NFL Division 1 2022

[Ethan Tremblay]

Given how Armagh are defending this year, with the backline shored up, I wouldn't class changing the goalkeeper as 'experimental shite', and I think I read that Huges plays outfield for his club ironically enough.  I would imagine he was training good enough as a goalkeeper to earn his place last weekend, nothing is given.

Blaine won the intermediate this year playing in nets for Carrickcruppen and was hugely influential in their completely shock win.

Have defend McGeeney numerous times but the decision to play Rafferty in nets is baffling. By all means try it in the McKenna cup or later in the league when safety is secured, not in a hugely tough game against one of the best teams in the country when we really could have done with a win. Don't see what Rafferty brings bar distance on the kickout.

Apologies, not an Armagh man so dealing off second hand information on Hughes at club level.  Stand by my point though, there doesn't seem to be a lot of 1 on 1 situations up to this point to warrant an outstanding shot stopper to be placed in nets, and again I doubt the second goalkeeper was put in there for the sake of it, you would imagine if he was a calamity in nets it wouldn't have been up for discussion.  Rory Beagan's mishap at the weekend may put the need for a sweeper keeper to bed regardless. 

[Average Score]

McGeeney got ridiculed over that decision in Cavan, but go back and look at the video. The keeper was the least of our problems that day.

Totally agree but I was at the match the gloveless roving keeper didn't help to be fair.

[Armagh18]

Given how Armagh are defending this year, with the backline shored up, I wouldn't class changing the goalkeeper as 'experimental shite', and I think I read that Huges plays outfield for his club ironically enough.  I would imagine he was training good enough as a goalkeeper to earn his place last weekend, nothing is given.

Blaine won the intermediate this year playing in nets for Carrickcruppen and was hugely influential in their completely shock win.

Have defend McGeeney numerous times but the decision to play Rafferty in nets is baffling. By all means try it in the McKenna cup or later in the league when safety is secured, not in a hugely tough game against one of the best teams in the country when we really could have done with a win. Don't see what Rafferty brings bar distance on the kickout.

Apologies, not an Armagh man so dealing off second hand information on Hughes at club level.  Stand by my point though, there doesn't seem to be a lot of 1 on 1 situations up to this point to warrant an outstanding shot stopper to be placed in nets, and again I doubt the second goalkeeper was put in there for the sake of it, you would imagine if he was a calamity in nets it wouldn't have been up for discussion.  Rory Beagan's mishap at the weekend may put the need for a sweeper keeper to bed regardless.

Blaine would be as comfortable on the ball as Rafferty and well fit to play sweeper keeper imo, agreed that shot stopping is well down the list of things a keeper needs to be good at these days.

Thought Beggan was excellent against Armagh when Monaghan were a man down, he was an extra outlet for them keeping the ball, must have gotten too big for his boots against Kerry and was caught out. Wasn't actually at the Armagh match on Saturday but was told our kickouts were an issue and judging by the radio we seemed to lose an awful lot of our own. Again that doesn't always come down to just the keeper, but people have said Rafferty was slow to get set up and missed a lot of opportunities to play a short kickout.

[Blowitupref]

Given how Armagh are defending this year, with the backline shored up, I wouldn't class changing the goalkeeper as 'experimental shite', and I think I read that Huges plays outfield for his club ironically enough.  I would imagine he was training good enough as a goalkeeper to earn his place last weekend, nothing is given.

Blaine won the intermediate this year playing in nets for Carrickcruppen and was hugely influential in their completely shock win.

Have defend McGeeney numerous times but the decision to play Rafferty in nets is baffling. By all means try it in the McKenna cup or later in the league when safety is secured, not in a hugely tough game against one of the best teams in the country when we really could have done with a win. Don't see what Rafferty brings bar distance on the kickout.

Armagh could lose their remaining games and still stay up, it's as good as secured already.

[brokencrossbar1]

A vested interest really care to elaborate!  I am an Armagh supported who witnessed a goal keeping debut for a very decent outfield player against one of the best counties in Ireland when we are far from safe and you reel out some conspiracy theory. 

It's the only explanation I can offer for an analysis so lacking in objectivity.

Or an analysis not of your liking. Maybe after years in the doldrums one would have like to see a progressing team still progress instead of experimental shite with a keeper midway through a league campaign.

Of all people to question over an analysis into inter county goalkeeping I think Rufus would be one I wouldn't be questioning!  Blaine Hughes has done grand but he's had no challenge. He is a solid keeper but to try something different is worth trying in the league rather than waiting until a championship when there's no option. Give them both the chance and see how it goes. Time will tell the right answer.

[Armagh18]

Given how Armagh are defending this year, with the backline shored up, I wouldn't class changing the goalkeeper as 'experimental shite', and I think I read that Huges plays outfield for his club ironically enough.  I would imagine he was training good enough as a goalkeeper to earn his place last weekend, nothing is given.

Blaine won the intermediate this year playing in nets for Carrickcruppen and was hugely influential in their completely shock win.

Have defend McGeeney numerous times but the decision to play Rafferty in nets is baffling. By all means try it in the McKenna cup or later in the league when safety is secured, not in a hugely tough game against one of the best teams in the country when we really could have done with a win. Don't see what Rafferty brings bar distance on the kickout.

Armagh could lose their remaining games and still stay up, it's as good as secured already.

I wouldnt like to be relying on other results and I certainly wouldnt like to be going into the Donegal game needing a win and having to show our hand against them pre championship. 2 points against Kildare and we can start to breathe easy.

[Armagh2022]

Given how Armagh are defending this year, with the backline shored up, I wouldn't class changing the goalkeeper as 'experimental shite', and I think I read that Huges plays outfield for his club ironically enough.  I would imagine he was training good enough as a goalkeeper to earn his place last weekend, nothing is given.

Blaine won the intermediate this year playing in nets for Carrickcruppen and was hugely influential in their completely shock win.

Have defend McGeeney numerous times but the decision to play Rafferty in nets is baffling. By all means try it in the McKenna cup or later in the league when safety is secured, not in a hugely tough game against one of the best teams in the country when we really could have done with a win. Don't see what Rafferty brings bar distance on the kickout.

Its not really baffling Ethan use to be a soccer keeper, plus he can come out and offer more than Blaine with regards to that. Think Blaine is a decent keeper but he makes a lot of mistakes and isnt comfortable in a tense situation think its a worthwhile exercise to see if Ethan is any better.

[general_lee]

 McGeeney wants a keeper who is comfortable carrying the ball. Ethan fits the bill

[twohands!!!]

Besides Armagh, Kildare, Kerry, and Mayo have all used 2 keepers in the league.

Mayo was an injury issue I believe.
Kildare and Kerry seemed to be about trying out options.

Dublin, Monaghan, Tyrone and Donegal are the 4 teams who've only had 1 keeper.
All of Comerford, Beggan, Morgan and Patton are fairly established as the number 1 keeper in their county - you'd wonder what sort of competition they are under in terms of keeping their place/what the odds of the 2/3 keepers would have to do to get a chance (barring injury)

You'd imagine that keepers who are coming out the field a la Beggan would have a significantly higher chance of picking up an injury as opposed to a traditional stays-between-his-post keeper given the ground they are covering and the fact that they are likely to be tackled more.

I'd also say there a keeper who comes out the pitch has a higher chance of picking up a red or a black card, especially given the increased risk of getting caught out of position. Could be a big question for a manager if a goalie picks up a black - do you use 2 substitutions (if you need to sub on and off a specialist goalie for an outfield player) or do you put an outfield player in goals and try and risk it?

[Average Score]

McGeeney wants a keeper who is comfortable carrying the ball. Ethan fits the bill

Are you saying (a) Blaine isn't comfortable carrying the ball and (b) distribution and shot stopping is now defunct for the Armagh team.  In his one game to date Rafferty didn't know when to stop carrying the ball, he is going make a Beggan cockup if he continues.

[Average Score]

Given how Armagh are defending this year, with the backline shored up, I wouldn't class changing the goalkeeper as 'experimental shite', and I think I read that Huges plays outfield for his club ironically enough.  I would imagine he was training good enough as a goalkeeper to earn his place last weekend, nothing is given.

Blaine won the intermediate this year playing in nets for Carrickcruppen and was hugely influential in their completely shock win.

Have defend McGeeney numerous times but the decision to play Rafferty in nets is baffling. By all means try it in the McKenna cup or later in the league when safety is secured, not in a hugely tough game against one of the best teams in the country when we really could have done with a win. Don't see what Rafferty brings bar distance on the kickout.

Its not really baffling Ethan use to be a soccer keeper, plus he can come out and offer more than Blaine with regards to that. Think Blaine is a decent keeper but he makes a lot of mistakes and isnt comfortable in a tense situation think its a worthwhile exercise to see if Ethan is any better.

And was he out of the country for the Dr McKenna?

[Armagh2022]

Blaine has made a few mistakes against Monaghan and against Tyrone he was wiltering under the pressure I thought when they Pushed up on his kickout. Maybe McGeeney thought he had to do something. Ethan had a serious injury last year not sure if he was available for the mckenna cup There doesnt seem to be a obvious number 2 with macgill in the u-20s I think.... Ethan done well against Mayo. I hope he gets his 2nd chance

[Armagh2022]

McGeeney wants a keeper who is comfortable carrying the ball. Ethan fits the bill

Are you saying (a) Blaine isn't comfortable carrying the ball and (b) distribution and shot stopping is now defunct for the Armagh team.  In his one game to date Rafferty didn't know when to stop carrying the ball, he is going make a Beggan cockup if he continues.

Thats just it I dont think his shot stopping is great and his distribution is only good if teams don't push up which I think every team in the country have started to do with us. Ethan was hitting Rian O Neill on our own 45 2 weeks ago with the assistance of the wind obviously.

[Crete Boom]

Mayo (NFL Division One v Kerry, 12/3/2022):

1. Rob Hennelly (Breaffy)

2. Padraig O'Hora (Ballina Stephenites)

3. Lee Keegan (Westport)

4. Michael Plunkett (Ballintubber)

5. Paddy Durcan (Castlebar Mitchels)

6. Stephen Coen (Hollymount/Carramore) (Captain)

7. Oisín Mullin (Kilmaine)

8. Jordan Flynn (Crossmolina Deel Rovers)

9. Matthew Ruane (Breaffy)

10. Diarmuid O'Connor (Ballintubber)

11. Aidan O'Shea (Breaffy)

12. Jack Carney (Kilmeena)

13. Fergal Boland (Aghamore)

14. Aiden Orme (Knockmore)

15. Ryan O'Donoghue (Belmullet).

Subs: Rory Byrne (Castlebar Mitchels), Donnacha McHugh (Castlebar Mitchels), Brendan Harrison (Aghamore), Enda Hession (Garrymore), David McBrien (Ballaghaderreen), Conor O'Shea (Breaffy), Kevin McLoughlin (Knockmore), Paul Towey (Charlestown Sarsfields), Fionn McDonagh (Westport), Conor Loftus (Crossmolina Deel Rovers), Frank Irwin (Ballina Stephenites).

[Ethan Tremblay]

Has the makings of a great game this does, and bar either team having an off day, there should only be a kick of a ball in it.  I will take Kerry for the win by 3points at the very most