DUBLIN V ARMAGH sat 17th @ 5.00pm croke park

[fan01]

stevie is playing good football he needs a bit of support from his team mates no one man can win a game on his own. stevie has been one of our best players over the last ten years   hope this is only  all talk

[Tyrones own]

Well as me auntie said afterwards "Isnt it unbelievable that Armagh were worse". I think that sums it up.

Still, I'm delighted with the win.

Cluxton's kickouts were generally fantastic - what a player, definite All Star this year 

The full back line are young and green, and will get hammered from time to time. But I'm very happy that Gilroy is sticking with them, and I thought they did well today - particularly Philly.

I know Indiana was advocating throwing Kevin Nolan to the scrapheap after he disappointed v Tipp, but again Gilroy was rewarded for showing some faith in a young lad. Super performance from Kev.

Midfield was generally awful. McConnell and Fennell caught no contested high ball. McAuley was very good in parts, but didnt win enough primary possession for me. However, he caught two super high balls in the last few minutes, which were instrumental in our win. I don't particularly rate Big Darren, but he's better than McConnell and Fennell, so time to bring him back.

I love Cullen, but thought he was very mediocre today. He never got into the game, contributed nothing, and was lucky to last as long as he did.

Corkery and O'Gara were shambolic. Neither should have lasted more than 15 minutes. Two mullockers with feck all ability. They might remind Pat of himself, but I dont want to see either again.

Al had a very good first half and was instrumental in bringing us back from 6-2 down to level. Not so hot in the 2nd half and I wish he wouldnt take on shots from ridiculous angles.

Bernard was sensational. Our best fielder today among other things.. I'd nearly play him midfield, only we'd have nobody to kick scores!

McManamon and Andrews were very medicore today, and did nothing to justify the calls from supporters for their inclusion. Conal Keaney is far better than either IMO.

Flynn did reasonably well, and kicked a great point. The kick up the butt from Gilroy might have done the trick. If he could get rid of the hint of laziness, he could be a proper footballer, because he has all the ability.

Roll on Round 4!! 

Jaysus I thought Cullen was as good as I've seen him these last couple of years..Stuck in everything resulting in a lot of fumbles,
Bernard Brogan is def as good as there is in the country, Armagh threw their finest at him and could do nothing at all with him
even McKeever sweeping couldn't get her done.
O'Gara was a bit of a joke alright...whoever said earlier about him running around like he thinks he's better than he is hit the nail on the head!
Armagh are carrying a fair few passengers in fairness and Paddy O might just be one of them... What was behind bringing on Hanratty
at the end   could someone enlighten me as to what it is I'm missing about that lad

[Tyrones own]

stevie is playing good football he needs a bit of support from his team mates no one man can win a game on his own. stevie has been one of our best players over the last ten years   hope this is only  all talk

Bernard Brogan did

[AFS]

And we've won championship games, which is not to be sniffed at. This year we've equalled our win tally for the three previous years combined.

Not so. We won an Ulster title two years ago, winning games in the process and beat Dublin well in the the league. The Ulster win was fortunate, to be sure, but McDonnell's first year was modest success until the second half of the Wexford game. Neither Derry, Donegal nor Fermanagh are as good as two or three years ago.

I'm not sure what you're disagreeing with. We won three championship games from 2007 to 2009. This year we won three games. That's the only point I was making.

[ardmhachaabu]

o'rourke must go. mc alinden  is the man! and get rid of these rugby gym bunnies, our lads are like oil tankers its taking the whole pitch to get them turned

As far as I remember lots of people wanted rid of McAlinden when he was part of the management team, I wonder if you were one of them? 

This talk of O'Rourke must go should stop if you have half a brain, this is his first year and he has brought Armagh into Division 1 though after today's performance, I fear for the tankings they are going to get from everyone in Division 1 next year

[ardmhachaabu]

Ciaran McKeever is a legend!

[AFS]

And whats with bringing in hanratty when chasing the game in the last 5 mins? Didn't understand that one at all!!

What was behind bringing on Hanratty
at the end   could someone enlighten me as to what it is I'm missing about that lad

the two cross lads comming on with seconds to go was the biggest joke of all and had to be murtaghs idea.

We needed a goal, so two forwards were brought on. It was a last throw of the dice. What's not to get?

[armaghniac]

I'm not sure what you're disagreeing with. We won three championship games from 2007 to 2009. This year we won three games. That's the only point I was making.

I suppose I am saying that it only the luck of the draw. If we had drawn Tyrone and then Monaghan we would not have performed better this year than last. We can probably beat any other Ulster team.

We did win Division 2 and that was good work, but last year we were third behind Monaghan and Cork, there weren't any teams that good in Div 2 this year.

As for tankings in Div 1, we have done as well as Galway or Mayo, losing our two games to Div 1 oppostion, not Div 3 or 4 opposition.

[AFS]

been told by a very good source that was Steven McDonnells last game.

Pity he didn't let his mate Paddy know before he made a bollocks of himself talking about Stevie staying on for another few years.

http://www.armagh-gaa.com/Orchard-TV/News/AUDIO---Dublin-0-14-Armagh-0-11.aspx

[Mack the finger]

Just Back. From an Armagh perspective, brutal stuff. No ideas in the final third.
Armagh players seemed to run into trouble too easily.
If there was a dead end, they seemed to find it.

Never looked like the management could affect things from the line.
Not sure where we go from here,  feels like backwards at present.
Are we that better than we were under Mcdonnell? Not so sure.
Anyone watching Armagh the year knew that was coming. Beating
Down papered over cracks.

Some talented players there but don't think
we're gonna see the best of them until regime changes. Thankful we don't
have to face Cork, would have set some of the young lads back years.

Poor turnout. Dublin booing? Get over it. Enjoyed the craic in Drumcondra,
as always, with the Dubs. They've no illusions about progress this year, but are
better positioned than we are.

If it's Stevies last game, the man owes Armagh nothing. Emptied the tank
the last few years and our most consistent performer for a decade. Missed
a couple today but still scored 6/7 of our scores. Legend.

[The Konica]

There'll probably be a bit of hyperbole about wholesale changes in personnel heading into next year, but that's not the problem. It's that horrible style of football that's holding us back. We won't win anything playing like that, regardless of who's in the jerseys. There's too much intricate hand passing and too much carrying into contact. We're like a rugby team, trying to offload the ball in the tackle. Every attack is slow and predictable. The reason the half forwards are so ineffective is because they're continuously drawn backwards to receive shit little five yard hand passes from the defenders coming out.

Couldn't believe how many times Armagh both carried the ball into, and lost the ball in, the tackle.  Not a great advertisement for McGurn's capabilities as a strength and conditioning coach.
Armagh look like a team who don't play much football in training.  There is no fluency to their play at all, their play is so laboured and slow.

Ah yes its the dublins fans fault that Armagh have few players who can kick the ball accurately with one foot. Actually how many armagh players can even handpass properly? Unreal the amount of turnovers dublin got on basic handpassing errors. Armagh were physically bossed today. You'd wonder what Mc Gurn is doing with them.

exactly AFS. hooray for the minors. but it should be pointed out that some of the lads playing today are off probably the best u21 team of the decade, who apart from one game in their campaign won easily and convincingly. what have we done to them? theyre slow, ponderous, ethergys of the players they once were. since u21 level one poor manager after another, two rugby coaches, weights and more weights, all trying to emulate the 2002 team who were already battle hardened for 4 years when they won. armagh football is in a really crappy place right now, forget about losen the match we've managed to get rid of 20000 football fanatics who fought over tickets...

When Armagh had the ball there weren't the runs to provide an outlet for the pass, so the man tended to carry the ball. Like my avatar you need players there to take the pass and so often there is nobody there. I am a bit disappointed with McGurns contribution, we are as ponderous as we were last year. There is none of the zip that characterises the likes of Tyrone who are capable of breaking at speed, even the likes of Aaron seems to have slowed down.

McGurn has cost a fortune and the Armagh players have regressed in terms of fitness.  Few were fast enough to track back.  A Kernan and M Mackin were so slow it was embarassing. Few could hold the ball in the tackle, spilling the ball all over the field. 

Tactically Armagh are lost. handpassing is fine if it works and allows fast and accurate interchange with the time moving forward. Armagh handpasses are being intercepted almost half of the time because they miss the target, they are loopy and too slow.

o'rourke must go. mc alinden  is the man! and get rid of these rugby gym bunnies, our lads are like oil tankers its taking the whole pitch to get them turned

Some great comments over the past few pages - just wanted to summarize them ...

- Poor emphasis and ability to kick pass across the team
- Excessive carrying the ball into the tackle
- Too much handpassing and not moving the ball fast enough
- No physical strength
- No speed, explosiveness or fluency to the teams play
- Still following the 2002 model - which is now out of date
- Hearty despite the criticism earlier before the championship started has been one of the best this year and solid
- Andy Mallon is struggling to regain form and lacking physicality
- McKeever has had a very good year - but as a free man.
- Good competition for places between Duffy, Moriarty, Dyas, McKenna and Comiskey, McKenna.
- Aaron Kernan is very slow and ponderous on the ball and is not playing in the best position.
- Vernon has had a poor season, struggles in the air at Midfield and carries the ball into contact too much.
- Mackin has struggled this year.
- Mallon tries hard and gave a decent account of himself this year.
- McDonnell tried very hard this year but is under severe pressure struggling to carry the full forward line
- Full Forward line is struggling without a Clarke or other quality support player to spread the threat. 
- Minor players need to begin to be introduced
- Overall, a small improvement from last year and possibly going in the right direction.

Is that a fair synopsis?

[Barney]

Dublin now look like a team that could make a run for the semi finals!

And this is in a year where I think nearly everybody agrees they are a long way off their standards over the past 5 years.

Round 4 of the Qualifiers looks very winnable. And given the right draw they will have a good shot at a Quarter Final. You just never know what might happen from there.

Maybe it says something for the standard of this years championship.

[INDIANA]

Well as me auntie said afterwards "Isnt it unbelievable that Armagh were worse". I think that sums it up.

Still, I'm delighted with the win.

Cluxton's kickouts were generally fantastic - what a player, definite All Star this year 

The full back line are young and green, and will get hammered from time to time. But I'm very happy that Gilroy is sticking with them, and I thought they did well today - particularly Philly.

I know one or two might have been advocating throwing Kevin Nolan to the scrapheap after he disappointed v Tipp, but again Gilroy was rewarded for showing some faith in a young lad. Super performance from Kev.

Midfield was generally awful. McConnell and Fennell caught no contested high ball. McAuley was very good in parts, but didnt win enough primary possession for me. However, he caught two super high balls in the last few minutes, which were instrumental in our win. I don't particularly rate Big Darren, but he's better than McConnell and Fennell, so time to bring him back.

I love Cullen, but thought he was very mediocre today. He never got into the game, contributed nothing, and was lucky to last as long as he did.

Corkery and O'Gara were shambolic. Neither should have lasted more than 15 minutes. Two mullockers with feck all ability. They might remind Pat of himself, but I dont want to see either again.

Al had a very good first half and was instrumental in bringing us back from 6-2 down to level. Not so hot in the 2nd half and I wish he wouldnt take on shots from ridiculous angles.

Bernard was sensational. Our best fielder today among other things.. I'd nearly play him midfield, only we'd have nobody to kick scores!

McManamon and Andrews were very medicore today, and did nothing to justify the calls from supporters for their inclusion. Conal Keaney is far better than either IMO.

Flynn did reasonably well, and kicked a great point. The kick up the butt from Gilroy might have done the trick. If he could get rid of the hint of laziness, he could be a proper footballer, because he has all the ability.

Roll on Round 4!! 

Nolan did not have a great game. Average. And Cullen was one of the reasons we won. His tracking and covering at wing forward was absolutely brilliant. Its taken the management the guts of 2 years to make a decision to play him at WF. that was a question that and Dublin fan could haveanswered during the commercial break for Coronation Street.

The full back line only had to mark two men!! Course they looked great.

I thought Mc Auley was great. Love the way he physically imposes himself. Great bit of stuff.

[INDIANA]

Armagh have not moved forward in the last year. POR has brought little new to the table and with Donal Murtagh beside him, he is not left to carry the can on his own.

McGurn has cost a fortune and the Armagh players have regressed in terms of fitness.  Few were fast enough to track back.  A Kernan and M Mackin were so slow it was embarassing. Few could hold the ball in the tackle, spilling the ball all over the field. 

Tactically Armagh are lost. handpassing is fine if it works and allows fast and accurate interchange with the time moving forward.  Armagh handpasses are being intercepted almost half of the time because they miss the target, they are loopy and too slow.

Sideline has nothing to offer when things are not working out.  No changes or substitions are made until it is too late. POR, Justin McNulty and donal Murtagh have not moved the team forward.

We don't have the players of the quality of 99 to 05 and those that we have are regressing under the current regime.

I'd have to agree with that. I honestly thought you were a complete shambles. For a recognised football county who live for Gaelic Football I couldn't get over how far back you've gone. For some of the weaker counties you'd expect that standard.

[INDIANA]

Dublin now look like a team that could make a run for the semi finals!

And this is in a year where I think nearly everybody agrees they are a long way off their standards over the past 5 years.

Round 4 of the Qualifiers looks very winnable. And given the right draw they will have a good shot at a Quarter Final. You just never know what might happen from there.

Maybe it says something for the standard of this years championship.

Depends on the draw Barney. Lets get real here. Armagh are a poor team at present. I'd be lieing if I said I wouldn't like to get Roscommon next if that result goes the way the bookies think it will. I'm not sure I'd like to draw Louth next. I think every piece of fire will be delivered upon their next opponents. Having said that I'd prefer them to some of the others.
Limerick I want to avoid. A physically powerful team with good man markers and some good forwards. But they'd be preferable to Monaghan and Tyrone who I completely want to avoid for another round.

After that who knows. I think we can make the quarters. But after that depends on the draw. I would gladly donate money to avoid Cork and Kerry this year because another double digit defeat will finish us off.

In many ways reviewing the above. Its incredible how far back we've gone. We need more players like Rory O Carroll. Thats the reality. We need another 6/7 like him.