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Good reports on the match lads .Was there myself and enjoyed it immensely. Couple of things though that struck me in general. Firstly the ground itself. poor standard and the high iron railing on top of the cement wall around the pitch does make it difficult viewing. the terracing is quite back from  the pitch . The pitch itself was in good condition but was very disappointed in the surrounds. On the match itself and while I enjoyed the result, why do we make it so difficult . we still cant finish teams of . Kildare should have been well beaten in the second half but we missed a lot of chances when we were four points up. We had the wind at our back, midfield was cleaning up .Armagh were at their best. The alleged throw ball by clarke was a certain goal and that would have put seven points in it. Again with fifteen minutes left we were all over them yet didnt score and back they came at the end and nearly beat us. Had the penalty went in it left them a point in front. We should have had them dead and buried. The kildare supporters around me were saying the exact same .
Midfield was tremendous and Vernon i thought was majestic . He made a few spectacular catches alliied to a great workarate and a driving display. Just what the doctor ordered. Keiran had a tremendous battle with Early and in my opinion won it well.
I also noticed that Ciaran McKeever while playing a reasonably good game , stood back a few times and didnt tackle . I immediately could see that he was being very cautious as another sending off could result in a three month ban ( someone beside me  said about the ban, wasn't to sure myself).

Andy Mallon is back to near his best . His marking of Doyle was superb but most important he was able a few times to break out of defence at speed. Last year against Wexford I said his loss had a bearing on the result.
Well done Goalkeeper mCEvoy (not sure of first name) Kickouts were good and well aimed at times . Made a wonderful point blank stop in the first half. Kildares goal was firstly a push on the back by the Kildare forward . Keeper had no chance as it came down of the underside of the bar and looked to have crossed the line despite protests from a few defenders.
Aoran Kernans playmaking role for me was very good. He picked up quite a few balls around the midfield alongside Martin and this gave Armagh a vital edge throughout the game.
Time and time again we turned over the Kildare possesion. Armagh's penalty came directly from a turn over by either Toner or mC Keever( at the other side of pitch).
Stevie got on the end of a lot of ball but was very far out and his distribution wasn't great. Should have been in close to Clarke in the second half. Clarke def. was the jewel in the crown. Superb dispaly of point taking and ball winning . He can win it high or low . Shudder to think of the forward line without him. Took  a nasty hit .which I thought should have been a yellow card . As it was he just received a black tick.
Overall very encouraging, and good result in a match played at great pace and intensity.By no means a dirty game however the referee didnt exactly endear himself to either sets of supporters. The new rules while on paper read well, in practice a nightmare of confusion and frustration with little or no consistency in their application. The new rules and the speed of the game today doesnt allow for the odd rash challenge by players without malice or intent.
As for kildare they persisted in carrying the ball into the tackle where first time ball to their inside line would have proved more benificial. This resulted in turnovers . Physically very big they weren't as mobile as last sunday but I wish them well in Leinster for Geezers and Pauls sake. I wonder would they have kept Finn mo on the number 13 for 29 minutes??

the robots term is also in todays Irish news

sorry didnt mean to mention it.  I know we are not supposed to be there . Promise, will go away and hide and will re-emerge at 4pm Sunday afternoon( Please speak very quietly when mentioning Armagh)

Just noticed that in all the provincial deciders so far this year   the crowd have bee allowed on to the pitch after the game  Even some of the first round games and semi-finals(Down fans after match in Newry and Ferm. Fans in Omagh). Will it be the same in Clones  The last final played there in 2003 did not allow it and certainly not in 2002. dDd Tyrone fans go on to the pitch after the Ulster final last year?

I see some fermanagh supporters are referrng to the Armagh team as the robots , plug them in charge them up etc.  Amusing!

Point taken Tyrone dreamer  but You might also add that fermanagh should have the greater hunger for the game. I went through Fermanagh yesterday and every town had bunting ,banners flags etc and really they are looking on this as their all-ireland . I am an armagh fan but I said from the moment they beat Monaghan that this was the first time I had seen a Fermanagh team with the realistic chance of winning an Ulster title and armagh have played them quite a few times over this past ten years. I know banners and all dont win games but I have spoken to quite a few of the ferm. folk and they are very confident. Armagh have a new manager and from the team that played Donegal last year no marsden , Mc conville McGeeney McNulty and from the year before no Mc Entees . still think the favs tag slighltly strange .

Fermanagh beat a Monaghan team that was tipped for greatness this year and certainly one of the favourites for the Anglo -Celt and then went on to defeat National league winners Derry who had already beaten Donegal in Ballybofey and who were the bookies fav for the title  while Armagh beat a very poor Cavan team and a down team that that got carried away with its victory over a shadow Tyrone team and Armagh are the favourites in the final.......... Something doesnt add up here !!!!!!

Tyrone wont be far away either , Once the dust settles Tyrone will be back make no mistake about it . They were beaten in a hectic contest and I am sure Micky knows he made a few mistakes but they dont become a bad team overnight . No-one has mentioned them on this thread so far

The Pa system is a tannoy system and not made for tonal clarity. It makes the singer but even more so the instruments sound like they are playing in a tin box. This was very clearly the case at breffni . I much prefer the band and at times on sunday before the game there was nothing happening once Malachi had left the scene. we had four or five minutes with the teams standing about . No build up at all The parade must come back it was great for rousing the crowd. At the end of the day those involved in the Ulster are in charge of running our games . They are not music promoters and they are definetly not aware of their audience, I hate to think had Donegal got through daniel might have been trotted out..

In my opinion , the whole marketing of the gaa needs a kick up the arse. I wonder if many of you are like me in thinking is croke park and in particular the camera shot into the Davin end the only photo shoot we can come up with  when launching our championships .. Lads the formula's tired . We need something new. Everytime we launch a competition in Camogie Hurling football national league etc etc / most shots are the same . two or three from each county throwing a ball to the taoseach or swinging the camanin Croke park. Now dont get me wrong I am proud of the stadium  but we are fogging it to hard , to often. No there has to be a more innovative way. Why no special launch programme  guests  magazine highlights . forecasts insights etc.. There is so much more we can do. I hate to compare the champions league in soccer but looking at how Moscow staged the final last wednesday night and look at how we do the All-Ireland to me speaks for itself. Get the proper marketing people in  Take it to a new level. Yes some of the ads are superb but these are from sponsors . Its time the Gaa moved to another level or elase as someone said earlier the munster jersies will cover the landscape in the days to come and we will be left wondering where did it all go wrong.

One reason for the increase in memebership of gaa clubs is the  number of all ticket matches at intercounty level . Many clubs adopt a policy of members only for tickets . I know in my own county of Armagh our  club membership trebled over this past few years due to people wanting tickets for the big games at the time . Some of these members  couldnt even tell what colour we played in or ever set foot on our pitch but turned up when tickets were being given out (not that i minded it boosted the revenue of the club). As regards playing Gaa like many of you have said we do not have a recreational side to our game which can in may ways limit paticipation. Armagh particularly north Armagh are doing something about this as we speak and a recreational tournament is being organised for next month with over ten clubs already signed up. A tag type of rules has been establishesd and at the moment it seems to be gathering momentum.  As regards the stagnation of numbers playing its hard to get away from the fact that discipline  is required at all levels in order to compete with any degree of sucess. all teams are coached and train on a regular basis  and there is liittle room for the turn up for the match only philosophy.  We should never worry about our boys and girls going to play other sports. In my area many who play gaelic are also talented basketball players ,soccer players etc . We must make our games as attractive . My main worry though is life syle and thats a totaly different story!

 Must agree with some of the comments here particularly those made by Mackers but a few other thoughts about the game came to mind that i thought I might share with you.  Overall I thought Monaghan deserved their narrow win. At best we deserved a draw.  Yes it was a vast improvement on the westmeath game and their victory over neighbours Meath may put a truer reflection on our display. There are still some problems areas for us to sort out. In my opinion Monaghan were playing at championship pace and this  would be a worry from a monaghan point of view. I think they may have peaked performance wise although they may argue they played badly yesterday. Armagh provided a different opposition , they were tough mobile in certain areas and showed glimpses of why in my opinion "they havent gone away you know". Their forwards were giving very little space up front and only for Endas silly fouling , their return would have been meager indeed.I must say though their goal was well worked and even better executed. Enda was very poor yesterday . One particular free was unforgiveable from a man of his experience. The defence had the mon. forward surrounded and Enda fell down on him thus giving away a most silly free. Our other two full backs played very well and tackled with great discipline. We now have a possibility of five full backs for three positions Bellew Mallon Donaghy Moriarity and Mc Nulty.  Our half back line looks like our championship line up and while last game i placed a ?mark over Aidan Orourke , this week he was immense. Finlay apart from frees was poor much down to the exceelent Aor. Ciaran McKeever is also very strong mobile , misplaced a few passes but really is a very good half back, which leaves Aoran Kernan who had not one of his better days and this was down to astute Monaghan management who targeted Aoran defensive weakness and in some ways capitalised. A lot of the monaghan movement came thorugh that area it was obvious what was happening. McElkennon knew this and played on it. Aaron is a wonderful player but he must do what defenders should do first and thats concentrate on defending. Midfield we struggled and I felt monaghan gained the upper hand here. Dick Clerkin and eoin Lennon outplayed us in this sector and while we did gain some possesion it was mostly as a result of good foraging by half backs and half forwards. Malachy Mackin as other contributors have stated most certainly lacked confidence and I wonder am I right in saying this is his first game back since injury, if so I will not be to sore on him. Paul Courtenay also came face to face with reality yesterday, His lack of experience proved costly. Other than a very good point he fumbled and was turned over on a few occasions for possesion. Stephen Kernan had a very good game . He is a very intelligent player and I rate him very highly a great addition to a much maligned half forward line . Martin O Rourke gave his usual 300% not sure whether a lot comes from it . Kicked a bad wide in the first half. Lacks that burst of pace. Our forward play in the first half went from good to middling to bad and in that order. At the end of the first half we were back to the westmeath syndrome of kicking passes across the third quarter of the field. We need to be more incisive and definetly a much more cutting edge is needed if we are to challenge for major honours. Ronan was very poor yesterday and well marked I may add ,although not all of it legally. Stevie showed a few glimpses of his old form and struck a nice free to boot . In the first half a few balls went in that should have been won or broken and were not thus a mon defence that should have been under pressure grew in confidence . Tony kernan is an excelllent find. his intelligent play and free taking ability is a big bonus particularly since Oisin is near that time . We can blame refs all we like and the last free was dubious to say the least but we must focus on areas where at the moment progress is being made and where work needs to be done . Armagh may be in transition but I have a sneaking feeling that with a few tweaks and pushes here and there eg Toner in Midfield francie and Andy back to form a more incisive cutting edge to our forward play with Vernon the other half forward then that team should be fit to match any in Ulster . It is young and fairly mobile and yesterdays game showed that much has been done but still kore to do. Good luck monaghan you played your part in an somewhat enjoyable end of winter game . i think you may have  a few worries as well . Nothing is settled until the bumblebee hits the windsreen

Monaghan will be a tough nut to crack. They are fairly sharp judging by a few friends I have spoken to and have watched them. Monaghan are a seriously good team . Last year I felt they lacked a strong panel and when replacements were needed they weren't there . Starting 15 excellent but subs weak . This year i have heard on the grapevine they feel this department has improved greatly and with ronaghan back they are looking for titles and the league would do nicely for starters.  Armagh will struggle with Monaghan,s pace . Our full back line was shaky against westmeath and Cavan. F Moriarity is a good player and would be in contention for a spot in many counties . But we are talking a different league here. Freeman is a quality forward  and it will take Andy Mallon to be on his toes to mark him. I remember him and another monaghan forward missing to gifted chances against armagh in a replay two years ago.  Andy Mallon will probably not start ( if he does it will be his first run out the year) due to injury. Brendan Donaghy is a good player but like Uladh says does concede the fouls. I have always felt in fact I know he is a half back and not a full back. Enda is not the assured back that gained him an allstar a few years back. Paul Duffy weak defending good going forward . Ciaran Mckeever , our strongest player to date. Needs to watch the discipline. Aidan O rourke, I'm not so sure  , for me personally the jury,s out on him. He has done quite well so far this year but this match will answer a few questions I think.  Good reader of the game and great positional sense, pace???.  Midfield has won quite a lot of ball in the two games but distribution poor . McGrane has lobbed  a few in but O.Neil has been  very poor in the distribution  and if he does start well we need a big game out of him Particularly with Lennon in and around the middle. And then we have the old chestnut coming back to haunt us   yes the half forward line  . we must get this line sorted . Personally for me it would be S Kernan B mallon and C Vernon . Some might see M orourke as a definite starter and maybe so but if injury rules him out and s kernan is available then I would put him in. We need a greater threat from our h forwards and James Lavery is another option here.  The full forward line of stevie Clarke and hopefully Tony Kernan have will abig bearing on the outcome of this game. At the moment they are of the mark and of the pace (stevie and Clarke that is) Clarke has done quite well but only a pale shadow yet of the 2006 allstar. Stevie must do what he does best and thats take scores and make life difficult for the full back line. He must lie deep and forget about his forays into our defence etc. All in all it may be  a step to far for Armagh at this stage of the year. No doubt the team Peter puts out will not be near the same as that for the championhsip. Monaghan seem to have the bit between their teeth at the moment . I hope its a case of peaking to early but if not good luck to them although I am an ardent Armagh fan I have a liking for Monaghan as My da was from Blaney and a great Monaghan fan god rest him

I  like many other gaa followers throughout the country am very dismayed at the current Cork situation. its a no win situation if you ask me . i am not from cork but have always admired their style and their friendliness at many games which i have travelled down to.  It really is amazing how it  has got this far. Marches on the street, intervention of the Labour relations chief. Meetings with head of the gaa etc etc. Its heady stuff and not for all the right reasons.  As  a few have already pointed out there seems to be  a lot of conspiracy theories as to what actually took place . In this I am referring to the removal of Billy  Morgan and the fact that the selection of selectors by the county board was a backdoor means of getting rid of him . The players knew this and reacted accordingly. Where are the facts to back this up. Is this another case of "well  a blind man on a galloping horse can see whats going on here" but we cant really prove it. i am a delegate to the county board for my own club and some of the comments made in this thread about delegates leave a lot to be desired. The county board are the clubs  with the exception of one full time official . All the clubs and my own included select the county board. If they are not up to scratch we deselect them . We choose ,and thats the way it should be . Some and I say only some see delegates in a different light. If I did not have  a gaa background I could be forgiven in thinking that all the county board are a bunch of highly paid bosses set out on a pedestal and the players are the workers hard done by and all that. In the cork case the clubs voted with the county board , twice if I am led to believe in favour of the system of choosing selectors. I may not like this but if the majority of clubs in my county agreed with it then as a democrat I will accept that decision . Next year I will put in a motion through my own club in order to reopen debate. It will go before the annual convention or the specific board convention and I will speak on it and from that I will sink or swim . Thats the way it is. Any other way and its a recipe for disaster.  Whether the cork county board did the right thing or not is irrelevant . The clubs decided, I repeat the clubs decided. They spoke and the players who had valid points about the system should have gone to their clubs and rallied their clubs and made them the focus for the protest not to set themselves up as the focal point They should blame the clubs . Get on to their club delegate and ask them as to why they voted the way they did and if they didn't like it well they have every right to withdraw themselves from the squad until such times as circumstances change.  The players were quite entitled to withdraw their services to the county if they felt strongly about it, that is there right as individuals , but to go on strike as some kind of unionised group and set themselves up as an us v them situation to me is entirely wrong.  Cork players have no right to set themselves up as a body and as representatives for all players . The cork jersey is not owned by any group of individuals no matter how important they think they are . Next year new players come on board, the jersey moves on. If there is funny stuff going on in the county board and the conspiracy theories are  right then let the clubs stand up and be counted and take a principled stand. Cork is  a huge county with a more than proud tradition. At the end of the day what is happening in cork will have profound effects on the rest of the association. It is sad for me to have to write this as it gives me no pleasure at all i would rather be discussing the merits of the footballers and hurlers of cork as players rather than  militant activists in a war where there is only one loser