Armagh Club football & hurling

[bennydorano]

Every SFC game set for the Athletic Grounds except Harps v Mullaghbawn which is in Cullyhanna - What the f**k is that about?

[fitzroyalty]

Maghery/Sarsfields is in Clann Eireann, Granemore/Newtown is in Keady...

Wouldn't be fair having M'bawn to travel to the city to play a city club would it? Not that Harps travelling to Cullyhanna is fair either.

[bennydorano]

I've been misinformed then.  Ogs V Dromintee is in AG.

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

Maghery/Sarsfields is in Clann Eireann, Granemore/Newtown is in Keady...

Wouldn't be fair having M'bawn to travel to the city to play a city club would it? Not that Harps travelling to Cullyhanna is fair either.

What's unfair about it? Only 10 / 15 minutes difference in travelling time. Where should the game be played in your sage opinion?

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

ACL Division 1: St Patrick's 4-11 Dromintee 0-7

After their comprehensive defeat to Crossmaglen, St Pat's responded in fine style last Tuesday night with a comfortable victory over an under-strength Dromintee. Played in good conditions at St Patrick's Park, this was a match dominated by the home side almost throughout. Indeed the opening thirty seconds were perhaps the only period during which Cullyhanna appeared in trouble as a swift Dromintee passing move initiated from the throw-in resulted in a fisted point. After five minutes, Ciaran McKeever kicked a good point to equalise before Kyle McEvoy put his side in front with a well-struck 45 gained from excellent work by Eugene Casey. A pointed Kyle McEvoy free extended the advantage before magnificent vision from Robbie Tasker provided an opportunity for Liam O'Hare to open his personal scoring account. A great effort from Pearse Casey put his side four points to the good before Kyle McEvoy pointed another free. With Cullyhanna dominant in all sectors, it was only a matter of time before a decisive advantage accrued and a well delivered free from Ciaran McKeever on 21 minutes found Liam O'Hare in space in front of goal. O'Hare made no mistake slotting the ball into the Dromintee net for the opening goal of the match. A minute later, a glorious Kyle McEvoy point increased the advantage to eight.

While the forwards were grabbing attention with some eye-catching scores, the defence performed excellently as a unit and indeed it was to take 28 minutes for Dromintee to register their second and final point of the half. Any doubt that may have lingered about the eventual result was extinguished after 29 minutes when Robbie Tasker latched onto a Mal Mackin delivery and rounded the goalkeeper before finishing to an empty net. A long range Liam O'Hare point completed the scoring for the half and left the scoreline at the break – St Patrick's 2-8 Dromintee 0-2.

As was perhaps to be expected, Dromintee began the second period with a renewed sense of vigour and kicked four of the opening five points, the sole Cullyhanna reply coming from a fine Eugene Casey effort. After 12 minutes, a crucial interception by Stephen Reel initiated a flowing St Pat's passing move during which the ball progressed the entire length of the pitch before being dispatched over the Dromintee crossbar by Ciaran McKeever. Midway through the second half, another long delivery paid dividends as Robbie Tasker was first to react to Ciaran McKeever's kick. The corner forward collected the breaking ball before firing to the net for a third Cullyhanna goal. Dromintee responded with a pointed free before their misery was compounded when Robbie Tasker combined with Barry McConville to allow the latter to register his side's fourth goal with 9 minutes remaining. The match petered out as a contest with a Kyle McEvoy pointed free the only addition to the scoresheet as St Pat's ran out comfortable winners on a scoreline of 4-11 to 0-7.

This was a pleasing performance for which each player involved can take immense credit however with the championship only a week away, it is difficult to attribute too much importance to League matches at this time of year. That said, the performance was one of quality and the side will hope to replicate this display in the coming weeks.

Starting XV: C O'Neill; P McKeever, P McCreesh, M Murray; Eoin McArdle, G McCooey, N McShane; P Casey (0-1), M Mackin; B McConville (1-0), E Casey (0-1), L O'Hare (1-2), C McKeever (0-2), K McEvoy (0-5) R Tasker (2-0)

ACL Division 1: Maghery 3-5 St. Patrick's 0-10

There must be something about the Lough shore air that does not agree with our team as for the second game in a few weeks we have been more than generous in our defending around Lough Neagh. Having conceded 4 at Sarsfields a few weeks ago we managed to let in 3 here in the second-half at Maghery to end up losing a game that for 40 minutes we had totally dominated. The throw in coincided with the start of a downpour that never let up for the entire 60 minutes making conditions difficult for both teams. Cullyhanna belied the conditions playing some good football in the early stages with points from Eugene Casey (2) and Liam O'Hare easing the team into a 3 point lead after 10 minutes. As the half progressed St. Pat's dominance continued but unfortunately their finishing was for the most part very poor as wide followed wide. At half-time the lead of 0-5 to 0-1 was useful but really the advantage should have been at least treble what it was.

The sides exchanged points soon the resumption but Cullyhanna were at this stage still looking comfortable. However Maghery, probably wisely given the conditions, adopted a simple tactic of lobbying high balls into the square and hoping for the best. Generally such balls suit the defence but with the St. Pat's full-back line lacking the necessary physical or aerial authority it paid off in handsome style as three loose balls were finished to the net in a 10 minute period midway through the half. It was a body blow that was impossible to recover from and resulted in the loss of a match which really never should have been lost had those simple Maghery tactics been successfully countered. A disappointing result only a week away from the championship but perhaps it is better happening here in a game of little consequence if lessons can be learned for the future.

Team: Conor O'Neill, Peter McKeever, Paudie McCreesh, Michael Murray, Eoin McArdle, Stephen Reel, Niall McShane, Barry McConville, Malachy Mackin, Pearse Casey, Eugene Casey (0-5), Liam O'Hare (0-1), Shane McKeever (0-3), Ciaran McKeever, Kieran Hoey (0-1).

ACL Division 4: St Patrick's II 2-14 Killean 0-8

The Division 4 side continued their recent run of good form with a comprehensive victory at home to Killean on Sunday afternoon. They produced an excellent performance which aided their promotion aspirations and served as ideal preparation for their forthcoming championship quarter-final against Dromintee II. Brendan Quinn and Brendan Nugent got the goals while a meritorious team display was assisted by fine individual performances from Conor McShane, Peter Loughran, midfielders Paudie Mackin and Kevin Toner and Barry McKeever in attack.

[Onion Bag]

Anyone got any results from the junior and intermediate matches, I know tullysarn got beat by Eire og, in the junior, i don't think the sarren are ever going to win a c'ship, getting beat by a div 4 team and them playing div 2 ball. It will be a hard monkey to shake off

[pearseog]

Maghery/Sarsfields is in Clann Eireann, Granemore/Newtown is in Keady...

Wouldn't be fair having M'bawn to travel to the city to play a city club would it? Not that Harps travelling to Cullyhanna is fair either.

What's unfair about it? Only 10 / 15 minutes difference in travelling time. Where should the game be played in your sage opinion?

id have thought newtown might have been more neutral, no? we had the same last year going to Cullyhanna to play M'bawn. To be honest though, it doesn't matter where the game is, you's should be beatin M'bawn handy enough with a full compliment of players.

[fitzroyalty]

I'd have thought somewhere a bit more 'in between' the two, like Newtown as pearseog says, but no matter.

By the way you're quite the wordsmith Tac, excellent reports, a great asset to your club.

[brokencrossbar1]

A bad beating for Clans at the weekend and looking at the Cross team it was against about half the first team. Things looking very bad for the Francis Street men. By the table if Sarsfields take 3 points from their remaining games then Clans and Cruppen are down, and that doesn't account for any loses for the 2 bottom teams. With Clann Eireann likely to come up and St Peter's making a great move from Division 3 to Division 2 it certainly looks like the footballing landscape is changing in Lurgan. I have seen people having a go at the current management but that in my mind isn't fair either. The problem lies much deeper than that. They have been on the slide for the last few years and when you see Soupy coming back at 40, and being one of the better players, you have to wonder what has been happening at the underage level. They played Cross in this years minors and were blitzed off the field. I would be fearful for them if they do go to Division 2 as it is a real dog eat dog world, ask the Harps men. If there is not much coming through from underage then the slip could go further. Big few weeks for the Bluemen.

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

I'd have thought somewhere a bit more 'in between' the two, like Newtown as pearseog says, but no matter.

By the way you're quite the wordsmith Tac, excellent reports, a great asset to your club.

Thanks Fitzroyalty. The Maghery report wasn't mine though I must admit. I was away in Galway all weekend!

It takes 15 minutes to get to Cullyhanna from Mullaghbawn, and 25 - 30 minutes from Armagh. There is a bit of a disparity there but I really don't think it makes any difference, certainly it didn't the last time Harps played Mullaghbawn in the championship at the same venue. I might be a bit defensive here but we've put a lot of effort and investment into turnstiles, spectators area etc in order to get Championship matches and I believe that facilities are a more important concern than getting an equi-distant venue. Once its away from either side's own pitch, I don't think there's much of a problem.

As for our own venue, I'd much rather be playing Whitecross somewhere in South Armagh over the weekend rather than heading to the Athletic Grounds on a Monday night.

[fitzroyalty]

A bad beating for Clans at the weekend and looking at the Cross team it was against about half the first team. Things looking very bad for the Francis Street men. By the table if Sarsfields take 3 points from their remaining games then Clans and Cruppen are down, and that doesn't account for any loses for the 2 bottom teams. With Clann Eireann likely to come up and St Peter's making a great move from Division 3 to Division 2 it certainly looks like the footballing landscape is changing in Lurgan. I have seen people having a go at the current management but that in my mind isn't fair either. The problem lies much deeper than that. They have been on the slide for the last few years and when you see Soupy coming back at 40, and being one of the better players, you have to wonder what has been happening at the underage level. They played Cross in this years minors and were blitzed off the field. I would be fearful for them if they do go to Division 2 as it is a real dog eat dog world, ask the Harps men. If there is not much coming through from underage then the slip could go further. Big few weeks for the Bluemen.

I don't think the landscape is changing that much. Clann Eireann have for good while now been a strong Division II outfit with excellent underage structures, it would have been apparent from last year after Nab/G'more went up that they'd challenge for promotion this year.

St Peter's were Division II last year and have been yo-yoing between Division II and III for a while now. They may possibly find their feet next year but I don't think there is anything major going on there other than a good minor team which has bulked up their senior squad.

What I will agree is your assessment that we have been on the slide. The players we lost through retirement etc have been impossible to replace, and since 2008 we have been struggling through Division 1. Where we are now is probably deserving given our poor performances throughout the year, and most in the club would have already by now accepted that we will be in Division II next year.

There are good prospects coming through at underage, certainly the number of players on show yesterday in Cross either just out minor/still minor would pay testiment to that.

In the likely event that we are relegated, I'd be confident that the appropiate action would be taken to ensure that our stay in Division II is a short one... Granted, that is easier said than done.

[fitzroyalty]

I'd have thought somewhere a bit more 'in between' the two, like Newtown as pearseog says, but no matter.

By the way you're quite the wordsmith Tac, excellent reports, a great asset to your club.

Thanks Fitzroyalty. The Maghery report wasn't mine though I must admit. I was away in Galway all weekend!

It takes 15 minutes to get to Cullyhanna from Mullaghbawn, and 25 - 30 minutes from Armagh. There is a bit of a disparity there but I really don't think it makes any difference, certainly it didn't the last time Harps played Mullaghbawn in the championship at the same venue. I might be a bit defensive here but we've put a lot of effort and investment into turnstiles, spectators area etc in order to get Championship matches and I believe that facilities are a more important concern than getting an equi-distant venue. Once its away from either side's own pitch, I don't think there's much of a problem.

As for our own venue, I'd much rather be playing Whitecross somewhere in South Armagh over the weekend rather than heading to the Athletic Grounds on a Monday night.

It's nothing against Cullyhanna and their facilities. For a first round game though the gate might not be that big, if judging by attendances in the last number of years and the countyboard's general reluctance to play doubleheaders is anything to go by.

Certainly, there was at least one Harps man unimpressed with the fixtures; but it could be worse... (Cross in the final, in Cross, springs to mind!)

[bennydorano]

Harps v Mullabawn and Ogs v Dromintee both in Athletic Grounds in a double on sunday from 5pm, nice for us as opposed to travelling to Cullyhanna. 

Should be 2 tight games for different reasons, both ourselves and Mullabawn aren't setting the world alight and are (unfortunately) of a similar standard at the minute, dont see any betting anywhere but it'll be the toss of a coin (and that might be more entertaining having watched Mullabawn before ). Ogs v Dromintee should be a cracker, think the Ogs having taken their eye of the ball last year will be very committed this year and should have too much for Dromintee.

[el_cuervo_fc]

Bar one has the betting as:

1st Round Match Betting
Evs - Carrickcruppen
13/2 - Draw
Evs - Clan Na Gael

8/1 - Clann Eireann
14/1 - Draw
1/20 - Crossmaglen

1/10 - Granemore
12/1 - Draw
5/1 - St Michaels

8/13 - Armagh Harps
7/1 - Draw
6/4 - Mullaghbawn

6/4 - Dromintee
7/1 - Draw
8/13 - Pearse Ogs

4/11 - Maghery
7/1 - Draw
5/2 - Sarsfields

2/5 - St Pat's Cullyhanna
7/1 - Draw
9/4 - Whitecross

[bennydorano]

There's normally an upset somewhere. Sarsfields will  hardly fear Maghery at a good price. Mullaghbawn & Dromintee could both win too.