USFC: Armagh v Tyrone @ MAG. 10/6/12

[LeoMc]

Note to Heaney - Seems like Tyrone have a different tactic rather then playing through Peter Harte in 'straight lines'...4 days worth of his shite in the Irish News...cant wait to see what he has to write tmro

If he was of a mind he'd probably write how his Saturday prediction was spot on. He correctly predicted the result and the reasons for i.e. greater spread of scorers. As punters can't wait to see what he has to write he'll likely look for a pay rise too. You should send that post into 'off the fence' for the craic 

Don't forget these other gems from Heaney. 
"Kingham will start full-forward" "McNabb is injured so McMahon will move to Wing Forward" & "Harte running from centre back".

[LeoMc]

Ronan McNabb not fit to start. Aidan Cassidy replaces him at MF with Joseph McMahon operating in the half forward line, playing McNabb's role. #leaked

Good call.

[LeoMc]

Paddy heaney leaking info again lol

Leaking something brown like an old radiator.

[brokencrossbar1]

A number of positives and, depsite what Jarlath would say, a number of negatives. McEvoy had a quiet game but was consistent with his kickouts and varied them well, the short ones worked well.

FB line struggled but that is one of Tyrones strongest lines. In the HB line Finn Mo did very well and is one of the best games I have seen him play for Armagh, single task well completed. AK was a huge lose, the brain around the middle and hopefully he won't be out too long. Duffy did ok going forward but he is clearly not fit enough for county football and his conditioning backs up what I was told.

Midfield was a mixed bag. Mackin was not in the game at all. Toner was great in the air but he was blitzed over the ground and his lack of mobility was badly exposed at times by Cavanagh. Vernon did ok when he came in and I think if Johnny got a run in the team he would be an excellent addition. He has a great understanding with Jamie as does AK and their passing into him could be crucial. I think a MF three of Vernon, Tone and Hanratty is the way to go but to do that you need a fluid forward line. Anto Duffy did rightly but without much return, Forker was playing well and he is a player I like a lot. He gives the team balance. Brian Mallon played very well and stood up for the first time in a long time. His points in the second half were excellent. Rafferty played very well and has potential but needs to add a few scores to his bow. Jamie was excellent but needs help in around him. People are well off saying he is selfish. When he is on a run of form like he is he is well within his right to go for it. He played a lovely ball into Mallon I think it was in the first half from the sideline and there was a great goal scoring chance created from it.

As for the Kingham sub it might have worked when it was 15 v 15 and I could understand the logic behind it in so far as he is a strong ball winner and Armagh needed help inside for Jamie. However once Dyas was sent off (correctly too in my view, as corn said stupid play by a lad that should know better), the dynamic of the game had changed. It was clear that Tyrone would play an extra man in defence so if the ball was going to be lumped in then they had a man there to sweep up the break ball and so it turned out. What was needed at that stage was Jamie and McParland to work off the square and someone like Tony Kernan brought in. The ball had to be run at the Tyrone defence to draw the extra man out and then popped into space in front of Jamie and McParland. I reckon if they had done that they would have created a few extra scores and perhaps created a goal chance. Hindsight is 20-20 and it is easy to say that from here but the main thing is that lessons need to be learned, my concern is that they won't.

[Onion Bag]

McCrory on Clarke. I'm sure the papers will give him low markings tomorrow but when you're going man-for-man, no one will get the better of Jamie Clarke.

Conor Gorlmey did it last year and held him scoreless!

Clarke was held scoreless, becasue every time he got the ball and he did get every ball that went into him, he was fouled

Gormley was part of a 2 man marking job last year as Tyrone were using a sweeper. Mc Crory did not have that luxury yesterday.

Gormley was a one man marker and there was no sweeper! Joe was the usual sweeper for Tyrone and he was full back.

[NaomhBridAbú]

Note to Heaney - Seems like Tyrone have a different tactic rather then playing through Peter Harte in 'straight lines'...4 days worth of his shite in the Irish News...cant wait to see what he has to write tmro

If he was of a mind he'd probably write how his Saturday prediction was spot on. He correctly predicted the result and the reasons for i.e. greater spread of scorers. As punters can't wait to see what he has to write he'll likely look for a pay rise too. You should send that post into 'off the fence' for the craic 

Don't forget these other gems from Heaney. 
"Kingham will start full-forward" "McNabb is injured so McMahon will move to Wing Forward" & "Harte running from centre back".

I know. The lad has some serious supereriority complex - sits on a couple of 'panel shows' with Benny Tierney and Ross Carr, and all of a sudden has the 'inside track'. Last week he had insiders in both ARMAGH and TYRONE camps?

Really?

Hardly. I have read a couple of his artcles that have been brilliant. I have also read 100s of pieces where he is so wide of the mark, he could tog out as a forward for Antrim.

That said, he probably has the inside track there too

[NaomhBridAbú]

That Minor game yesterday was brilliant. It was great to see players unfettered by negativity - some of the foot passing was brilliant. No dirt. Clean and hard football, and at such an excellent and consistent standard.

It is a shame that Armagh will not be able to take advantage of the back door - the deserve to play again, and  indeed other audiences deserve to see them play...its stupid that minor football doesnt mirror the senior format, guessing that over playing will have something to do with it.

Great opener to the main event.

[Nally Stand]

McCrory on Clarke. I'm sure the papers will give him low markings tomorrow but when you're going man-for-man, no one will get the better of Jamie Clarke.

Conor Gorlmey did it last year and held him scoreless!

Gormley was part of a 2 man marking job last year as Tyrone were using a sweeper. Mc Crory did not have that luxury yesterday.

Gormley was a one man marker and there was no sweeper! Joe was the usual sweeper for Tyrone and he was full back.

Clarke was held scoreless, becasue every time he got the ball and he did get every ball that went into him, he was fouled

In the same way as Peter Harte (0-2) was fouled yesterday every time he got next or near the ball?

[mackers]

Listened to Paddy O'Rourke being interviewed on the Beeb on the way home. He thought it was a great game...he was obviously neutral. Selections and decisions cost us. the players on the pitch gave it 100% some just weren't up to it. From the stands you just knew tyrone were always going to win. After Aaron Kernan went of Clarke got nothing until Hannratty came on, surely an indication that a couple of more Cross players such as Hanratty and Tony Kernan would benefit Clarkes productivity. Some of the younger lads played well today, Forker looked good and glad to see Finn Mo redeem himself and silence his detractors. Lots of hope but seriously need to up the ante on the line.

Tony Kernan has been tried ad nauseum for the county to no great affect.  We have a queue of young attackers who deserve a chance. The qualifiers will hopefully be an opportunity to see what Gavin McParland, Rory Grugan, Aidan Forker, Eugene McVerry and Jamie Clarke can do.  With Brian Mallon thrown in there also we will have a young, pacy, fluid forward line.....let them at it.  Why not through young O'Hanlon onto the squad like we did with Ronan Clarke in 01?  I'm not saying he's going to start or maybe even come on but get him involved in the squad, give him a feel for it.
Tyrone have mentioned their injury list and rightly so, but what about Armagh's before, and more importantly, during the game yesterday. We lost AK, Finn Mo and Aidan Forker through the match all of whom were having a major influence whilst on the pitch.

[BennyHarp]

Listened to Paddy O'Rourke being interviewed on the Beeb on the way home. He thought it was a great game...he was obviously neutral. Selections and decisions cost us. the players on the pitch gave it 100% some just weren't up to it. From the stands you just knew tyrone were always going to win. After Aaron Kernan went of Clarke got nothing until Hannratty came on, surely an indication that a couple of more Cross players such as Hanratty and Tony Kernan would benefit Clarkes productivity. Some of the younger lads played well today, Forker looked good and glad to see Finn Mo redeem himself and silence his detractors. Lots of hope but seriously need to up the ante on the line.

Tony Kernan has been tried ad nauseum for the county to no great affect.  We have a queue of young attackers who deserve a chance. The qualifiers will hopefully be an opportunity to see what Gavin McParland, Rory Grugan, Aidan Forker, Eugene McVerry and Jamie Clarke can do.  With Brian Mallon thrown in there also we will have a young, pacy, fluid forward line.....let them at it.  Why not through young O'Hanlon onto the squad like we did with Ronan Clarke in 01?  I'm not saying he's going to start or maybe even come on but get him involved in the squad, give him a feel for it.
Tyrone have mentioned their injury list and rightly so, but what about Armagh's before, and more importantly, during the game yesterday. We lost AK, Finn Mo and Aidan Forker through the match all of whom were having a major influence whilst on the pitch.

He looked like a player alright - there was some class acts on show in the minor game yesterday with Mark Bradley for Tyrone the pick of the bunch - will be interesting to see how he gets on as the season progresses.

[Rufus T Firefly]

Conor Gorlmey did it last year and held him scoreless!

Indeed - let's hope Conor raises his glass to Pascal McConnell when he regales others with that one.   

[Redhand Santa]

2 things stood out for me:

That was some man marking job Moriarty did on Harte. There'll be an orange hand print on Peter's back tonight. Moriarty completely sacrificed any ball time and spent the game facing Harte or touching his jersey. Even when Harte went back to defend, Moriarty followed him in case he got his hands on the ball on his own endline. Remarkable application to his gameplan.

McCrory on Clarke. I'm sure the papers will give him low markings tomorrow but when you're going man-for-man, no one will get the better of Jamie Clarke. I thought McCrory did fine - Clarke (I don't think) never got a sniff of goal. He scored a few remarkable points that only he and O'Neill could do.

Colm Cavanagh - where did that come from?

Sure Colm is only on cause he's Seans brother. Wonder will some of the lads who have given him awful stick at times give him a bit of credit for yesterday.

[Joxer]

Just a number of things on Armagh,,,

Dont knnow what game some people were watching here..  Duffy when he came on was loose in the extreme in the tackle. I thought and offered nothing. 

Johnny Hanratty has to start for Armagh in the next game just alone to rough things up and win the dirty ball..  Nobody capable on yesterday to do it.

Would it be an option for Armagh to move Finnian Moriarty to corner back and playing maybe Dyas or Vernon or someone like that wing half back?  McKeever was sacrificed in the corner where Armagh could have done with his experience further out the field.

Thought McParland was very impressive when introduced. Strong Athletic and play off both feet.  Looks the real deal and could take some of the workload off Clarke

[PAULD123]

I think McKeever was mis-used yesterday. I understand that the idea was to take the best marking-defender to mark the best opposition forward. But I don't think that is generally all that successful.

It works well against a team with just one top quality attacker (like often happens at club level) but not when there is one top attacker and a few others who are also high quality. It also works well if that is the natural position for the defender.

Playing a superb half back at corner back in place of a decent dedicated corner back just means that you reduce the value of the half back to a little better than the corner back he replaces, but also at the cost of weakening the half-back line. No-one was going to totally stop O'Neill so McKeever was simply employed as damage limitation. If a decent corner back had instead been given a simple man-marking role then he probably would have kept O'Neill to a very similar level of contribution. But McKeever would then have been free to play his more familiar and influential role at CHB.

Sacrificing the half-back position (especially in the absence of Vernon) meant that more ball was played into O'Neill. If McKeever had been CHB probably less ball would have gone in. Also McKeever would have been able to help out in break ball and moving eh play forward.

[BerfArmagh]

Really enjoyable game yesterday, both teams deserve credit for serving up an exciting match, but loads of incident & skill, playyed should I add in a tough but sportmanlike manner.

From an Armagh point of view, while disappointed I was very heartened by the display, i saw more yesterday than say our performance against Down last year. More in regard to new players blooding and actually producing the good in a high level game. I though Rafferty, forker & Duffy can all be proud of their championship debuts. That said, i'll say it again, Jamie clarke is worth the admission fee alone, a delight....

Thought big Toner did well in the middle considering he has played no ball all year, Malachy had a poor game by his standards. Mc Keever was wasted in the FB line, we really missed him at CHB. Dyas was probably Armaghs best player in the first half. For all the endeavor, I think Tyrone just shaded it and deserved to win, they just have a couple of more experienced and accurate forwards at the present moment in time...

If Mc Parland, Hanratty & Vernon come into the team, I can see us giving the qualifers a quere rattle....

Tyrone, seem a bit short this year, I still fancy Donegal to win the Ulster...