Kildare vs. Armagh Sun. March 22

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

Interesting to see McEvoy in goals. Did he not start last week and does this mean he has come out ahead of Rodgers in the championship panel stakes? Fiinn Mo. played well last year but, like some others, is in a bad run of form giving away too many silly frees. When you consider how quickly Martin was taken ashore against Monaghan not to figure again he has to be considered very lucky. Would also hope that Kevin O'Rourke has not been dropped as apart from the last game he has been showing up well lately. Heard he might be injured. As always I worry about Mallon and MOR playing together as I feel they both try and play in the same areas. SK would also be in this category. Speaking of SK unlike many I am a fan of his, however, come championship time I would prefer to see him coming off the bench when players are tiring. I believe his paaing would help exploit the spaces at these times. When he starts games I feel he can get lost a bit. Tomorrow I would also like to see Henderson introduced as a second half sub. He is a finisher and we need to see if we need a change come championship time if he is the man to do it. Am not very hopeful for tomorrow. The game may also tell a tale of the spirit in the Armagh camp at the minute. In the games against Laois and Monaghan when the going got tough too many lay down. Hopefully the old spirit can return and we can see Armagh on the up again.

ROdgers playing for the under 21s during the week and having another match Wednesday week might have been a factor in the goalkeeping decision. Of the team picked tomorrow I'd only have 7 or 8 starting against Tyrone but suspect there'll be at least a couple more.

[corn02]

Interesting to see McEvoy in goals. Did he not start last week and does this mean he has come out ahead of Rodgers in the championship panel stakes? Fiinn Mo. played well last year but, like some others, is in a bad run of form giving away too many silly frees. When you consider how quickly Martin was taken ashore against Monaghan not to figure again he has to be considered very lucky. Would also hope that Kevin O'Rourke has not been dropped as apart from the last game he has been showing up well lately. Heard he might be injured. As always I worry about Mallon and MOR playing together as I feel they both try and play in the same areas. SK would also be in this category. Speaking of SK unlike many I am a fan of his, however, come championship time I would prefer to see him coming off the bench when players are tiring. I believe his paaing would help exploit the spaces at these times. When he starts games I feel he can get lost a bit. Tomorrow I would also like to see Henderson introduced as a second half sub. He is a finisher and we need to see if we need a change come championship time if he is the man to do it. Am not very hopeful for tomorrow. The game may also tell a tale of the spirit in the Armagh camp at the minute. In the games against Laois and Monaghan when the going got tough too many lay down. Hopefully the old spirit can return and we can see Armagh on the up again.

ROdgers playing for the under 21s during the week and having another match Wednesday week might have been a factor in the goalkeeping decision. Of the team picked tomorrow I'd only have 7 or 8 starting against Tyrone but suspect there'll be at least a couple more.

I think it may be McEvoy coming out in front to be honest TAC, Rodgers is a great shot-stopper but his kick-outs are the problem, Toner dug him out of a few holes on Wednesday night too. Could be wrong, but I would say McEvoy will have a Championship panel slot anyway.

On your other points, seven or eight would be about my count too, but I expect ten of today;s starting line-up to play against Tyrone.

[Throw ball]

Although Rodgers is a good keeper I definitely think McEvoy is ahead at the minute. As for Rodgers kickouts they are still not what he needs to be no.1 but have improved alot since the Antrim game on the evidence of Wednesday night. As for the championship team I would not like to see any more than seven of that team on come Tyrone but like everyone else I suspect a few more.

[corn02]

Although Rodgers is a good keeper I definitely think McEvoy is ahead at the minute. As for Rodgers kickouts they are still not what he needs to be no.1 but have improved alot since the Antrim game on the evidence of Wednesday night. As for the championship team I would not like to see any more than seven of that team on come Tyrone but like everyone else I suspect a few more.

I must say Rodgers has impressed me immesnly in the shot-stopping stakes. A poor game for McEvoy tomorrow if he plays and Rodgers could be back on track. Even Hearty will soon need to watch his back, great competition.

[Our Nail Loney]

team for sunday is as follows

Armagh: P McEvoy; A Mallon, F Moriarty, B Shannon; T McClelland, A O'Rourke, C McKeever; J Lavery, C Vernon; M O'Rourke, B Mallon, R Clarke; S McDonnell, S Kernan, T Kernan.

Don't know what yous were expecting lads, there 10 porbable Championship starters there and four possible Championship players either as starter or sub.

Uladh, Vernon has been impressive to date. As TAC says, Lavery is just back from injury, would be unfair to expect him to be dominating yet.

was thinking that myself.  would imagine the only certain starters to come in would be donaghy/toner, mcgrane, hearty and ak.  more of a transitional year i would expect this is echoed by the bookies 25/1 for sam

Youse were 25/1 last year as well, two transitional years then?

[armaghniac]

Youse were 25/1 last year as well, two transitional years then?

that puts us about 6th in the country, better than being among the 80/1 no hopers.

[Our Nail Loney]

Youse were 25/1 last year as well, two transitional years then?

that puts us about 6th in the country, better than being among the 80/1 no hopers.

Bit touchy??

And for the record, it puts you seventh or eighth... No big deal though.

[armaghniac]

I don't think Armagh are going to win the AI, but they are as good a bet as Mayo or Derry.

Good that Monaghan drew with Meath, keeping some teams in the lower reaches of the division.

[Our Nail Loney]

I don't think Armagh are going to win the AI, but they are as good a bet as Mayo or Derry.

Good that Monaghan drew with Meath, keeping some teams in the lower reaches of the division.

I would not class Armagh in the same bracket as Derry... I see Derry as one of thei teams that could make the breakthrough this year and challenge for top honours, Armagh on the other hand, transitional year(s).

So to sum up, Derry going in the right direction, Armagh wrong.

[Tyrones own]

This is the team I EXPECT, injury permitting, for the Tyrone game:


Hearty
Mallon Donaghy Moriarty
McKeever AOR AK
Vernon McGrane
MOR SK Mallon
McDonnell Clarke Barnsey.

Has McGrane made himself available yet? and if so am i right in thinking that he'll simply be expected to hit the ground running come
championship with little to no game time under his belt

[Smokin Joe]

What are the chanes of McGrane starting against Tyrone?

Slim, I would have thought.  He is 35 (approx), and at that age you tend to need a few games to get the rustiness out of the bones, and he is running out of time.

A great servant that he has been down the years, I don't think I'd like to see him starting agaisnt Tyrone without having played a fair amount of football before then.

EDIT - Note that I posted this without reading the post above 

[ardmhaca08]

Anyone have any links today apart from 5fm???

[Carbery]

Anyone have any links today apart from 5fm???

http://www.kfmradio.com/

[bridgegael]

to save me poating later i'll ask now,   what did mckeever get yellow card for??

[Real1995]

AK starin for SK...see that Barnsey is in for TK and Toner in for Lavery