Armagh Club football & hurling

[Milltown Row2]

Can the success of the Cross football team in some way be attributed to the Political situation in the North and the location of Barracks right in the middle of the village?
Along the same lines of how the Catholic Church had a roaring trade when it was dangerous to be a Catholic? GAA became part of an Irish identity to be flaunted in the face of the British on your doorstep maybe?
I wonder will things change as today's younger kids come up through under age and aren't affected by the same pressures???

Not taking anything away from the team or the town, just pondering the reasons why.......

Have you played any matches up the Falls? FFS there was a barrack station on every corner, plus they were based at McRory park (O'Donnell's) and I think they were also based at Casement for a period!! I don't think there were too many days when the troubles were at their height that I didn't have to empty my kit bag on the road while it was searched.

[Orchardman]

I don't think the troubles in much of a reason for their success, having a barracks hasn't helped newtown! i know it's not beside their pitch tright enough. The cross run started in 96, wasn't their last one before that in 86? And they didn't dominate during the 70/80's when the troubles were really at their height.

I know it has been said in the past by the likes of big joe etc, that it has galvinised the club to stick together and maybe it has helped to their success, i don't know.

On another note i've heard other senior club players in armagh saying that the cross training is at least equal to county training, especially the armagh one anyway! could be hype, but wouldn't doubt it

[armaghniac]

Can the success of the Cross football team in some way be attributed to the Political situation in the North and the location of Barracks right in the middle of the village?

The barracks generated radiation which caused mutations in the population. These only affected people born after 1971. These have now diminished and probably will have less effect on people born after 1997.

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

Can the success of the Cross football team in some way be attributed to the Political situation in the North and the location of Barracks right in the middle of the village?
Along the same lines of how the Catholic Church had a roaring trade when it was dangerous to be a Catholic? GAA became part of an Irish identity to be flaunted in the face of the British on your doorstep maybe?
I wonder will things change as today's younger kids come up through under age and aren't affected by the same pressures???

Not taking anything away from the team or the town, just pondering the reasons why.......

No that has nothing to do with it in my view. Crossmaglen was very little different to the rest of South Armagh in terms of the British occupation. Their main advantage is simply that they are the greastest population centre in a part of the world where there is very little competition from other sports. Beyond that, the reasons for their success are merely sporting, a superb crop of players coming together under an excellent manager and an excellent conveyer belt of young talent being brought into a culture of success.

I suspect the whole of Armagh may rue the fact that we didn't get the better of Crossmaglen last year. Biased though I may be, my view is that if St Pat's shown a little more composure in both fixtures, we would have beaten Cross, having matched them throughout the field for 120 minutes. Had we managed that, Rangers would have gone 2 years without the title and their aura of invincibility would have been very much shaken. Now, having breezed through Armagh as All Ireland champions, an era of parity in Armagh football seems as far away as ever.

[thewanderer]

I'd say it's not the only thing u had up ur arse;-)

i,d say his head is up his ar-e for the forseeable future. disappointing for genuine nab people the team just didnt turn up.

[brokencrossbar1]

Can the success of the Cross football team in some way be attributed to the Political situation in the North and the location of Barracks right in the middle of the village?
Along the same lines of how the Catholic Church had a roaring trade when it was dangerous to be a Catholic? GAA became part of an Irish identity to be flaunted in the face of the British on your doorstep maybe?
I wonder will things change as today's younger kids come up through under age and aren't affected by the same pressures???

Not taking anything away from the team or the town, just pondering the reasons why.......

No that has nothing to do with it in my view. Crossmaglen was very little different to the rest of South Armagh in terms of the British occupation. Their main advantage is simply that they are the greastest population centre in a part of the world where there is very little competition from other sports. Beyond that, the reasons for their success are merely sporting, a superb crop of players coming together under an excellent manager and an excellent conveyer belt of young talent being brought into a culture of success.

I suspect the whole of Armagh may rue the fact that we didn't get the better of Crossmaglen last year. Biased though I may be, my view is that if St Pat's shown a little more composure in both fixtures, we would have beaten Cross, having matched them throughout the field for 120 minutes. Had we managed that, Ranger would have gone 2 years without the title and their aura of invincibility would have been very much shaken. Now, having breezed through Armagh as All Ireland champions, an era of parity in Armagh football seems as far away as ever.

If ifs and ands could make tin cans.......

[Applesisapples]

Can the success of the Cross football team in some way be attributed to the Political situation in the North and the location of Barracks right in the middle of the village?
Along the same lines of how the Catholic Church had a roaring trade when it was dangerous to be a Catholic? GAA became part of an Irish identity to be flaunted in the face of the British on your doorstep maybe?
I wonder will things change as today's younger kids come up through under age and aren't affected by the same pressures???

Not taking anything away from the team or the town, just pondering the reasons why.......

No that has nothing to do with it in my view. Crossmaglen was very little different to the rest of South Armagh in terms of the British occupation. Their main advantage is simply that they are the greastest population centre in a part of the world where there is very little competition from other sports. Beyond that, the reasons for their success are merely sporting, a superb crop of players coming together under an excellent manager and an excellent conveyer belt of young talent being brought into a culture of success.

I suspect the whole of Armagh may rue the fact that we didn't get the better of Crossmaglen last year. Biased though I may be, my view is that if St Pat's shown a little more composure in both fixtures, we would have beaten Cross, having matched them throughout the field for 120 minutes. Had we managed that, Rangers would have gone 2 years without the title and their aura of invincibility would have been very much shaken. Now, having breezed through Armagh as All Ireland champions, an era of parity in Armagh football seems as far away as ever.

What you are saying doesn't make sense. Yes St Pat's, The Og's even Sarsfields can match and even beat Cross on any given day. But I see no evidence to suggest that they would not return as strong as ever next time out. Look at their league results. It is time that Armagh Clubs stop bitching jealously about Cross and start to replicate their approach to football and club development.

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

Can the success of the Cross football team in some way be attributed to the Political situation in the North and the location of Barracks right in the middle of the village?
Along the same lines of how the Catholic Church had a roaring trade when it was dangerous to be a Catholic? GAA became part of an Irish identity to be flaunted in the face of the British on your doorstep maybe?
I wonder will things change as today's younger kids come up through under age and aren't affected by the same pressures???

Not taking anything away from the team or the town, just pondering the reasons why.......

No that has nothing to do with it in my view. Crossmaglen was very little different to the rest of South Armagh in terms of the British occupation. Their main advantage is simply that they are the greastest population centre in a part of the world where there is very little competition from other sports. Beyond that, the reasons for their success are merely sporting, a superb crop of players coming together under an excellent manager and an excellent conveyer belt of young talent being brought into a culture of success.

I suspect the whole of Armagh may rue the fact that we didn't get the better of Crossmaglen last year. Biased though I may be, my view is that if St Pat's shown a little more composure in both fixtures, we would have beaten Cross, having matched them throughout the field for 120 minutes. Had we managed that, Rangers would have gone 2 years without the title and their aura of invincibility would have been very much shaken. Now, having breezed through Armagh as All Ireland champions, an era of parity in Armagh football seems as far away as ever.

What you are saying doesn't make sense. Yes St Pat's, The Og's even Sarsfields can match and even beat Cross on any given day. But I see no evidence to suggest that they would not return as strong as ever next time out. Look at their league results. It is time that Armagh Clubs stop bitching jealously about Cross and start to replicate their approach to football and club development.

If you are unable to distinguish between "bitching jealously" and the rational point I was making, then there's not really a whole pile of point in explaining it to you.

[Applesisapples]

Can the success of the Cross football team in some way be attributed to the Political situation in the North and the location of Barracks right in the middle of the village?
Along the same lines of how the Catholic Church had a roaring trade when it was dangerous to be a Catholic? GAA became part of an Irish identity to be flaunted in the face of the British on your doorstep maybe?
I wonder will things change as today's younger kids come up through under age and aren't affected by the same pressures???

Not taking anything away from the team or the town, just pondering the reasons why.......

No that has nothing to do with it in my view. Crossmaglen was very little different to the rest of South Armagh in terms of the British occupation. Their main advantage is simply that they are the greastest population centre in a part of the world where there is very little competition from other sports. Beyond that, the reasons for their success are merely sporting, a superb crop of players coming together under an excellent manager and an excellent conveyer belt of young talent being brought into a culture of success.

I suspect the whole of Armagh may rue the fact that we didn't get the better of Crossmaglen last year. Biased though I may be, my view is that if St Pat's shown a little more composure in both fixtures, we would have beaten Cross, having matched them throughout the field for 120 minutes. Had we managed that, Rangers would have gone 2 years without the title and their aura of invincibility would have been very much shaken. Now, having breezed through Armagh as All Ireland champions, an era of parity in Armagh football seems as far away as ever.

What you are saying doesn't make sense. Yes St Pat's, The Og's even Sarsfields can match and even beat Cross on any given day. But I see no evidence to suggest that they would not return as strong as ever next time out. Look at their league results. It is time that Armagh Clubs stop bitching jealously about Cross and start to replicate their approach to football and club development.

If you are unable to distinguish between "bitching jealously" and the rational point I was making, then there's not really a whole pile of point in explaining it to you.

The bitching comment wasn't aimed directly at you but others, however if Cross's aura of invincibility was going to crumble then the time was when Og's beat them...I just think they have more about them, and a bit like Kerry at County level they just keep reinventing themselves. ANd I really do think it is down to the Club and its environment. As a neutral I would love to see every hurling and football club in the county with the same focus.

[armaghniac]

Biased though I may be, my view is that if St Pat's shown a little more composure in both fixtures, we would have beaten Cross, having matched them throughout the field for 120 minutes. Had we managed that, Rangers would have gone 2 years without the title and their aura of invincibility would have been very much shaken

Cross didn't play especially well in Armagh last year, they really only clicked into gear against Galls, and Cullyhanna could heave beaten them. This might have damaged their aura of invincibility. But if anything they have further improved this year and that improved performance would still have beaten teams, probably beaten them well, so it would not have had a long lasting effect.

[DownFanatic]

Lads, are Cross consistently participating in 'A'/Grade 1/Division 1 U-12, U-14, U-16 and Minor Finals within Armagh?

[ogshead]

Lads, are Cross consistently participating in 'A'/Grade 1/Division 1 U-12, U-14, U-16 and Minor Finals within Armagh?

Finals at underage level are a bit more evenly spread out. Cross have a system though of bringing at least 3-4 players through from underage each year which keeps it ticking over

[topgun]

Lads, are Cross consistently participating in 'A'/Grade 1/Division 1 U-12, U-14, U-16 and Minor Finals within Armagh?

Finals at underage level are a bit more evenly spread out. Cross have a system though of bringing at least 3-4 players through from underage each year which keeps it ticking over

very true cross are competing at grade 1/a what ever way you want to put it at all under-age levels, you can talk about attitude etc but what they have done, is created a Culture, they have a blueprint for all the teams to follow from under-age right up to senior, so no matter if they are winning leagues or championships at under-age every team is still producing 3/4 players every year that are military trained in their style of play, its almost being like born into Catholicism, its bred into them. players are warned of their off-field activities, everything is about the club. they have the same man at u16 for 10 odd years. they have become the gold standard. how many other teams/clubs would have left a player of aaron kernans ability on the bench for a championship semi-final because he hadnt trained the week before it, you either do it the cross way or your out on ur arse, and it doesnt matter who u ar!!!


as regards the harps, 5 minors in 9 years is a great achievement, throw in an u21 title as well, but heres the problem, too many players and i include myself in this havent had the balls/commitment to really make a difference, the lure of a pint and a nights craic was my problem, i always took the easy option, our 03 team which won the ulster club as well, nippy, vernon, smackers, wee joe and simon lennon are the only ones that spring to mind still playing senior football.

IMO we need to have a structure in place from underage to senior, the talent is undoubtedly there, as in the ogs and other clubs, so to really compete other clubs need make hard decisions and get the ball rolling...

the ogs may sneak the odd champioship, harps are 3/4 years from the 09 team, congrats to the nab on the improvement lads and keep the heads up cross have done that to many teams, the template is there for all the clubs and the barometer is cross, how many will step up... 

[Applesisapples]

Lads, are Cross consistently participating in 'A'/Grade 1/Division 1 U-12, U-14, U-16 and Minor Finals within Armagh?

Finals at underage level are a bit more evenly spread out. Cross have a system though of bringing at least 3-4 players through from underage each year which keeps it ticking over

very true cross are competing at grade 1/a what ever way you want to put it at all under-age levels, you can talk about attitude etc but what they have done, is created a Culture, they have a blueprint for all the teams to follow from under-age right up to senior, so no matter if they are winning leagues or championships at under-age every team is still producing 3/4 players every year that are military trained in their style of play, its almost being like born into Catholicism, its bred into them. players are warned of their off-field activities, everything is about the club. they have the same man at u16 for 10 odd years. they have become the gold standard. how many other teams/clubs would have left a player of aaron kernans ability on the bench for a championship semi-final because he hadnt trained the week before it, you either do it the cross way or your out on ur arse, and it doesnt matter who u ar!!!


as regards the harps, 5 minors in 9 years is a great achievement, throw in an u21 title as well, but heres the problem, too many players and i include myself in this havent had the balls/commitment to really make a difference, the lure of a pint and a nights craic was my problem, i always took the easy option, our 03 team which won the ulster club as well, nippy, vernon, smackers, wee joe and simon lennon are the only ones that spring to mind still playing senior football.

IMO we need to have a structure in place from underage to senior, the talent is undoubtedly there, as in the ogs and other clubs, so to really compete other clubs need make hard decisions and get the ball rolling...

the ogs may sneak the odd champioship, harps are 3/4 years from the 09 team, congrats to the nab on the improvement lads and keep the heads up cross have done that to many teams, the template is there for all the clubs and the barometer is cross, how many will step up...

Precisely.

[crossfire]

BREAKFAST WITH THE ALL IRELAND CLUB CHAMPIONS IN CROSSMAGLEN RANGERS HALL TOMORROW SUNDAY 23RD OCTOBER 9.30 AM TO 12.30 PM.  ADULTS £5 CHILDREN £3.

EVERYONE WELCOME