Ulster Senior football championship 2024

[Keyser soze]

That was a great watch, fair play to both teams for a brilliant effort, that could have gone either way. Horrible for Armagh players [and supporters] but that's sport I spose.  Unbelievable that there are posters saying that was a poor quality game!

Can't fathom why 2 Armagh players refused a mark to win the game with time nearly up.

Penalties no way to decide a game, better to keep playing periods of extra time until there's a winner IMO.

Armagh are there or thereabouts, I would say McGeeney has them at near their max on most days out. He mightn't be the best manager about but for sure there a plenty worse. For those of you who want him out and there are plenty on here, who is coming in to replace him that's obviously better?

It is easy to talk the talk but if that translated into the real world there are a couple of guys on this board who would be doing goals for Armagh in a penalty shootout lol

PS Soupy Campbell is one of the most exciting players to watch I have ever seen.

Cpuld it be that they were afraid of missing and giving posession back to Donegal?

Given the scoring ration to shots the chances are Donegal would have scored one of them - perhaps the Amragh players felt the shot they were oging to tae had to be low risk rather than a mark from a difficult position

Whilst I said I 'couldn't fathom' why they didn't take on the shot you could have used your brain and worked out that I knew this was the reason.

[Applesisapples]

That was a great watch, fair play to both teams for a brilliant effort, that could have gone either way. Horrible for Armagh players [and supporters] but that's sport I spose.  Unbelievable that there are posters saying that was a poor quality game!

Can't fathom why 2 Armagh players refused a mark to win the game with time nearly up.

Penalties no way to decide a game, better to keep playing periods of extra time until there's a winner IMO.

Armagh are there or thereabouts, I would say McGeeney has them at near their max on most days out. He mightn't be the best manager about but for sure there a plenty worse. For those of you who want him out and there are plenty on here, who is coming in to replace him that's obviously better?

It is easy to talk the talk but if that translated into the real world there are a couple of guys on this board who would be doing goals for Armagh in a penalty shootout lol

PS Soupy Campbell is one of the most exciting players to watch I have ever seen.

Conaty is a class act too, the directions to recycle came from the side.

[Armamike]

This is getting hard to take at this stage.  It's ok sucking up one near miss on penalties but 4 now in 2 years?  Forgive me as an Armagh supporter for never wanting to see penalties in our games again.  For any  of you neutrals who think it's great entertainment, be careful what you wish for.  A lot said here and elsewhere about penalties being a lottery?  Sorry, that's nonsense. It's down to skill and composure.  If it was a lottery on the law of averages we would have won 1 or 2 out of those 4. 

For me it's hard to escape the notion that we do have a mental block when it comes to seeing out a game, and especially when we are in front.  I've got to the point now where I would rather we were a couple of points behind going into the final minutes where we don't have to think to much about it and just for for it. 4 points up in a game like that where 2 teams set up defensively was a big advantage heading into the last 15.  We just had to match Donegal on the scoreboard but we stopped scoring completely. Just one or two points in that final 15 or 20 minutes would have won it.  Collectively I think there's a lack of nous and smartness in decision making when the pressure is on, and I don't see a go-to player who will demand the ball and do something to get us over the line, whether that is a crucial high catch in the middle, having the confidence to nail an important score, or a driving run to set up somebody. To be fair I thought Nugent showed some of that confidence and attitude but there wasn't enough.

Really feel for the management and players though. It's a tough one to take and will be hard to motivate themselves.  McGeeney has had so many near misses with Armagh and Kildare. He must feel bloody cursed at this point.

[balladmaker]

Fine margins indeed.  KMcG has this group of Armagh players playing to their potential, would be madness to call for his replacement now.  Look at the age profile of the team, if he was to go, I reckon that would be the deciding factor for 4 or 5 others to go with him.  We can't afford that.  On the other hand, really felt for Kieran yesterday, watching the highlights last night and the look on his face ahead of the last penalty said it all.  As for Armagh not pushing on when 4 points clear, a lot of that was down to Donegal going at them.  Second year in a row we've been 2 clear in second half of extra time.  I thought yesterday at that stage we had it, and so did many Armagh and Donegal folk around me, but Donegal and the sporting God's had other ideas.  Penalties is as much about the keeper as the kicker, and Blaine didn't really get close to any of them yesterday, maybe one he dive the right way but was never getting it.  I think the moral for any keeper in a penalty shootout is just to stand in the middle and make yourself as big as possible, you've a fair chance of blocking at least one of them.

Onwards to the group stages now, nothing easy, nor should it be.  A top two group finish is essential.

[statto]

Some of the comparisons between last years final and this years uncanny, chance to win it in injury time both games with marks, Armagh 2 up in extra time and then subsequently losing on penalties.  Some of the score taking from both sides was top class in first half particular.

Soupy had missed a mark previously in the second half from a similar position but decided to kick the ball back, think Jarly og should definetely  had a go at the posts. It was Kellys first real touch the mark at end which probably didn't help. Congratulations to Donegal. 

[AustinPowers]

This is getting hard to take at this stage.  It's ok sucking up one near miss on penalties but 4 now in 2 years?  Forgive me as an Armagh supporter for never wanting to see penalties in our games again.  For any  of you neutrals who think it's great entertainment, be careful what you wish for.  A lot said here and elsewhere about penalties being a lottery?  Sorry, that's nonsense. It's down to skill and composure.  If it was a lottery on the law of averages we would have won 1 or 2 out of those 4. 

For me it's hard to escape the notion that we do have a mental block when it comes to seeing out a game, and especially when we are in front.  I've got to the point now where I would rather we were a couple of points behind going into the final minutes where we don't have to think to much about it and just for for it. 4 points up in a game like that where 2 teams set up defensively was a big advantage heading into the last 15.  We just had to match Donegal on the scoreboard but we stopped scoring completely. Just one or two points in that final 15 or 20 minutes would have won it.  Collectively I think there's a lack of nous and smartness in decision making when the pressure is on, and I don't see a go-to player who will demand the ball and do something to get us over the line, whether that is a crucial high catch in the middle, having the confidence to nail an important score, or a driving run to set up somebody. To be fair I thought Nugent showed some of that confidence and attitude but there wasn't enough.

Really feel for the management and players though. It's a tough one to take and will be hard to motivate themselves.  McGeeney has had so many near misses with Armagh and Kildare. He must feel bloody cursed at this point.

Yeah , I'd have to agree  with this.

[mup]

Some Dubs can't wait to have a pop off McGeeney when he loses. It all stems from his time in Kildare when his team put it up to the Dubs. I'd take him back in Kildare in a heartbeat.

I think Armagh would be mad to get rid of him.

[statto]

Did Armagh do anything overly different in the last quarter compared to the rest of the game. Not really. They sat back and defended they whole way through. They gave Donegal the kickout the whole way through. They were patient in attack the whole way through.

Difference was they were turned over a number of times in the Donegal half. Mackin following a loose pass that skidded away from him, McCabe in the corner, Campbell (off the ground that wasn't). They had a couple of shots drop short and a couple of wides.

Was a period of Donegal dominance not to be expected? They also got a couple of outrageous scores. They are two evenly matched teams after all.

Rian O'Neill broke one in first half which think Murnin got a score of I would agree that didn't press the kickouts nearly enough. 

[tbrick18]

This is getting hard to take at this stage.  It's ok sucking up one near miss on penalties but 4 now in 2 years?  Forgive me as an Armagh supporter for never wanting to see penalties in our games again.  For any  of you neutrals who think it's great entertainment, be careful what you wish for.  A lot said here and elsewhere about penalties being a lottery?  Sorry, that's nonsense. It's down to skill and composure.  If it was a lottery on the law of averages we would have won 1 or 2 out of those 4. 

For me it's hard to escape the notion that we do have a mental block when it comes to seeing out a game, and especially when we are in front.  I've got to the point now where I would rather we were a couple of points behind going into the final minutes where we don't have to think to much about it and just for for it. 4 points up in a game like that where 2 teams set up defensively was a big advantage heading into the last 15.  We just had to match Donegal on the scoreboard but we stopped scoring completely. Just one or two points in that final 15 or 20 minutes would have won it.  Collectively I think there's a lack of nous and smartness in decision making when the pressure is on, and I don't see a go-to player who will demand the ball and do something to get us over the line, whether that is a crucial high catch in the middle, having the confidence to nail an important score, or a driving run to set up somebody. To be fair I thought Nugent showed some of that confidence and attitude but there wasn't enough.

Really feel for the management and players though. It's a tough one to take and will be hard to motivate themselves.  McGeeney has had so many near misses with Armagh and Kildare. He must feel bloody cursed at this point.

I'd agree with with a lot of this.
I feel Armagh are now getting the maximum from these players and I think they now play a structure that suits the players they have, with O'Neill in MF.
However, the crux of the problem is that they are just a little short on quality overall. Otherwise they would have won some of those close games, or some of those penalty shootouts.
No shame in any of that, just the reality of "nearly" being there.

Can still beat anyone, but if trying to beat a top team they'll need to be at the top of their game and for their opponent to be off theirs.

[statto]

That was a great watch, fair play to both teams for a brilliant effort, that could have gone either way. Horrible for Armagh players [and supporters] but that's sport I spose.  Unbelievable that there are posters saying that was a poor quality game!

Can't fathom why 2 Armagh players refused a mark to win the game with time nearly up.

Penalties no way to decide a game, better to keep playing periods of extra time until there's a winner IMO.

Armagh are there or thereabouts, I would say McGeeney has them at near their max on most days out. He mightn't be the best manager about but for sure there a plenty worse. For those of you who want him out and there are plenty on here, who is coming in to replace him that's obviously better?

It is easy to talk the talk but if that translated into the real world there are a couple of guys on this board who would be doing goals for Armagh in a penalty shootout lol

PS Soupy Campbell is one of the most exciting players to watch I have ever seen.

Conaty is a class act too, the directions to recycle came from the side.

Conatys rolling his man for the score in second half was top class.  He doesn't seem the most natural of kickers but has had a very good first proper season. 

[yellowcard]

Armagh fold again on Penalties, Why was Rian O'Neil taken off. Awful way to lose a game. Some Armagh supporters argue that's that a draw! 4 point up with 20 mins to go, Armagh went bck into their shell instead pushing on.

This time Armagh did not fold, good save to win it. Rian couldn't walk at full time, physio was working on him he had run out of gas. Why Oisin doesn't start or come in earlier is a mystery. But Donaghy telling Jarly Og to recycle a mark that was scoreable  points to a mindset that leads to losing games. Twice at least they had the game won and then stopped doing what was working for them. Players running into dead ends and not taking opportunities points to that  same mindset. Something needs to change, if not McGeeney then the back room. They need a change of direction. Some incredible scores yesterday from both teams, fair play Donegal they found a a way.

I've heard that said by some people but the players have to stand up and be counted sometimes also. Jarly Og was in a decent position for a right footed kicker who likes to draw the ball in. It was a 6 out of 10 kick but kicking it backwards was not the correct option in that position at that stage of the game. The Soupy one was the wrong side of the pitch for a player trying to draw the ball in with his right boot and was a lower percentage but it was still worth a shot at goal. They both should have took a few seconds to weigh up their options before kicking it away in a rush. There was no guarantee that we were going to get a better chance to win the game at the point which they called their marks. The mark ultimately taken by Kelly was no probably easier than either of those shots but there is no fault on him for having the courage to go for the shot and he did at least strike through the ball. 

[pbat]

The talk of Jarly Og's mark is a red herring, if Jarly was given a bag of O Neills and stood on that spot in Clones till next Sunday he wouldn't have make that kick. Soup should have had a pop at his , but again he had just missed a similar one so he maybe didnt feel good about it. A wild wide and handing back procession to Patton was not the right option. When Conaty dropped short was a turning point I feel,he should have recycled, maybe bit of inexperience but the lad had a great game other than that and his wide at the last.

[general_lee]

If there's a silver-lining to yesterday's performance it's that Armagh put on an exhibition on why the attacking mark should be ditched. Such a stupid rule.

[yellowcard]

The talk of Jarly Og's mark is a red herring, if Jarly was given a bag of O Neills and stood on that spot in Clones till next Sunday he wouldn't have make that kick. Soup should have had a pop at his , but again he had just missed a similar one so he maybe didnt feel good about it. A wild wide and handing back procession to Patton was not the right option. When Conaty dropped short was a turning point I feel,he should have recycled, maybe bit of inexperience but the lad had a great game other than that and his wide at the last.

Very harsh and don't agree with that at all, Jarly Og is well capable of kicking a ball over the bar from 35-40m on the correct side of the pitch given his kicking style. If that was the case he shouldn't have bothered calling the mark in the first instance. I don't particularly like the rule to begin with but it is there to be taken advantage of where spaces in defence are tight in the closing stages of games.

It's a sad indictment of gaelic football that some people think a ball should be recycled backwards from a shooting position inside the 45m line and that they can't trust a player to have a shot at the posts. Playing the low risk percentages might be part of the reason why we can't see out these matches, its a fear mindset.     

[statto]

Armagh fold again on Penalties, Why was Rian O'Neil taken off. Awful way to lose a game. Some Armagh supporters argue that's that a draw! 4 point up with 20 mins to go, Armagh went bck into their shell instead pushing on.

This time Armagh did not fold, good save to win it. Rian couldn't walk at full time, physio was working on him he had run out of gas. Why Oisin doesn't start or come in earlier is a mystery. But Donaghy telling Jarly Og to recycle a mark that was scoreable  points to a mindset that leads to losing games. Twice at least they had the game won and then stopped doing what was working for them. Players running into dead ends and not taking opportunities points to that  same mindset. Something needs to change, if not McGeeney then the back room. They need a change of direction. Some incredible scores yesterday from both teams, fair play Donegal they found a a way.

To be fair they have brought Gilligan into the backroom team this year who is very highly thought of.