Messages

There is really very little that either county board can do about this incident, however I do think they should issue a statement condemning it.
Reading fans of other counties talk about incidents involving Armagh & Tyrone fans over the years (some as far back as 17 years ago!) is really quite ridiculous...I could recount many incidents over the years where I have seen fans of other counties acting the drunken maggot including Derry lads at the first round of the Championship last year against Tyrone where a group of lads who had clearly been out on the lash from the night before proceeded to call just about every Tyrone player all the c**nts of the day (they were completely stinking too). Thankfully they left before the first half ended. Could talk about similar incidents with Cavan, Down, Fermanagh, Meath, Laois and Dublin fans. Maybe it is more prominent with Armagh & Tyrone because they bring a significantly larger support than most other counties (obviously barring Dublin). It would be great if these lads stayed away (like they do until we have a game in Croke Park) but unfortunately I can't see anything changing
The big problem is that in this country just about every big event is turned into a complete piss up. The footage from the train could have been taken in any town across the country on a Saturday night I have no doubt.

Men against boys yesterday...it was always going to be a tall order for armagh to even make a game of it. Still the manner of the defeat is extremely disappointing. Tyrone are some outfit and I would love to see them beat Dublin. Can't wait for the game. Not a lot to say about Armagh that hasn't been said. Some positives to be taken from the season as a whole but we have a lot of work to do to be a team that regularly makes the quarter finals. I do believe however we have a set of players who can achieve that in a few years time.
I thought the knee McCann took to the head looked like an accident...I'm sure Harte will be annoyed with McCarron as he now misses the semi final?
One tiny complaint about the ref! Ball was hopped in the first half when Armagh were taking too long to take a feee yet he allowed Morgan the time to stroll up the pitch to take a few? Winds me up!!
Anyway goodluck to Tyrone in the semi final

Celtic would want to avoid the Kazaks and Azer-bhoys!

Beaten both before.

I mean due to the distance of the away leg!

I have actually always felt that those games are made out to be worse than what they are. Teh opposition obviously have the same travel for the second leg and that suits us given that towards the final stages their body clock will think it's after midnight. Key is keeping things right in the first leg. W rare so far ahead domestically that even if we were to drop points in a game following the away leg it's never going to matter at the end of the season

The nonsense on this thread is getting completely ridiculous....grown men actually arguing over who's harder? Get a grip! Can we have a separate thread for the trash talk and another for some serious discussion and occasional banter?!

Anyway Clarke is clearly the stand-out forward...Murnin is a great ball winner, but his style of play wouldn't suit Tyrone and therefore wouldn't get his place. Campbell up until this season I always thought would have been ideal for Tyrone and would have definitely have improved them. He hasn't quite reached the same level as in previous years unfortunately despite scoring quite well in the league. Despite that I thought he had a good game on Saturday getting through a lot of work and contributing to the goal. I would certainly have him in my team before McCurry, Brennan, O'Neil and Bradley and have heard a few Tyrone folk say the same.

Tyrone fans would argue that barring Clarke, which forwards would get into the Tyrone team...possibly none, but based on the style of game both teams play I would argue that few of the Tyrone forwards would get onto the Armagh team. Donnelly and Harte are the stand outs and would likely improve any team in the country.

PS....I remember the shoulder that Cavanagh caught Francie with...not too many would have gotten up from it. The bold Francie was as tough as them came though!

Yous Armagh ones are losing the run of yourselves.

Just be glad you're sharing the same stage as your illustrious neighbours and pray you don't get obliterated.

We will leave the praying to you!!

Sure if you can't lose the run of yourself in the build up to a quarter final when can you!

I will add my name to the list of Armagh supporters saying Tyrone should win this with a bit to spare, but obviously secretly hoping Armagh can pull off the ambush of the Summer!
In all seriousness the Tyrone players will be very confident going into this one and rightly so. They have been playing at a high level all year and have their game plan down to a t. It's difficult to see too many chinks in their armour and how Armagh could rack up enough scores to win the game. Hopefully McGeeney will come up with something to trouble the Tyrone system...accurate fast ball into the forward line seems the best way to do so, so hopefully Murnin makes it as he is a serious ball winner.
Although Tyrone have been playing at a much higher level all year and have a bit more experience, Armagh having had 4 games in 5 weeks should stand to them and hopefully we will have an edge there in terms of match sharpness. Tyrone have not been tested so far so if (and it really is a massive if), Armagh can keep with them until 50 minute I wouldn't be surprised were Armagh to go on to win it as we have been finishing games extremely strongly.
What will the likely match ups be?

Charlie / Sean
Morgan / Donnelly
Shields / Harte
Murnin / McCarron
Jamie / McNamee
Soupy / Hampsey

Hopefully it's a great occasion and the winners go on to beat Dublin in the semi-final!

Lurgan has plenty of nice cafes if you are after a decent breakfast, lunch or just a coffee - I am thinking of the likes of Palomo, Vibe, Kitchen, Coopers, New Haven to name a few. Also there are a few good spots for a Sunday lunch like The Cellar, Vintage, Woodville and the Gold Club all of which are quite reasonable. What is missing is a good restaurant for an evening meal - there area few close by in Moira and Portadown has Zio's which is second to none, so there might not be enough of a market to keep a good restaurant unfortunately. Being so close to Belfast may not help either.

For all the negative press Lurgan gets, I think it's a great town! Obviously there is an issue with public drunkenness late in the weekend - but what town in Ireland doesn't? I don't go out as often as I used to but it was unusual to see any fighting in Lurgan on a night out - this might have changed now. Would always have been more chance of trouble in the likes of Newry & Cookstown - probably because there would have been buses from other towns. When you mix a load of young fellas from different towns in the one place there can always be trouble so that is in no way a criticism of Cookstown & Newry!

The good points about the town i.e. the abundance of GAA & other sporting activities available are well covered here. Lurgan Park is second to none also.

Perhaps you can point out where "Armagh are gloating"?

I think you want to see Armagh gloating so you can comment on how embarrassing it is pal! Pathetic really....

Check your own county gaa page FFS.... "Armagh trounce Tyrone" is the headline

Again...show me where Armagh are "gloating"! That headline is a fact, no? Other than that there are a few tongue in cheek comments on here which most people see as banter....

Perhaps you can point out where "Armagh are gloating"?

I think you want to see Armagh gloating so you can comment on how embarrassing it is pal! Pathetic really....

Does anybody know whether there are tickets still available or where I could get them (Supervalu maybe?). Online seems to be sold out.

Ta

I think Lurgan has a Catholic population of 12000 - 13000 not including the satellite villages so sustaining the 4 town football and 1 hurling club is quite an achievement.

Although there must be two dozen soccer clubs in the town I wouldn't have thought this hampers the GAA clubs as for the vast majority of people who play both the GAA club comes first. There won't be any senior championship wins around Lurgan anytime soon, but I would be surprised if any of the clubs are in trouble financially or being able to field. Sustaining all of the clubs is a testament to the GAA tradition in Lurgan!

Could a Lurgan amalgamated team challenge Cross? Very unlikely I would think!

I am sure there are many urban clubs throughout Ulster that do very well - Omagh obviously winning senior in Tyrone last year and Dungannon winning intermediate.

One thing that was quite obvious from last night, for all the talk of Armagh's training regime, Tyrone looked much bigger, fitter & stronger. I honestly believe Tyrone wanted it a lot more (maybe in clutching at straws), but doesn't bode well for Armagh in the league and a serious improvement is needed.

Still very early days in fairness so let's see what the next few months bring.

[and shows how determined he is to get the 4 in a row]

I see Harte unsurprisingly has fielded Donnelly and O'Neill in his starting line up even though they have already played for UUJ in the competition, a ridiculous situation and shows how determined he is to get the 4 in a row. What other sport or competition would allow such a situatin occur?

I hope its a good fair and physical (probably get jumped on for using that word) contest and if there are a few minor dust ups then so be it, there will be no crying here. Just hope that the game isn't settled by any controversial free kick incidents involving players doing impersonations of dying swans.

No it doesn't. It shows Harte wants to run the rule over everyone before the football in earnest starts with the NFL, and this might be the last semi-competitive game with which to do that.

It's not like he needs to see O'Neill or Donnelly play to know their capabilities, they will be guaranteed starters in any Tyrone first XV. Just to be clear I have no issue with Harte starting them but with the rules which allow such a situation occur. However it does show how serious Harte is treating this match. Armagh have Aidan Forker and James Morgan available now also from St Marys who will be in the starting team come championship, but McGeeney has opted not to start either of them tonight.

He's made 13 changes. I don't think he's taking it any more serious than any other manager. None of the managers will want to lose the game.

13 changes from what, a nothing game against Antrim? Course he treats it more serious than any other manager, his comments over the years and disputes over availability of college players would tell you as much.

Sorry, just let me get this straight - you are criticising Mickey Harte for naming a strong team and trying to win a game?

This is an odd criticism but coming from a county where the senior championship descends into the farce of a team lining out oul fellas in jeans, talking on their mobile phones, then its hardly surprising.

Sorry - but where is the criticism? A tad paranoid there lad

[When I read crap like "cavanagh would carry the head off McKeever"...well I just hope the lad is on the wind up because that's just embarrassing for him.]

Some nonsense from a few Armagh fans in recent weeks. The stuff about cavanagh being intimidated by mckeever is ridiculous.

Cavanagh goes out on the field to play football, that's what he's there for. Over the years he has taken every challenge that comes at him and played away being one of the most influential players. You'll also see him putting in plenty of big hits of his own. He has no problem going for 50 50 hits and can compete with the best in them. Ask Francie bellew or flick on the 05 semi and see it yourself if you doubt his physicality.

He tries to avoid fusty cuffs and wrestling matches as it'll do him and his team no good. Some people try to make that out to be yellow or soft, whereas in reality he just has a bit of sense.

I am expecting quite a physical game tomorrow night. Armagh are adopting quite a physical approach and tyrone are out to prove they won't lie down to it. No matter what anyone says on here both teams will be trying to win it. Should be good entertainment for January.

I couldn't agree more about cavanagh...he obviously can take care of himself and I was trying to make this exact point on this thread a week or so ago in the aftermath of the first game. There has also been plenty of nonsense about Armagh engineering fights in order to gain an advantage over the last year.

While I don't read every post on this I haven't seen too many Armagh fans claiming that McKeever can intimidate cavanagh. Bottom line is though that you can always expect your top players to receive a bit of treatment. I don't know many fans who don't like seeing their own players give a few borderline hits on opposition players also.

When I read crap like "cavanagh would carry the head off McKeever"...well I just hope the lad is on the wind up because that's just embarrassing for him.

As I said before your were right its relevant as neither party are interesting in boxing

Sean is interesting in playing football and McKeever is interested in trying to take him out of the game by hitting him when he is vulnerable

I was only trying to talk Armagh supporters language. That's how your messiah thinks after all surely he couldn't be wrong could he?

Anybody able to make sense of this ramble??

Some nonsense from a few Armagh fans in recent weeks. The stuff about cavanagh being intimidated by mckeever is ridiculous.

Cavanagh goes out on the field to play football, that's what he's there for. Over the years he has taken every challenge that comes at him and played away being one of the most influential players. You'll also see him putting in plenty of big hits of his own. He has no problem going for 50 50 hits and can compete with the best in them. Ask Francie bellew or flick on the 05 semi and see it yourself if you doubt his physicality.

He tries to avoid fusty cuffs and wrestling matches as it'll do him and his team no good. Some people try to make that out to be yellow or soft, whereas in reality he just has a bit of sense.

I am expecting quite a physical game tomorrow night. Armagh are adopting quite a physical approach and tyrone are out to prove they won't lie down to it. No matter what anyone says on here both teams will be trying to win it. Should be good entertainment for January.

I couldn't agree more about cavanagh...he obviously can take care of himself and I was trying to make this exact point on this thread a week or so ago in the aftermath of the first game. There has also been plenty of nonsense about Armagh engineering fights in order to gain an advantage over the last year.

While I don't read every post on this I haven't seen too many Armagh fans claiming that McKeever can intimidate cavanagh. Bottom line is though that you can always expect your top players to receive a bit of treatment. I don't know many fans who don't like seeing their own players give a few borderline hits on opposition players also.

When I read crap like "cavanagh would carry the head off McKeever"...well I just hope the lad is on the wind up because that's just embarrassing for him.