Armagh Club football & hurling

[brokencrossbar1]

Joe, I am not afraid to answer any question asked of me, and I know that my feelings on this subject go against the grain of many people here for a number of reasons.

In my view, on his ability alone Stephen Kernan deserves to be a member of the Armagh squad.  I have seen him playing from a very early age and he has vision and brains which would out strip many season players.  He has a great ability to hit that defence splitting ball when he is on his game and can create and take chances.  

What I would say though is he is very much a confidence player.  When things are running for him he can be excellent when things are not running for his game suffers.  If he was an ordinary player this would go un-noticed, but unfortunately for him he is the managers son and is therefore is in the spotlight moreso than your ordinary joe player.  He is also human and reads papers, discussion boards, hears conversations and knows what people are saying about him.  I know what my confidence would be like if I had every game analysed the way his performances are by the posters on this board for instance.  People who analyse games and have no real experience of playing do not understand how a player works.  They may be able to see the nuances of the game but that is different than getting inside players minds.  I can't tell people not to criticise him, but I do think the absolute gutting he gets on here and other places is viscious and really very counter productive.  From what I know of the posters from Armagh who are on here, outside of myself, Rufus is the one who has most knowledge of playing the game and thankfully he also has an ability to see things differently than other posters.  I am not saying we are more knowledgeable but when it comes to knowing how players tick, I think you cannot get into that until you have played the game.

I also think that Stephen fully on his game would be a permanent fixture on the Cross team without question.  In many ways it is harder for him to get on there as he is a half forward or midfielder.  The midfield and CHF postions are concrete set at the minute with the twins and McKenna, of the two wing forwards you have Martin Aherne, who to my mind is the most under-rated player on the Cross team and John Murtagh.  They are excellent players and could push for county panel positions themselves.  Stephen is best suited to being CHF and it is difficult to get that in the Cross team, but their is an opening in that position for Armagh.  Will he play there in championship, I don't know,but if he is given a chance to develop, without the sword hanging over his head, I think you would see a much improved player.  Just remember the attitude of some people to McDonnell over recent years when his form dipped.  He was hung out on a number of occassions.

In regards to bias against Dromintee posters, they have a major issue with Joe from the days he didn't keep Barry Shannon on the squad and this was worsened by dropping Aidan.  For what it is worth I think Aidan should be there still and I think that was a mistake by Joe.  However, the 3 Dromintee players that are there now are the ones who certaily deserve to be there.  I cannot think of any others who should but I am open to suggestions.

[stpauls]

"Figure it out, bandit.  Mother from Mullghbawn and all her brothers/nephews play/played for them.  I went to shool in Cyullyhanna.  I grew up with all my best friends being Bridge men.  I don't really know who I am."

BC1,

you any relation to the Ferris' of Mullaghbawn?

[Six Inch Nail]

Figure it out, bandit.  Mother from Mullghbawn and all her brothers/nephews play/played for them.  I went to shool in Cyullyhanna.  I grew up with all my best friends being Bridge men.  I don't really know who I am

All yhour friends were from the Bridge because you lived in the Bridge stronghold of Creggan

With regard to Stephen Kernan, I don't know him too well but I believe he is a civil lad, and I rather see a hateful **** get a roasting on a discussion board.  However, my opinion on him is that he is a very useful player on the ball, as BC1 says he has great vision and can pass a ball very well.  The problem he has is that he can't get on the ball enough, shaking a marker at club level to gain possession is alot easier that shaking a county defender.  For this reason I would question his county credentials.  I couple of years ago I marked him and stuck to him fairly tight, I was playing wing half back - he didn't do an awful lot (not bragging or anything, I was average).  In the second half he was moved onto the 40', our centre half was told to hold his position and Stephen proceeded to beat us on his own.

[ard mhaca abu]

regardin the championship squad being named! who do you think will make an impact on the starting line and a a sub?

[brokencrossbar1]

St Paul's i am related to the boys and the Quinns.

I may have lived in Creggan but I was in the salubrious Cullyhanna part as you full well know  All the rest of on the other side of the playpark were in the bad side of the village "spit"  In fairness Nail I should have included you in the posters who played football at a decent level.....then again maybe not  The Glassdrumman parish townlands league against Drumbally and Carnally is not high enough, and anyway Colin Campbell always gave you a roasting

But you are right about Stephen in that he can struggle at wing forward but put him in the middle, get him on the ball and he is deadly.

[Six Inch Nail]

The football mightn't have been of the highest standard BC1, but the physical exchanges prepared you well for senior football

[thebandit]

For anyone who thinks SK hasn't the ability, think back to All Ireland Under 21 win - he was outstanding.

BC is right, he is obviously a confidence player and criticism thereof is counter-productive, although he seems to get a fairly vicious stream of criticism at times.

Aaron went through a rocky patch a few years ago when he was on the Cross team that won Junior, the Cross ones were giving him a fair bit of stick, anyone who thinks they were right to maintain 'he shouldn't be on the B team' needed their heads examined. Ollie Short said at the time that Aaron would shine at a higher standard of football and people laughed at him - turns out he was right.

BTW I'm surprised David McKenna didn't get a call up,

[southofnorth]

BTW I'm surprised David McKenna didn't get a call up,

Apparently McKenna was called up but didn't want to go this year.  He's had a fairly long and tough season.

[wotsit]

Has anyone got any predictions on how the senior championship matches are going to go, or even any prices

[pintsofguinness]

BC

If he was an ordinary player this would go un-noticed, but unfortunately for him he is the managers son and is therefore is in the spotlight moreso than your ordinary joe player.

If he was an ordinary player he'd have been dropped a long time ago!


btw, when did you start spelling like a brit?

[Armamike]

Steven Kernan has the ability alright, it's just that it hasn't really happened at senior level yet. He was a key player for the u21 team, no doubt about that.  As BC says he's there on potential, rather than perfromances to date.  He also is benefiting from the fact that Armagh are not exactly flush in the CHF department, esp. with John McEntee retiring.  In comparison, Gareth Swift has lost his place due to the no. of possible choices all vying for one of two places in midfield (he could have been tried at full forward though, which is another debate).  Armagh are short on playmakers, and that would be the reason i would think that SK is still there.  He is 24 though now, and has been on the panel a couple of years. He will know himself that he needs to start showing a bit more if/when he gets his chance in the championship.  Marsden would be my no.1 choice to start at CHF in the championship. He has the vision and passing ability to still play this  role, and play it well for Armagh.  I would like to see a half forward line with himself and Toal and Vernon either side (Vernon tried on the left as a counter to Aaron Kernan attacking down the right). Joe also has the option of keeping Martin O'Rourke in there in place of Vernon or Toal for the hard graft and a bit more balance. I think we're fooked if he decides to play Paddy McKeever AND Martin O'Rourke in the same line.

[Rufus T Firefly]

Bad news babies - I'm hearing from a very reliable source (of mine) some very bad news about Francis, i.e. cruciate ligament damage, ruling him out for the year!  This as a result of last week's match against Clans. 

Anybody else hear anything? Huge blow if true!! 

[winsamsoon]

"Mc kenna didn't want to go this year" That is priceless  How many other players from around the county that would give their balls to represent their county could come out with this. This guy should never be ASKED to play again for Armagh.

[ardal]

"Mc kenna didn't want to go this year" That is priceless  How many other players from around the county that would give their balls to represent their county could come out with this. This guy should never be ASKED to play again for Armagh.

Now that is "priceless".
Maybe he has reasons for postponing for a year, but yeah go ahead, never ask him again.

[stew]

"Mc kenna didn't want to go this year" That is priceless  How many other players from around the county that would give their balls to represent their county could come out with this. This guy should never be ASKED to play again for Armagh.

A healthy attitude that, never mind WHY he would not asked to be considered. He has his reasons and if he is considered good enough in the future then we take him, we are not friggin Kerry you know!