Armagh's Management had poor day at the office ..

[tevez]

Could someone tell me how Stephen Kernan is better than Liam O'Hare. He couldn't even lace his boots!!!

[corn02]

Maguire he touched the ball about two times in the first half and hit two very poor passes from them.

His first point was pure class and he took the second well but when the chips were down he did not show either. There were plenty of players as bad today but I think it is fair to say he has to play above himself to even look half decent.

[Bensars]

is it possible that stephen kernan is being used as the scapegoat by a section of the armagh support in the realisation that the team  of the last few years is aging, past their best and inevitabley on the way out.

certainly hasnt been armaghs worst forward this year

[corn02]

Over the two championship games he certainly has Bensars. It is not a case of creating a scapegoat nor do I believe it is an anti Kernan thing. The people like myself who doubt Stephen would equally tell you how good Aaron is (Even if he was terrible today). The fact is that if Joe was not manager he would not be playing.

[Tyrones own]

  Admin, care to do anything about this thread?
Jaysus the lad may well be on this site and as has been said before,
its hardly his fault, Armagh as a team have been fending this day off for long enough now.
He's being made a scapegoat here whether some of you care to admit it or not.
There were after all, 5 other forwards playing today also if that's what you'd call it.
Thought some of us here especially the Armagh Men would have learned something from
the Mark Harte saga, you were quite vocal in your disgust of the treatment of Harte at the time

[bigpaul]

I started a thread last year about Michael Greenan and it didn't get staying up for any more than about 20 minutes! What the f$*k is going on with this one? I could debate Stephen Kernan's performance with anyone but I wouldn't dignify this!!!! 

[Long time dead]

Ok i changed the title of the thread but the point remains - I was speaking to a former Armagh player and all-ireland medal winner after the match and he was astonished that SK stayed on the field from a playing perspective but not at all from a personal perspective.  People keep saying he scored 2 points - he did and they were good points - but he didnt want to know most of the match - Oisin had a stinker - has he ever been substituted for Armagh.  Ok the title of the thread was probably OTT - just home from match and I was running on emotion - it wasn't a personal attack - though i appreciate it seemed that way and therefore apologise if I insulted the man; I was merely trying to make the point that JK missed Paul Grimley and that he seemed to manage with his heart - club and family loyalities being the order of the day - rather that his head.

[GPA not OK]

Kernan scored 2 points in a crucial stage in the game. Unfortunately it wasn't built upon. I couldn't really care less what a retired player thinks. Maybe, like you, he has an axe to grind. I stood beside a man yesterday that was screaming abuse at Stephen for delivering a twenty yard fist pass to McDonnell inside the 40. I had to ask him, what the problem was with delivering the ball to the chest of your one marquee full-forward.

Some Armagh supporters were out to see him fail from the off and given the abuse that he suffers, its no wonder he is taking time to reach expected levels. I've a funny feeling that we would get more out of him under another manager. However, its hard to know. I'd imagine he mightn't even get a game depending on who comes in.

I really think he has a bundle of talent, but he's taking longer to develop it and playing in a central position means that he's always going to be under more pressure than his brother. I like nothing more than to see him prove assholes like you wrong.

PS - I'm not from Crossmaglen, but I'm an Armagh supporter and a GAA person. A descent GAA person would not have posted a thread with that title yesterday.

[mackers]

While Stephen Kernan would not have been on my teamsheet I thought he was one of our better performers on the day.he was finding space very well in the third quarter. At one stage in the third quarter, he was standing on his own in front of goal waving frantically with Stevie in possession in front of the Gerry Arthurs stand, Stevie didn't see him, didn't pass and a goal opportunity was wasted. If it was the other way round and Kernan didn't pass to McDonnell he would have been hung!!!

[GPA not OK]

Liam O'Hare might get his chance now if Joe retires. I remember thinking that O'Hare didn't get enough opportunities. But anytime he did play for the county he underperformed. If he performed to his potential Joe couldn't have dropped him.

Bottom line is this. Armagh had very few options on the line yesterday that would have improved the team to the extent that they would have won. From reading this board, members of every club in the county like to espouse the 'great white hopes that should be on the team'.

The Harpsmen talk about Toal and Swift. Cullyhanna men about O'Hare and Mackin. There are other players from Dromintee and lads with U21 medals like Forker, Moriarity and co.

The best of these lads were tried in the league and none of them sparked into life and made a huge difference in any game. Armagh still failed to win important league games. In fairness, Kernan showed that he isn't that conservative by giving Toner and Donaghy debuts. He couldn't remove all of the experienced heads from the team.

He has done a good job of beginning the rebuilding process. Unlike Pete McGrath he won't be leaving behind a mess if he leaves now.

[corn02]

S Kernans runs were excellent in the second half and if other forwards had looked up he may have got a goal or a few more scores but 35 mins of good football does not hide the fact that anothermanager would struggle to include him in the squad.

[orangeman]

Stop the bus !! Was Stephen Kernan not one of Armagh's better forwards y'day ? If he was, what is all the chat about ?

[corn02]

Well he was in the second half and was probably third best behind O Rourke and McDonnell. As I stated 35 minutes does not prove you to be a great CHF, glad he done better though.

[full back]

Jaysus lads, this bitching about Kernan is OTT.
Every county player expects a certain amount of critcism, but not this much.
In the 2 championship games this year S Kernan has played better than most of the other forwards that appeared

[corn02]

Thought he was very poor against Donegal to be fair. Agreed about the bitching and I am guilty of it to. McConville was awful yesterday but the fact that he has done so much for Armagh means he escapes ridicule.