Armagh v Cavan (Sun - 02-06-19) Clones

[brokencrossbar1]

Disappointing result. The goal chances were crucial. Jamie's was a banker and was disappointing but I personally think the move for Nugent's would have been a goal of the season contender and was actually more disappointing in my overall view as it is symptomatic of why we are in the qualifiers and Cavan are in the Ulster final. We made a great move, swept from back to front with slick passing and good movement. Got people in the right place, Murnin, was in the perfect place a la Kevin Foley in that great Meath v Dublin goal in 1991 but our final decision was wrong. The pass was the right call but Nugent shot. That final decision making was the difference the whole game. Cavan got the right man in the right position and that is why they got as many scores as they did. Their decision making was better than ours. Too often we didn't take that extra pass or didn't make the extra run and as a result we were shooting from the wrong position. This is due to a combination of a number of things.

Firstly, there were 4-5 players who are in their first season of championship or as regular championship starters. Good and all as Rian and Jarly are they are still cubs at county level and they will make mistakes. Put these lads in Kerry, Dublin etc and they are still making these mistakes but they are not the central players who have to lead the team therefore the mistakes don't look as bad, I have seen Clifford make a lot of mistakes playing with Kerry but they do not stand out.

Secondly, we were playing players who are not fully fit. Murnin was not near fit, Burns was also not at full pelt. As a consequence the fluidity that you would have in a fully fit team was not there. This has a knock on effect on other players.

Thirdly, Cavan are further down the development than our boys and this means that their decision making will be better. They are playing at a higher level consistently and therefore they have to make decisions faster therefore when they play a team at a lower level it looks slicker and more clinical. They are physically stronger and fitter than Armagh and that showed with them able to pull away at the end. Also, this is a team built on a good run of underage success. There is a lot to be said for the habit of winning as when things get a bit tight they know what to do without panicking.

Fourthly, I feel we lack leadership on the field, particularly round the central area. We rushed passes, we were forced into easy turnovers and lost kickouts at crucial times. The centre of the defence was badly exposed and no one took control and said lets shore things up here. There should be direction from the sideline of course but I think it is an easy get out to do that and the players need to take it upon themselves to do it too.

This final point is a massive point and the loss of Donaghy was cruelly felt. With all respect to Vernon he is not a man marker. He has a lot of attributes and has been a solid servant to the squad but he was never a marker. I think the management made a mistake having him laid out to do a marking job. They rectified it pretty quickly but the damage was done at that stage. The reality though is that we need a 3 and a 6 who know what the role is and have the mobility. Donaghy knows either role but is not as mobile as he used to be. I honestly don't know who else can play the role. McKay made a difference so maybe it is time to simply stick with him and go with it. There have been a lot of changes and in my opinion there needs to be consistency in playing positions to create consistency in performance. Also, Hughes in goals hasn't been tested as a GK but his kickouts are still a concern. We will not dominate any MF and certainly won't against Monaghan so a more structured kickout routine needs to be established. I feel it is ad hoc with no real purpose.

Management can be criticised, and I have been one of their fiercest critics, but they made the changes fairly quickly when things were not working out. I would have no issue with Soupy not starting as I do believe he is better off the bench. I thought Nugent deserved his start but his confidence took a wallop when the goal chance was missed and he was gone from there. Hall put in a good shift but his end product is suspect. He is very busy and wins a lot of ball but there's not much coming off it. I would like to see him drive at defenders more, the way Mackey and McVitty do and draw frees. He is quick, small and is a strong wee bugger, he could generate 3-4 scorable frees a game if he does this more. I think he nearly prefers to give and go but is not getting the return pass.

The reality is though we are still short 3-4 players. We have done well to get to the semi final but we are a good bit away from the top table. The 6 points gap maybe flattered Cavan but I honestly feel that they never really looked likely to lose once they established the lead in the first half. Moynagh and Clarke were defensively very strong for them and in Galligan in goals they have someone who provides stability and excellent kickouts. McKiernan, Mackey, McVitty and Murray were also top notch. Their spine is rock solid. Ours isn't. To me that is the key difference.

[mrdeeds]

Good to hear Jarlath Og released from hospital.

[naka]

Good to hear Jarlath Og released from hospital.

he was suffering from dehydration i heard.

[Itchy]

Good to hear Jarlath Og released from hospital.

he was suffering from dehydration i heard.

Well I hope that he was and it wasn't anything else. He seemed a lot less in the game yesterday whether thats because of a better effort by Cavan or something else I dont know.

[Throw ball]

Good summary BCB. The point on Donaghy is major. I honestly believe Armagh would have been promoted if he had been fit for every match in league. Think the fact Armagh appealed a no hope case shows management realise how important he is. McCabe deputised for him reasonably well in league but doesn't seem to have had a look in lately. As for Vernon I would have been reasonably happy with him picking up McKiernan in a midfield role but once he moved forward Vernon was in trouble.

[tonto1888]

Good to hear Jarlath Og released from hospital.

he was suffering from dehydration i heard.

Well I hope that he was and it wasn't anything else. He seemed a lot less in the game yesterday whether thats because of a better effort by Cavan or something else I dont know.

Stop beating about the bush and come out and say why everyone knows you're implying

[APM]

Some naval-gazing on here from an Armagh perspective.  But, some of the bleating about management calls, player performances is misplaced.  Only one team can win any game and Cavan would have been slight favourites going into both games.     

A bit of perspective is important. Cavan having been playing in Division 1 all year and have a very good panel of players.  I think ours have more potential, but we are at a different stage of development.  We have a number of excellent young players, along with several older players who have been to hell and back playing for Armagh and the younger lads are breathing a bit of life and belief back into the overall squad. With more young players due to come into the team (Ross McQuillan and Oisin O'Neill) the medium term looks positive. 

I don't know what the wide count was yesterday, but Cavan had one of those days when they couldn't miss - many of their scores were from the ball being worked into the D, but some of the long range free taking by Galligan was really impressive. Armagh, on the other hand missed about four good goal chances, two of which should definitely have been taken. 

Yesterday, McGeeney's instructions were to do what a lot of people on here were calling for.  Mark-up on the short kickouts.  We did that early on and with Murnion's hard tackling and Cavan's uncertainty, we almost profited before Cavan settled into the game.  Missing Donaghy and the higher press, meant that we couldn't stop Cavan running at us through the middle. The swarm defence that worked so well last week, wasn't really in evidence yesterday to the same extent.  At times also on the Cavan kickouts, it felt that the Armagh men were losing their markers in and around the middle. Was it poor concentration, tiredness, I don't know.

A few kickouts went astray, but I think Blaine Hughes done pretty well.  Thought he was pretty assured in general. Donaghy a big miss and can't say we done well defensively when we conceded 23 points. JOB quiet yesterday, but had that been his debut you would have said he done ok; such is the high standards he is setting for himself. Campbell should have started and really carried the game to Cavan.  At times we gave the wrong pass or didn't give the pass, when goals and points were on.

Hopefully these things will come.  I do feel that at some stage this forward unit of Armagh's will open up and give a good team a serious hiding, although I can't see it against Monaghan.

I have to say, that having paid £126 so far this year on tickets for Armagh matches family included; I have got great value for money.  Yesterday, was as entertaining a game as I have seen - not unlike the Roscommon game last year.  Good luck to Cavan in the Ulster Final - I think you will give Donegal a really good game and have every chance.