Division 2 2024

[lurganblue]

Donegal deserved to win but Armagh were awful. Falling back in to all the old habits I thought they had moved away from this year (Louth match excepted).

The manner of the defeat against a Donegal who will get much better is hard to take. I'd no longer be confident of an Ulster final let alone hoping for something more. 

having saw down Fermanagh and antrim they should be making it with bit to spare.

In fairness I was maybe a little raw after the match but I am not as confident as I was before yesterday

Not saying you are one of them, but Armagh fans have unrealistic expectations for this crop of players. The team is in a better place than it was but there's  still a way to go to get to Derry's level. Is McGeeney the man, I'm not sure but I don't think there is a queue for the job.  Rian O'Neill I understand has had issues outside of the game and is being eased back in. Talking of unrealistic expectations though the fans have placed too much on his shoulders and indeed Oisin's before him. Maybe just let them play football they both are class acts on their day. It was strange I'd say that the best club team in the county didn't have one starter.

Very strange.  I really thought Oisin would have gotten far more minutes during this league campaign considering he was the performing so well at the end of last year. Is Callum Comisky injured?

From our club, Shane McParland seems to have really fallen out of favour from where he was during the summer last year to repeatedly not making a match day squad now. Top scorer in Armagh championship last year.

[tonto1888]

Donegal deserved to win but Armagh were awful. Falling back in to all the old habits I thought they had moved away from this year (Louth match excepted).

The manner of the defeat against a Donegal who will get much better is hard to take. I'd no longer be confident of an Ulster final let alone hoping for something more. 

having saw down Fermanagh and antrim they should be making it with bit to spare.

In fairness I was maybe a little raw after the match but I am not as confident as I was before yesterday

Not saying you are one of them, but Armagh fans have unrealistic expectations for this crop of players. The team is in a better place than it was but there's  still a way to go to get to Derry's level. Is McGeeney the man, I'm not sure but I don't think there is a queue for the job.  Rian O'Neill I understand has had issues outside of the game and is being eased back in. Talking of unrealistic expectations though the fans have placed too much on his shoulders and indeed Oisin's before him. Maybe just let them play football they both are class acts on their day. It was strange I'd say that the best club team in the county didn't have one starter.

this is it in a nutshell. Our fans think we are a top 4/5 team when in reality we are far from it

[bennydorano]

Talent is there or thereabouts in comparison to any of the top teams , tactical awareness and balls to go for it aren't. The Monaghan game last year still breaks my heart thinking about it, it was cowardly. I haven't had the same interest this year and I'd put it down to that game.

[Armamike]

If there's one thing more depressing than losing in Croke Park it's the predictable over reactions from Armagh "supporters" to a defeat and the giddiness when we stuff a Division 2 team. 

The free takers, Grugan, Turbitt and O'Neill all left scoreable frees behind them. Had they went over it was a completely different narrative today.

Was it Declan Kidney of Munster that used to say don't get too excited about a win and don't over react to a defeat.

Overall, decent league campaign for Armagh. Blooded a corner back and corner forward who will start in the Championship. Plenty of competition for places. Some of the old failings still apparent in terms of closing out games against Division 1 opposition. Also we remain reliant on the older guys.

However, getting promoted quite easily with about 6 guaranteed starters from recent years on the bench for most of the league is a sign of progress.

The mentality to close out games from a winning position is what we're missing and it's leadership on the pitch that is needed in the last few moments.

Exactly. To close out tight games, players need to show for the ball, win it and make the right decision in those last 3 or 4 minutes.  That hasn't been the case for us.

[Armamike]

Talent is there or thereabouts in comparison to any of the top teams , tactical awareness and balls to go for it aren't. The Monaghan game last year still breaks my heart thinking about it, it was cowardly. I haven't had the same interest this year and I'd put it down to that game.

The Monaghan game was infuriating because it panned out the same way as the Ulster final so we knew the script but we not able to change it.That lack of learning and know-how is annoying.

[tonto1888]

Talent is there or thereabouts in comparison to any of the top teams , tactical awareness and balls to go for it aren't. The Monaghan game last year still breaks my heart thinking about it, it was cowardly. I haven't had the same interest this year and I'd put it down to that game.

is the talent really there or thereabouts in comparison to say Dublin or Derry?

[screenexile]

Is there something to be said for both teams holding their cards close to their chest for the Championship and playing fairly shite on purpose??!!

[Armagh18]

Donegal deserved to win but Armagh were awful. Falling back in to all the old habits I thought they had moved away from this year (Louth match excepted).

The manner of the defeat against a Donegal who will get much better is hard to take. I'd no longer be confident of an Ulster final let alone hoping for something more. 

having saw down Fermanagh and antrim they should be making it with bit to spare.

In fairness I was maybe a little raw after the match but I am not as confident as I was before yesterday

Not saying you are one of them, but Armagh fans have unrealistic expectations for this crop of players. The team is in a better place than it was but there's  still a way to go to get to Derry's level. Is McGeeney the man, I'm not sure but I don't think there is a queue for the job.  Rian O'Neill I understand has had issues outside of the game and is being eased back in. Talking of unrealistic expectations though the fans have placed too much on his shoulders and indeed Oisin's before him. Maybe just let them play football they both are class acts on their day. It was strange I'd say that the best club team in the county didn't have one starter.

this is it in a nutshell. Our fans think we are a top 4/5 team when in reality we are far from it

Disagree there. Derry and Dublin obviously ahead of us at the minute, Kerry too or you'd imagine they will be anyway come championship but after that it's hard to say Mayo/Tyrone/Galway/Donegal etc are miles ahead of us and any game would be 50/50.

All we've seen so far is league football and expect every team to improve ourselves included.

That Monaghan game last year was disgraceful, brought no intensity and totally sat off them, played into their hands, similar to Donegal the other day.

[Armagh18]

Talent is there or thereabouts in comparison to any of the top teams , tactical awareness and balls to go for it aren't. The Monaghan game last year still breaks my heart thinking about it, it was cowardly. I haven't had the same interest this year and I'd put it down to that game.

is the talent really there or thereabouts in comparison to say Dublin or Derry?

Hard to say. We've a panel of 30+ really solid players and good lads who put the shift in. In terms of top top talent we've the 2 O'Neills (neither are fully fit yet) plus the older guard of Murnin, Forker, Grugan and Soupy who all have that something extra about them. Conaty is showing very well so far this year as well.

The likes of Turbo, TK, Cian McConville and McQuillan have bags of talent and are all good players but haven't made that big break through yet. I'd say we are behind Dublin and Derry in that regard when you look at the likes of McEvoy the other day they have lads all over the field who can get scores and McGuigan and Glass who are unbelievably good.

[93-DY-SAM]

Is there something to be said for both teams holding their cards close to their chest for the Championship and playing fairly shite on purpose??!!

I don't see what is to be gained from that. From an outside perspective looking in Armagh should have been all out to win the Division 2 final on Sunday, especially given the side of the draw they are on in Ulster. Yes, it may only have been the "owl" league but IMO Armagh needs to start winning something to help kickstart that bit of belief and get into winning habits. If that starts with the Div 2 final then why not start there?

[imtommygunn]

Also look at the deflation here from people who would have been quite positive before this. League finals have definitely drained some teams. I would say down would be a bit deflated after that one too and probably Leitrim who took a bit of a beating. League finals are good but they can be a bit of a rude awakener.

[general_lee]

Is there something to be said for both teams holding their cards close to their chest for the Championship and playing fairly shite on purpose??!!

I think there's an element of that with Armagh. I refuse to believe we've been fielding our strongest team available in the league.

[5times5times]

Is there something to be said for both teams holding their cards close to their chest for the Championship and playing fairly shite on purpose??!!

I think there's an element of that with Armagh. I refuse to believe we've been fielding our strongest team available in the league.

Would Armagh fans be shocked if in 2 weeks time, we seen 2x ONeills, Kelly, Grimley, Duffy and Nugent start?

[tonto1888]

Is there something to be said for both teams holding their cards close to their chest for the Championship and playing fairly shite on purpose??!!

I don't see what is to be gained from that. From an outside perspective looking in Armagh should have been all out to win the Division 2 final on Sunday, especially given the side of the draw they are on in Ulster. Yes, it may only have been the "owl" league but IMO Armagh needs to start winning something to help kickstart that bit of belief and get into winning habits. If that starts with the Div 2 final then why not start there?

we should have been going all out for a win

[yellowcard]

Donegal deserved to win but Armagh were awful. Falling back in to all the old habits I thought they had moved away from this year (Louth match excepted).

The manner of the defeat against a Donegal who will get much better is hard to take. I'd no longer be confident of an Ulster final let alone hoping for something more. 

having saw down Fermanagh and antrim they should be making it with bit to spare.

In fairness I was maybe a little raw after the match but I am not as confident as I was before yesterday

Not saying you are one of them, but Armagh fans have unrealistic expectations for this crop of players. The team is in a better place than it was but there's  still a way to go to get to Derry's level. Is McGeeney the man, I'm not sure but I don't think there is a queue for the job.  Rian O'Neill I understand has had issues outside of the game and is being eased back in. Talking of unrealistic expectations though the fans have placed too much on his shoulders and indeed Oisin's before him. Maybe just let them play football they both are class acts on their day. It was strange I'd say that the best club team in the county didn't have one starter.

this is it in a nutshell. Our fans think we are a top 4/5 team when in reality we are far from it

How exactly are we far from a top 4/5 team. We've proven against Galway and Derry in the last 2 seasons that we are on a par with those 2 sides. Arguably should have beaten Derry last season and beat Galway in the group game. Last Sunday was undoubtedly a blow and would make you reevaluate whether we have learned anything from other recent close defeats. I think we are outside the top 3 at the minute but that can easily change on the basis of one result. Our season will be defined by the Ulster championship this year as I don't think many are realistically expecting us to win the All Ireland.

In my view it would be nice to see us just throw off the shackles and give it a go. Irrespective of whether we actually win anything if we can produce football like the 2022 back door campaign I'd be more than satisfied with that. Plus it actually suits our best players to take this approach anyway as the reality is that we've been losing tight games playing the cautious, cagey stuff anyway.