Armagh Club football & hurling

[brokencrossbar1]

The main reason maybe BC but to suggest Cross do not have a much bigge pick than the average south armagh team is foolish.

Of course there is a slightly bigger pick but less than some think.  Like the schools in Kilkenny the kids at St Pat's are taught to idolise the senior team from a young age.  I don't know if they still do it but Oisin and Aaron among others would go to the school to coach the young lads.  They have it breed into them as kids. 

I''ll give you an example of the difference in the areas.  I went to St Pat's Cullyhanna primary school.  When I was in P6 we won the McGeevey Cup, the first school in the area to do it.  The team was backboned by players who were Cullyhanna underage players, with myself, and Micheal McVerry from the Bridge.  There were some great players on that team, with at least 3 that went on to play minors for Armagh and Des Mackin played senior.  Cullyhanna never built on it and lost out on a potential county championship winning team as they had a lot of great players from th eprevious years team as well.

The following year St Pat's in Cross won it, with a team of Oisin, Francie, the Macs among others.  I played with them in the club and against them in the school, it was odd to say the least.  There ws very little difference between the two underage club teams at the time, we both would have played regulalry against each other, and Kileavey were in that mix too.  The difference was Tim Gregory took us under his wing and made us unbeatable.  We lost 2 underage games from U 12 to minor, in all competitions but the players were all from "established"  football families.  When we came through to senior, the club used our success to instill belief into all the young lads and that is reaping its rewards now.     It is not that there are more players but simply that they are getting better coached. 

I heard an interview with the gret Weeshie Fogarty on the radio today which summed up why the likes of Tommy Walsh and Ogie Moran's son are playing so well.  They are excellent players in their own right, but they are playing with superstars.  This brings them to a different level of performance as they are training with better players, therefore learning better habits, they are developing the winning belief and they have supreme confidence in themselves and their team mates.  I would liken that to Cross.  There are more people living in Cork than Kerry and individually there is not a massive leap between them in terms of skill, but the difference is that Kerry have developed a system which works  consistently and all the players buy into it.  This is similar to the Cross set up.

Bc i dont believe what i say is bullshit, cross are the only team in a fiercely gaelic community who are also extremely wealthy( money fron ocupation of the grounds etc)  their only opposition was st johns which was quickly diffused,cullyhanna have 2 clubs competing,  keady have a hurling team which cross dont have,mullaghbawn have forkhill pinching 1/2 players, shanes and cruppen compete in an area that holds its allegiance to soccer, as does killeavey, lurgan is a soccer area with say 5 clubs competing,
to say u operate under the same constraints as everyone else is naive
whilst I respect cross, i have more respect for the guys who run phelim bradies, clady, lissummon madden etc

Naka that's fair enough but the reason Cross don't have as many constraints is because the senior team that I was on was so successful that no one wanted to go elsewhere.  But there is also a different mentality of the people involved and consequently the success feeds down.  The guys who run Phelim Brady's put in no more or no less effort than the ones involved in Cross and that, coupled with your comment in regards to money, are belittling to say the least.  We did not win All Irelands because we had money.  Money did not make myself and 30 other lads bust our holes on a training field.  We made the effort 15 years ago when Armagh was a joke of a county footballing wise to bring a bit of success to the county.  As a result the likes of you and many other posters here have had the opportunity to see Armagh lift Sam for the first time.  Cross changed the mentality of people in Armagh and no one can ever deny that.

[naka]

i dont think cross were the reason we won Sam ,they helped but geezer, mc grane atc were trhat focussed that they were going to die for the cause
i would never belittle cross and their achievements and accept that tim gregory was an important part of that  all i was saying was its easier to be associated with a successful team than a poor team, that is why their pick is greater
i recall when cruppen went to the 3rd division no one wanted to manage them nor sponsor them  it was only the usual families who contributed to the cause( loughrans, mcguinnesses burns etc)yet now they are getting relative success at underage level a whole new breed of families are getting involved who would have no tradition

[brokencrossbar1]

Naka, the likes of McGeeney and McGrane were driven of course, but you underestimate the influence of the likes of the McEntees.  Their wining attitude drives people on more than most.  They were as big a factor than the two you mentioned as they are born winners

[naka]

bc, point taken about mc entees

[Goats Do Shave]

BC1 - But then again Kerry Don't have to compete, to the same level, as Cork do with Soccer, Rugby & above all Hurling!

Cork have to be overall the top sporting County.

[brokencrossbar1]

BC1 - But then again Kerry Don't have to compete, to the same level, as Cork do with Soccer, Rugby & above all Hurling!

Cork have to be overall the top sporting County.

I agree Goats.  The point I was making there is that player for player I feel there is not a huge difference between the two teams, simply that the Kerry boys have a winning mentality and the Cork lads don't.

[corn02]

BC - don't get me wrong I said the bgger pack is a factor, but only a small one. i appreciate Cross and their achievements.

Naka - fair enough I see where your coming from. But all I know is that there is no way the volunteers in other clubs could work harder than the Dromintee volunteers and that goes fro Harps, Cross etc as well I am sure.

[pintsofguinness]

What is the Primary School set up in around that whole area?  Are the likes of Silverbridge, Cullyhanna, Mullabawn, Cullaville catered for by their own schools are do they all go to St Pat's PS in Cross? 

Benny, Silverbridge is hardly catered for by a Primary School.  The Primary school in the area is Glassdrummond - it's got about 100 pupils and would only really get children from Glassdrummond or Tullydonnell.  - Most of the 'bridge kids would go to school in Cullyhanna (and maybe to a lesser extent Cross). 

I'd say Cullaville is similar, their Primary School is also very small and I'd imagine Cross Primary gets a lot from Cullaville. 

[crossfire]

 Quote from Broken Crossbar "Obviously Cross dominate the south figures with 37"

Psychic I hope your right BC 1

[charlie stubbs]

INTERMEDIATE
Saturday 20 September
Intermediate Football Championship Quarter-Final Replay (4.00)
Culloville v Wolfe Tone at Ballyhegan
Extra time, if required

Saturday 27 September
Intermediate Football Championship Semi-Final (4.00)
St Patrick's v Sarsfields at Pearse Og Park

Saturday 4 October
Intermediate Football Championship Semi-Final (4.00)
Silverbridge v Culloville/Wolfe Tones at Cullyhanna or Pearse Og Park

think the sarsfields cullyhanna game could be a very good game probably head up to it next weekend.  whoever comes through this game no doubt be jstifiable favourites for the final.

would be interesting to see cullyhanna and the bridge in the final alright, however i think whoever comes through the tones cullaville game will account for the bridge.  saw them against st.pauls wo had them on the rocks in the 1st half then damian mccann took over in the 2nd half. 

intermediate always appears to provide some excitement when it gets to this stage!

cullaville will start favourites tomorrow our form has really picked up the last month though  ffeel we may have missed the boat the last day!hope i am wrong!!

[pintsofguinness]

however i think whoever comes through the tones cullaville game will account for the bridge.  saw them against st.pauls wo had them on the rocks in the 1st half then damian mccann took over in the 2nd half.

I don't know if that's fair Charlie, we started without at least 5 regulars for that game and won by 6 points. - 0-15 to 1-6, with their goal coming from a penalty.


That said the 'bridge will be up against it, at full strength I'd be confident but if we do progress it'll probably have to be without McAvoy, Hamill and Niall Reel which will be extremely difficult.

[charlie stubbs]

yous certainly improved in the 2nd half wasnt aware that you where missing so many.  whats wrong with those 3 boys pints be big loss alright

[pintsofguinness]

yous certainly improved in the 2nd half wasnt aware that you where missing so many.  whats wrong with those 3 boys pints be big loss alright

Well I don't really know the details on the injuries of if they're likely to make it back in time but McAvoy and Hamill haven't played in a few games now, I think I heard Cormac wasn't even fit to tog out against in either Keady games?
Just heard Reel carried off against Keady, heard it was ligaments so not good if that's true
Young McGarvey only fit to play here and there too (through injury) and we need him back at his best and in the middle of the field.

That's arguably the f**king midfield, CHF and CHB out 


But anyway, no excuses, no time to feel sorry for ourselves, the shirts will be filled and there's a championship to win!!

[Armagh Exile]

Silverbridge and St Patrick's to make it an "All South Armagh Final" with the Cullyhanna men to avenge their previous championship defeat when they lost to Silverbridge after extra time in a replay at Crossmaglen.

[Smokin Joe]

The main reason maybe BC but to suggest Cross do not have a much bigge pick than the average south armagh team is foolish.

I''ll give you an example of the difference in the areas.  I went to St Pat's Cullyhanna primary school.  When I was in P6 we won the McGeevey Cup, the first school in the area to do it.  The team was backboned by players who were Cullyhanna underage players, with myself, and Micheal McVerry from the Bridge.  There were some great players on that team, with at least 3 that went on to play minors for Armagh and Des Mackin played senior.  Cullyhanna never built on it and lost out on a potential county championship winning team as they had a lot of great players from th eprevious years team as well.

The following year St Pat's in Cross won it, with a team of Oisin, Francie, the Macs among others. 

Bc i dont believe what i say is bullshit, cross are the only team in a fiercely gaelic community who are also extremely wealthy( money fron ocupation of the grounds etc)  their only opposition was st johns which was quickly diffused,cullyhanna have 2 clubs competing,  keady have a hurling team which cross dont have,mullaghbawn have forkhill pinching 1/2 players, shanes and cruppen compete in an area that holds its allegiance to soccer, as does killeavey, lurgan is a soccer area with say 5 clubs competing,
to say u operate under the same constraints as everyone else is naive
whilst I respect cross, i have more respect for the guys who run phelim bradies, clady, lissummon madden etc

Naka that's fair enough but the reason Cross don't have as many constraints is because the senior team that I was on was so successful that no one wanted to go elsewhere.  But there is also a different mentality of the people involved and consequently the success feeds down.  The guys who run Phelim Brady's put in no more or no less effort than the ones involved in Cross and that, coupled with your comment in regards to money, are belittling to say the least.  We did not win All Irelands because we had money.  Money did not make myself and 30 other lads bust our holes on a training field.  We made the effort 15 years ago when Armagh was a joke of a county footballing wise to bring a bit of success to the county.  As a result the likes of you and many other posters here have had the opportunity to see Armagh lift Sam for the first time.  Cross changed the mentality of people in Armagh and no one can ever deny that.

I think I won the McGreevey Cup the following year (1988) with Armagh CBS.