Armagh Club football & hurling

[illdecide]

Ogs v Nab = Ogs by 5

Cruppin v Porty = Cruppin by 1

Killeavey v Maghery = Killeavey by 2

Cross v O'Rourkes = Cross by 4

i def wouldn't rule out a few draws Cruppin v Porty and Killeavey v Maghery could draw. Remember you heard it here first, get your money out and lump on

[charlie stubbs]

alot of people tipping cruppen to beat portadown dont know about that.you have take into account that portadown defeated clannagael in the last round,are a division above(at the minute) anbd have brian mallon playing again which they didnt have in the last round.in contrast cruppen needed a replay to beat a clann eireann team hardly setting the world alight.though uyou never know in championship.would consider a few quid on tirnanog at a good price round evens.

killeavey against maghery could be a very good game imo.both sides potentially deadly forwards in the forkers and stevie and stanfield.maghery would be slight favourites here imo after a very good win against mullaghbane in the first round,could need a second day to clinch it though.

cross dromintee cross by four though i think every neutral would like see dromintee win it though their best chance to beat cross has by passed them imo

ogs should beat the nab by around six or seven at least.the nab are here to make up the numbers and should probably consider dropping down to the intermediate if not this year next year

[Uladh]

Pearse Og Vs Ballymacnab - Sat @ 6.30pm - Keady

I can't fathom anything other than a comprehensive win for the city folk. with talent like McKinney, Mallon, Duffy, Hughes, Loughran and the clarkes the Ogs should be serious championship contenders. If the nab keep it tight and make it messy, there's always a chance that favourites can get edgy if it stays close. i just can't see the nab having enough quality to win even if that happens. Og's by 7 or 8

Carrickcruppen Vs Tir na Nog - Sun @ 2pm - Abbey Park

Carrickcruppen have been producing some hot and cold performances but have some talented footballers. I'm assuming Tir Na Nog are losing at least one of their forwards from the first round defeat of clans to soccer (?). that should be balanced out by the return of brian mallon, who has been scoring freely recently going on reports. as with the next game i think the regular exposure to a higher quality of opposition week in and week out in division one could just shade it for Portadown. Portadown by the bare minimum

Killeavy Vs Maghery - sun @ 4pm - Abbey Park

Killeavy will obviously carry a big scoring threat with McDonnell and the recently reprieved Mark Stanfield in their ranks but having wathed them there is just something missing with them. their defence is reasonable but the maghery forward line carry a real threat. certainly a level of scoring potential that killeavy haven't faced this year. inexplicably, killeavy play both of their chief scorers in the half forward line and can struggle to get scores due to an inability to win the ball inside. maghery are a cagey outfit and will pack their defence and hit on the break. Lavery has developed into arguably the best midfielder in division one and the possession he provides should be enough to get maghery the win. Maghery by 3

Crossmaglen Vs Dromintee - Sun @ 6.30pm - Silverbridge

Hmmm. This year has seen a very low key build up to this game. previous years have seen dromintee going into their annual game with cross playing well and racking up scores, which has led to people talking up the possibility of an upset. i think there is feeling that dromintee have lost their opportunity for beating cross and there is virtualy no attention on what in other years would be regarded as the only significant game in the championship. i thnk the loss of bellew has been overlooked in all of this. he was frequently the reason dromintee's scores were limited as dromintee always kick it in long and he loved that. cross haven't had a league game together in almost two months. i have a sneaking suspicion for dromintee here. Dromitee by 2

[charlie stubbs]

Pearse Og Vs Ballymacnab - Sat @ 6.30pm - Keady

I can't fathom anything other than a comprehensive win for the city folk. with talent like McKinney, Mallon, Duffy, Hughes, Loughran and the clarkes the Ogs should be serious championship contenders. If the nab keep it tight and make it messy, there's always a chance that favourites can get edgy if it stays close. i just can't see the nab having enough quality to win even if that happens. Og's by 7 or 8

Carrickcruppen Vs Tir na Nog - Sun @ 2pm - Abbey Park

Carrickcruppen have been producing some hot and cold performances but have some talented footballers. I'm assuming Tir Na Nog are losing at least one of their forwards from the first round defeat of clans to soccer (?). that should be balanced out by the return of brian mallon, who has been scoring freely recently going on reports. as with the next game i think the regular exposure to a higher quality of opposition week in and week out in division one could just shade it for Portadown. Portadown by the bare minimum

Killeavy Vs Maghery - sun @ 4pm - Abbey Park

Killeavy will obviously carry a big scoring threat with McDonnell and the recently reprieved Mark Stanfield in their ranks but having wathed them there is just something missing with them. their defence is reasonable but the maghery forward line carry a real threat. certainly a level of scoring potential that killeavy haven't faced this year. inexplicably, killeavy play both of their chief scorers in the half forward line and can struggle to get scores due to an inability to win the ball inside. maghery are a cagey outfit and will pack their defence and hit on the break. Lavery has developed into arguably the best midfielder in division one and the possession he provides should be enough to get maghery the win. Maghery by 3

Crossmaglen Vs Dromintee - Sun @ 6.30pm - Silverbridge

Hmmm. This year has seen a very low key build up to this game. previous years have seen dromintee going into their annual game with cross playing well and racking up scores, which has led to people talking up the possibility of an upset. i think there is feeling that dromintee have lost their opportunity for beating cross and there is virtualy no attention on what in other years would be regarded as the only significant game in the championship. i thnk the loss of bellew has been overlooked in all of this. he was frequently the reason dromintee's scores were limited as dromintee always kick it in long and he loved that. cross haven't had a league game together in almost two months. i have a sneaking suspicion for dromintee here. [i]Dromitee by 2[/i]

[full back]

cross dromintee cross by four though i think every neutral would like see dromintee win it though their best chance to beat cross has by passed them imo

[charlie stubbs]

that would put the cat among the pigeons.you seem to speak alot of sense here uladh.the game has been very low key.this year it appears more than ever that everyone are just going to roll over for cross.forgot that bellew will not be in round the house,playing gareth oneill on edge of the square and delivering high balls could produce dividends for dromintee but still take cross to shade it.any odds available on the games lads?

[charlie stubbs]

fb sorry if you misinterpreted my post.i meant most neutrals would like see cros beating for good of armagh footballl

[full back]

I didnt misinterpret your post charlie

[naka]

is the cruppen /st pats minor game still on  on wed nite

[Uladh]

Whats the chances of abbey park holding up for two games on sunday if the rain forecast this week arrives?

if you're out there paddy og, and i believe u keep an eye on us, make sure you have a fall back ground ready!

[bennydorano]

Orcs V 'Nab
Hard to make a case for the 'Nab (which I did last week), Ogs by 5.

'Cruppen v Portydown
I haven't seen 'Cruppen this year, but from what I've seen of Portydown I expect 'Cruppen to win.  Brian Mallon was anonymous against the harps and was clearly limping(3/4 wks ago).  The death of Michael Carvill last week will hardly help Tir na Og(although it could be a rallying point). 'Cruppen by 2

Maghery v Killeavey
I have been very impressed with Maghery this year a fierce young team with fantastic forwards, if they're not bullied out of it they could handily. Maghery by 4

Cross v Dromintee
Is the absence of Bellew a good enough reason to expect a spectacular turnaround in fortunes for Dromintee?  They certainly have the players, but up until this point have lacked the bottle, but Cross' luck is going to desert them some day. Cross by 2

[Uladh]

Cross v Dromintee
Is the absence of Bellew a good enough reason to expect a spectacular turnaround in fortunes for Dromintee?  They certainly have the players, but up until this point have lacked the bottle, but Cross' luck is going to desert them some day. Cross by 2

The main strand in my thinking is that there has never been more than a kick of a ball between them. it certainly doesn't require a "spectacular turnaround in fortunes" for dromitee to win. i feel the bellew factor my be enough to make the difference. having not seen them all year but watching their last two league games, i'd have to say the progress of dyas and o'neill has been very impressive. those two lads are the main players for domintee now rather than aidan and martin o'rourke,as it has traditionally been.

[winsamsoon]

The game will be in the melting pot up until the throw in. Then cross will just be the usual machine and will win the game by about 3 or 4 points but it will be a comfortable 3 or 4 point victory. Overall they are just too strong for Dromintee. Dyas and these guys are without doubt talented footballers but we  have seen cross stop talented footballers from playing before. If this tactic is legal then fair play to them. I wouldn't like to see Cross beat, as some of the posters are saying. If Cross win then they deserve to and the same goes for Dromintee. I wish both team all the best. I fancy the Og's to win at a canter, Tir na Nog to draw and Maghery to just shade it against the Killeavy men.Is stansfield still playing for Killeavy?

[illdecide]

The game will be in the melting pot up until the throw in. Then cross will just be the usual machine and will win the game by about 3 or 4 points but it will be a comfortable 3 or 4 point victory. Overall they are just too strong for Dromintee. Dyas and these guys are without doubt talented footballers but we  have seen cross stop talented footballers from playing before. If this tactic is legal then fair play to them. I wouldn't like to see Cross beat, as some of the posters are saying. If Cross win then they deserve to and the same goes for Dromintee. I wish both team all the best. I fancy the Og's to win at a canter, Tir na Nog to draw and Maghery to just shade it against the Killeavy men.Is stansfield still playing for Killeavy?

He was sent of a few weeks ago, but i'm not sure if it was 2 yellas or a straight red

[diesel-smuggler]

benny what is the current condition of abbey park? and what is your opinion on the playing surface if this forecast rain for the next few days is correct?

abbey park hasnt exactly been a happy stomping ground for us in the championship this past 2 years, spirit is good in the camp and i am predicting a cruppen victory, along with wins for pearse ogs, crossmaglen and killeavey!