Saturday@3pm in Hyde Park
Mayo v Laois
Sunday @3pm in Portlaoise
Armagh v Cork
Possible tv coverage for the Saturday game, but not likely for Armagh's game as the League final is on at 4pm(which is sh1t as I'll not be able to get :-[). Cork seemingly are very strong, hard to gauge on here as there are so few Cork men about.
Benny there are a few Cork men floating about, but as the honorary Armagh Corkonian I will give you my tuppence worth.
I have only seen the highlights of them in a few games but I know a good few of them through the club scene. They have a good spread of players from last years team and have just won their 4th Munster in a row(maybe the Kingdom tide is slowly turning). Their forwards are free flowing and can rack up high scores. The likes of Cathrach Keane, Fintan Goold and Daniel Goulding are all excellent ball players with senior experience. If they get a run going they could rip a team apart.
The flip side to that is that their defence is a bit porous. Tipp scored 3-12 against them in the Munster final and in any mans language that is poor. Michael Shields was roasted by the Tipp FF but he is a good footballer. A club team mate of mine Steven O'Donoughue switched with him in the Munster final in the second half and made a big difference, I would say Stevie will be FB in the game against Armagh. Fit, big, fast strong and can win a ball. Can be prone to the head staggers though and lose track of himself. In the HB line they have a number of good ball players, but not necessarily good defenders.
I think football wise, one-to-one they will match, if not better Armagh, I think though physically Armagh will have an advantage and the tougher games they hve played recently will stand them in good stead. If they can restrict the space to the forwards, which as we know emminently poosible in Portlaoise ;D, and can dominate midfield, then I would take Armagh to win by 3.
What are they like around the middle bc? all of armagh's wins so far have come on the back of winning the majority of ball round the middle due to their size.
why is this game not on saturday? o'clock on sunday is a balls of time
i am wondering with all the talk of player burn out, why mayo have to play the semi final on sunday and then the national league final on sunday. Its a disgrace. There are 3 players involved in both. All will start the under 21 game and although not starters have a chance of being involved on sunday
Armagh should have the edge there, a lot of Tipp's scores came from loss ball around the middle being scooped up by HB's and launching it early into the space for the FF line.
It is a shit time for any game to be on and should be on on Saturday in fairness.
Was Michael Shields the full back for the seniors league match against Tyrone??
I thought he was excellent...roasted Steven O'Neill.
Could have been Goats, or it might have been Michael Prout.
think it was shields all right. goulding had a good game that night too if i recall?
If I were part of the Armagh management set up I'd be having sleepless nights about our FB line, it has been exposed in every game so far, yet we have come through, but we haven't met a team with a really potent FF line. Finnegan has to go, with P kernan slotting in there somewhere, Donaghy deserves the benefit of any doubt but he doesn't fill me with confidence either.
Sure remember last year when the Mayo hurlers where in the hurling semi-final play offs with Kerry down @ Limerick and the U-21s where playing Tyrone at the same time in the football.
How the hell did the GAA expect Keith Higgins to be in the opposite ends of the country at the same time. That day Keith played football and we beat Tyrone, Keith is probably one of our most deadly forwards in the Hurling, that day we lost to Kerry by one point. This year Keith score 7 points from play against Kerry hurlers.
Laois minor hurlers will be without one of their better players John O'Loughlin on Saturday when they play Kildare in the first round of the Leinster MHC because he will be playing for the Under 21 footballers v Mayo at the exact same time.
Thanks very much whoever came up with that master fixture list...
Without a doubt Benny. Finnegan will probably make way for kernan, though i'm not sure there's much between the two. Donaghy has taken a roasting at corner back in each of the last two games after holding his own against tyrone bar the last ten minutes. they are really struggling for man markers, especially against light nippy forwards. the tyrone sub who came on wasn't dealt with, mcgolderick couldn't be handled against derry and the same for the number 13 on saturday. if someone like goulding were to cause damage this week they need need to think about putting dyas back to man mark.
toner has looked quite ordinary too for the u21s and armagh will need a big performance from him. as well as o'neill has being doing at midfield i'd like to see him played on the square. he is very dangerous in there. hanratty is a good ball winner but i've been disappointed with what he can do from there. just winning it isn't enough at this level and we've been struggling as a forward division to carry enough scoring threat.
Toner isn't a centre back - midfield or full back!
he doesn't play centre back for the u21s. wears six in every game but plays full back
Lads for all your discussion about this years team, and the inadequecies of the backline, think they only conceeded 3 points from open play in each of their previous games and only 7 points in total in the final after the first 5 mins, when they were still in the dressing room. This team has done well for a squad , destroyed in Clones by Down in their last year at minor.
Great to get the win against a good, pacy, motivated Monaghan side. best for Armagh were Forker, Vernon, Courtney, McKenna, and Hanratty. I thought Vernon was immense in the second half - really pegged Monaghan back time and again with his surging runs. Really played to his strengths as a footballer during that half. McKenna coming on in the last 15 mins changed the game for us. Brilliant display from him also. Dyas and Hanratty started to play really well in the last 15 too. This games was in the melting pot with 15 mins to go, even though the flow of the game was with Armagh from half way through the first half. Monaghan lived off a lot let possession and were very clinical with it esp early on. Their no. 13 was a real live wire and looks a really good prospect.
QuoteThis team has done well for a squad , destroyed in Clones by Down in their last year at minor.
Judas, are you sure that many of the current U21 squad were on that minor team? I can only think of Vernon. Could be wrong though. Many of that minor team did go on to play in the u21 winning side of 2004 though. The backbone of the current U21s is made up of the 2005 Ulster minor winning side. Let's hope they can go a bit further this time.
QuoteThey have a good spread of players from last years team and have just won their 4th Munster in a row(maybe the Kingdom tide is slowly turning). Their forwards are free flowing and can rack up high scores. The likes of Cathrach Keane, Fintan Goold and Daniel Goulding are all excellent ball players with senior experience. If they get a run going they could rip a team apart.
BC1, looks like it's going to be a tough encounter then! Been hearing good things about Cork on this board over the past few weeks, so it will take a top performance from Armagh. Having won 4 Munsters on the trot Cork will be keen to get an AI to show for their efforts. The Armagh full back line has looked ropey the past 2 games i've seen them, but maybe Paul Kernan starting in there will help cut down the spaces - he looks like a good tight marking defender. IMO the likes of Donaghy stands far too much off his opponent.
Will be interesting to see how the management accommodate David McKenna. On the evidence of last Sat he is too good to leave out. If Lavery is fully fit it leaves a selection dilemma, though a nice problem to have.
Quote from: Uladh on April 17, 2007, 02:02:54 PM
he doesn't play centre back for the u21s. wears six in every game but plays full back
You weren't in Omagh on Saturday then, he didn't move into full back till well into the 2nd half!!!!
Is everyone travelling sunday? been to the three games so far but not sure if i'll go to portlaois on sunday. none of my mates who all went to the previous games are going either so if thats the trend, there could be a smaller support than normal for the u21s
i'll be there havent missed yet! would just like to wish the lads all the best for sunday! and congrats to dyas, toner, mcclelland, donaghy and forker on makin the senior squad for the championship!
Yes I shall be in Portaloise on Sunday, it is an All Ireland Semi Final after all & I too haven't missed a match. I travelled to Galway for the Under 21 AI Semi Final against Cork in 2004, so a journey to Portlaoise is nothing in comparison!! I'll be keeping an eye out for you ard mhaca abu, you'll know me, I'm the one that goes to all the matches & of course I'm usually quite vocal in my support of the Boys in the Orange & white, C'mon Armagh.
QuoteI'll be keeping an eye out for you ard mhaca abu, you'll know me, I'm the one that goes to all the matches & of course I'm usually quite vocal in my support of the Boys in the Orange & white, C'mon Armagh.
i know u alright think we were chattin on saturday! would that be right Rma13?
You'd be totally right. I see you were beboing quite a few people that night!!!!, I assume the craic was good.
Good god
QuoteYou'd be totally right. I see you were beboing quite a few people that night!!!!, I assume the craic was good.
was mighty craic! sent u an email there did u get it?
No not as yet, probably held in our system, will get it released when it comes through.
Lord f**king help us
Quote[Lord f**king help us/quote]
are u not well or something?
Has Orchardcounty gone down or something?
All we need is Clarkielover and AKstalker and we'll have the full compliment ::)
Quote from: bennydorano on April 17, 2007, 09:01:04 AM
Saturday@3pm in Hyde Park
Mayo v Laois
Sunday @3pm in Portlaoise
Armagh v Cork
Possible tv coverage for the Saturday game, but not likely for Armagh's game as the League final is on at 4pm(which is sh1t as I'll not be able to get :-[). Cork seemingly are very strong, hard to gauge on here as there are so few Cork men about.
I just checked it seems that TG4 are showing the Mayo Vs Laois match at 3 pm.
Setanta Ireland are showing SPL and some other soccer shite.
From www.entertainment.ie
TG4 13:45 - 17:10 GAA Beo Live coverage of a match from the world of GAA.
on Sunday TG4 are showing the NFL games