Donegal v Armagh Championship game

[HalfFitHalfBack]

Not every Armagh fan is against Stephen Kernan - the more intelligent Armagh supporters recognise that he is a very talented footballer. He was indeed central to the U-21 All-Ireland winning team, his ability to deliver inch perfect passes being one of the strongest parts of his game. He also had a telling contribution when introduced in the All-Ireland club final. The lad plays on the greatest gaelic football club team in Ireland (or the world to be sensationalist) so he more than merits his place in the Armagh squad.

If Armagh people have an issue with any of the Kernan lads you bet it is because of petty local club rivalries.

If Joe Kernan decides to include Stephen Kernan in the starting 15 then that's reason enough for him to be in the team. I've total faith that Joe makes decisions that he thinks are the best for the team and for Armagh football.

I would also suggest to any of the so called fans that like to mock managers sons from the sidelines that you would be far better staying away from the match and let genuine supporters get on with supporting the team.

The cowardly slanging that some managers sons have endured is pathetic, the people that indulge in such activity do so via the anonymity of web forums or safety of a crowd.

[ONeill]

What age is Stephen Kernan? I remember Paddy Heaney predicting that Armagh would bring him on in the 2nd half v Tyrone in the All-Ireland semi of 05 to kill Tyrone off. Joe didn't. I remember Kernan hitting 1-3 from CHF in the All-Ireland U21 final the previous year. Looked very useful.

Good luck to Donegal by the way....

[Uladh]

You've been a lone voice in favour of blindly endorsing everything Big Joe does for quite a while now. intelligent posters, as you put it, are able to make their own minds up thanks very much.

Stephen kernan has been on the senior panel for four years now and i'm still waiting to see one of these inch perfect passes. come to think of it i'm still waiting on him to win a 50:50 ball.

petty club rivalries? thats why his crossmaglen clubmates (a club reknowned for standing up for their own) openly ridicule him for all of the things repeated ad nauseum on here....

[Donagh]

If Armagh people have an issue with any of the Kernan lads you bet it is because of petty local club rivalries.

I'm sorry HalfBack, but I was one of his biggest defenders on this board last year. He's had more than enough opportunity to show us what he can do, but at senior county level he's looked like a lost lamb. Time to move on and give others a chance...

[Orior]

I dont think John Rafferty would let Joe play favourites when they're not able.

Grimely's brand new world out from under Joe's wing did not get off to a good start.

[bennydorano]

He also had a telling contribution when introduced in the All-Ireland club final.

Brought on meaning he didn't start for his club! yet he can take one of the most pivotal positions on his county team    Like Donagh I've actually defended him a fair bit on here and I wouldn't be for writing him off just yet, but he's plainly not up to it at the minute (and I'll be delighted if he proves me wrong on Sunday).

Uladh I sincerely hope you are wrong with that lineup.  F Mo?? holy jaysus

[J70]

According to the Donegal News today, McIvor is hopeful that Devenney and Rory Kavanagh will be fit to take part. I can't see Devenney being fully fit and totally sharp after missing a month of training however. We're not short of options if Kavanagh isn't fully fit however.

I wonder will McIvor stick with Paddy Campbell at full-back? He had a hard time with Clarke last year. Will Marsden or whichever big man Armagh put in there be any easier?

I presume Lacey will take McDonnell, having kept him pretty quiet last time out, which leaves Neil McGee to follow McConville.

This time last year we hadn't a notion what team McIvor would pick to face Down. Not much easier this time, although the options fill one with a lot more optimism than they did in the lead-up to that Down game, when it looked like a team full of youngsters could be on the end of an embarrassing home defeat. Who knew this time last year that Rory Kavanagh would suddenly emerge from being a bit-part player to one of the main score-getters on the team during the Ulster Championship? Or that Barry Dunnion would fill Kevin Cassidy's shoes so admirably that the Goath Dobhair man would be freed up to give us some hope of a top-class midfield partnership for the first time in over a decade? Devenney didn't look like coming back, while we didn't know what would happen with Colm McFadden. Instead, a year on, thanks to McIvor's work, we have numerous options in the half-back, half-forward lines, and to a lesser extent (in terms of class), the full forwards. Not as many in the full-backs, although the apparent return of Niall McCready and the fact that Eamon McGee can't get a place in the half-backs gives us a bit of cover.

Have to say I feeling fairly optimistic about this one, although that is tempered by the fact that I was also feeling optimistic before facing Armagh in 2005 and ahem... 2004!

Unless all these Armagh men make miraculous recoveries, we will never have a better chance. Let's hope we can live up to the expectation, for once.

[Smokin Joe]

If Joe Kernan decides to include Stephen Kernan in the starting 15 then that's reason enough for him to be in the team. I've total faith that Joe makes decisions that he thinks are the best for the team and for Armagh football.

Yes, you are correct.  I am sure the reason that Aidan O'Rourke isn't on the squad is that it "is best for Armagh football".  Also if Joe had his was Geezer wouldn't be there on Sunday.

[aodhruadh]

According to the Indo

Devenney (stomach muscles), Roper (hamstring) and Neil McGee (dead leg) all took part in county training last Thursday, but the trio sat out a training match afterwards.

Insiders believe that Roper is the biggest doubt but say all three will be given a late fitness test, possibly not until the 11th hour, as manager Brian McIver does not want to risk exacerbating any of their injuries.


No word of Rory Kav, so presume he's raring to go.

[thebandit]

You're deluding yourself Benny... the team is hearty, mallon, mcnulty, moriarty, kernan, mcgeeney, mckeever, mcgrane, toner, McKeever, kernan, o'rourke, mcdonnell, Marsden, McConville. no room for debate... thats the team, god help us.

That is definately the team. Armagh will play 3-3-4-2-2 with Marsden and S Kernan the 2-man half forward line. 

I firmly believe that Stephen Kernan will show on Sunday exactly why he was picked. All he needs is the confidencle in his undoubted ability.

[Uladh]

I genuinely hope you're right bandit because if all four forwards aren't firing, armagh are going to struggle big time.

J70:

Looking at the possible matchups, i'd assume campbell will pick up McConville and he's probably exactly what donegal need for that job. a sticky, physical marker will probably keep oisin out of the game. a this stage in his career oisin would need a mcgee or someone similar who might switch off or want to get on the bal coming out of defence, so he could take his opportunities to ghost off him. marsden will play in the half forward line. on a similar subject, s kernan could get a lot of handy ball off monaghan if he's any way loose on him. kernan will drift into midfield looking for hand passes.

Our glimmer of hope is that you don't have the players to directly exploit our full back line. assuming mcivor will draw mallon out the field, moriarty and mcnulty aren't the las line you'd hope for but I don't think anyone you can play in there can win the ball, take their man on and score sufficiently well.

That is definately the team. Armagh will play 3-3-4-2-2 with Marsden and S Kernan the 2-man half forward line. 

Donegal will play a similar formation though probably closer to 3-3-6-0-2. the interesting thing is that if defenders stay with their forwards, the notional 3 - 3 at the back for both teams can't happen.

[harps2002champs]

He also had a telling contribution when introduced in the All-Ireland club final....
If Armagh people have an issue with any of the Kernan lads you bet it is because of petty local club rivalries.

how can you justify saying that he deserves his place on the county team when there are 15 better players on the cross team?

its not an issue with the kernan lads, its just stephen is not county standard! aaron is a quality footballer and i hope he continues to play the way he his

[gander]

Have to agree that I think S Kernan isn't up to county standard, but if/when he starts on Sunday he'll hopefully prove us all wrong.  Dont think anyone should be giving him, or any other armagh player abuse during a match, if your not going to support the team dont bother going.

[naka]

whilst I agree with your sentiments entirely Gander, I feel that Joe has placed a considerabe amount of pressure on his son by playing him in such a pivotal position, I feel that if he suffers like against fermanagh in clones it could destroy his confidence although all being told the word is that he wouldnt be lacking in that department.

[High Catch]

Any updates on injuries? Will Clarke or Mallon be on the bench?