they could get there). If Armagh, Mayo and Roscommon win this weekend then Armagh have a 2/3 chance to end up on the side of the draw with Galway, Derry and one of Roscommon, Mayo or Cork/Limerick. With no disrespect to those sides if that's not a big incentive to win then I don't know what is.

I'm sure they're all thinking the same thing though...you are not wrong btw.

[Armagh2022]

at least donegal cant narrow the pitch, so taht will make it easier for Armagh to at least win their own kickout.
actually buzzing myself for sunday if we get the injured guys on the pitch.
Mc Geeney needs to go for it, attack their kick out and push on.

Clones bigger longer though patton probably wont be able to kick as long

When did Donegal narrow the pitch?

this year in ballyboffey
one could see clearly that the pitch was moved in at either side

It still looked very tight to the terraces on tv. Can't have been by much.

one could see clearly the markings, which tightened the whole pitch and
also allowed the bigger donegal men around the middle to close the space for the kickouts which meant rafferty had more often than not to go long.
armagh were cleaned out when this happened

The pitch being moved in a metre on each side (according to the BBC) would have given it the same dimensions as Croke Park. Incidentally, that's still far bigger than Clones.

[Armagh2022]

Clones bigger longer though patton probably wont be able to kick as long

[greatpoint]

Clones bigger longer though patton probably wont be able to kick as long

Clones is 3 metres shorter.

[David McKeown]

Can't see anything but a Donegal win which is unfortunate because if Armagh were to win it's more likely than not that they'd have a very favourable draw for the quarter and semi finals (if they could get there). If Armagh, Mayo and Roscommon win this weekend then Armagh have a 2/3 chance to end up on the side of the draw with Galway, Derry and one of Roscommon, Mayo or Cork/Limerick. With no disrespect to those sides if that's not a big incentive to win then I don't know what is.

I'm sure they're all thinking the same thing though...you are not wrong btw.

Oh I'm sure they are and rightly so. Odds are considerably less for Donegal being on that side of the draw though.

[armaghniac]

Clones bigger longer though patton probably wont be able to kick as long

Clones is 3 metres shorter.

3 metres shorter than where? Ballybofey is supposed to be max length according to Wikipedia, but I posted an aerial image here which showed the 70m lines fairly close together which suggests that it is not.

[greatpoint]

Clones bigger longer though patton probably wont be able to kick as long

Clones is 3 metres shorter.

3 metres shorter than where? Ballybofey is supposed to be max length according to Wikipedia, but I posted an aerial image here which showed the 70m lines fairly close together which suggests that it is not.

3 metres shorter than both Croke Park and Ballybofey. The person I replied to said that Clones was bigger and longer, did you not read the post?