Armagh Club football & hurling

[pintsofguinness]

are you getting your excuses in early Pints ?

Ha! Hardly.  I've no time for excuses and no respect for anyone who starts making them, the shirts will be filled and there's a place in a championship final up for grabs. 

The 'bridge by 3.

[RICH TEA]

i hear bridge also missing ryan hamill, liam campbell and maybe nial reel all due to injury, surely the better players of the team if this is true will be cull win

[pintsofguinness]

i hear bridge also missing ryan hamill, liam campbell and maybe nial reel all due to injury, surely the better players of the team if this is true will be cull win

Ryan and Niall I know about.  Never heard about Liam, it'll be some injury that keeps liam from playing - or he'll need to be tied down somewhere!
Also Cormac McEvoy hasn't played in quite a few games, don't think he'll be back?

Key players out yes but no excuses, perfect opportunity for the younger lads, Tryanor, the Byrnes and Hughes, Malley and Murphy etc to stand up and be counted.

[Old Bill]

Who is MC CANN? and is that a threat? calm down son...

[pintsofguinness]

Who is MC CANN? and is that a threat? calm down son...

I'd imagine he's talking about Silverbridge's Damien McCann. 

[RICH TEA]

i think its time back of the net grew up, this fued is over, the bridge team that beat st pats 3 years ago on the scoreboard are nearly all now finished senior and playin b football, this is a new younger squad of the bridge team, well most of them, and no need to bring this up again( i have friends from both clubs who want this silly row forgot about and this will not happen with the likes of you makin threats) whoever wins this weekend in the semis the final will be a good clean one i hope and may the best team win.

i do think cull will win by 2 but should be a good one

[pintsofguinness]

the bridge team that beat st pats 3 years ago on the scoreboard are nearly all now finished senior and playin b football,

I can only think of 4 of that panel not playing senior now, Ciaran Conlon, Nicholas Traynor, Barry Campbell and Frank Smyth.

[RealSpiritof98]

Cuchulainns beat middletown 2nite in the intermediate play off. They play gort na mona on sunday at casement at the same time the harps and ogs are playing in armagh, leaving 6 lads a choice of ulster hurling semi or club football semi, surely this could be avoided.

[el_cuervo_fc]

Cuchulainns beat middletown 2nite in the intermediate play off. They play gort na mona on sunday at casement at the same time the harps and ogs are playing in armagh, leaving 6 lads a choice of ulster hurling semi or club football semi, surely this could be avoided.

well done last night Spirit.  From all accounts it seems to have been a bit tempestuous

[el_cuervo_fc]

From The Irish News

Harps capable of an upset against Cross Lucozade Armagh Senior Football Championship
By Niall McCoy
03/10/08

THE Athletic Grounds will have a new look for

Sunday's Armagh Senior Football Championship semi-finals and Charlie Vernon is hoping that Armagh Harps can prevent the same old story on the pitch.

Crossmaglen Rangers, the dominant force of Armagh football, are aiming for their 13th consecutive final and are odds-on favourites to overcome a side who were relegated from Division One this season.

But the City side have shown a different pedigree in this year's Championship and a seven-point victory over an improving

Carrickcruppen side in the first round was followed by a gritty, hard-working two-point victory over Mullaghabawn in the quarter-final.

Vernon missed that game through injury, but should be fit to take the field on Sunday and, after a successful first season in the Armagh starting 15, he is sure to have a pivotal role in proceedings.

"I missed the match because I went over on my ankle two nights before the game, but the guys showed character, especially when Mullaghbawn got their goal.

"We finished the game well and we are hopeful for Sunday. There is no point going on to the field if you don't give yourself a chance."

Collie Holmes also missed the Mullaghbawn match, but for different reasons. The midfielder was on county duty and went on to claim All-Ireland glory with Tyrone.

His return to the team is significant, because Crossmaglen's midfield performances have been slightly shy of their own extremely high standards in the odd League match and also in their first round Championship match against Dromintee.

If Holmes, Vernon and Gareth Swift can win enough possession to feed into their dangerous

full-forward line, they may have a chance.

"Having Collie back is a great boost; he is a leader and a great motivator. Obviously, like all games, the middle is going to be important.

"If we can win enough ball there the forwards will have a chance – but, against Cross, you need to take all your chances."

One of the most prominent forwards for Harps this year has been Kevin Kelly.

The full-forward is an injury concern for the match and is rated 50/50 to feature in their first semi-final since 2004 and, if he was unable to play, it would be a massive blow for the side.

"Kevin has been in excellent form this year. We really need him fit, because his free taking is

always good as well.

"We have good players throughout the team and we all need to play well."

The club are celebrating their 120th anniversary this year and relegation was not a part of the

celebratory plans, but Vernon is hoping there may be a celebration for a different anniversary – 50 years ago they won the Championship and they defeated Crossmaglen along the way.

"Obviously, it was tough going down when we were celebrating 120 years.

"The boys will hopefully re-group and we can get back up where we feel we belong.

"Cross's record speaks for itself and everything has to go right for us, but, if we take our chances, we will be in with a shout."

Crossmaglen are still without Brendan McKeown, but David McKenna may play some part after missing the Dromintee match and the rout of Clann na Gael in the quarter-final with a hand injury.

Vernon knows that, even with injuries, Crossmaglen will still field a formidable 15.

"The grounds may be done up and it is nice to be at the Athletic Grounds, because it was the scene of many Harps' triumphs, but, at the end of the day, it is just a pitch and we have to go out there and be the better team."

[Whacker]

Very well written 

is there anywhere giving the handicap on the cross match?

[Candyman]

Very well written 

is there anywhere giving the handicap on the cross match?

You have no chance...

Once again in that article CV comes across as the gent he really is. 

[bennydorano]

Very well written 

is there anywhere giving the handicap on the cross match?

Is that a piece from the boul Corn then?  Nice piece but I hate to see articles like that when we should be going in under the radar. 

[nutsy--1]

Cuchulainns beat middletown 2nite in the intermediate play off. They play gort na mona on sunday at casement at the same time the harps and ogs are playing in armagh, leaving 6 lads a choice of ulster hurling semi or club football semi, surely this could be avoided.

Whos the six lads i know of coulter, turley barton and gribben who's the other two??

Excellent win last nite for cuchulainns, a nice wee scrap in the middle!!

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

Very well written 

is there anywhere giving the handicap on the cross match?

Is that a piece from the boul Corn then?  Nice piece but I hate to see articles like that when we should be going in under the radar. 

Yis don't have a hope Benny. That better?

On a serious note, what's this Harps minor team like? Has there been a lot expected of them all year?