Armagh vs. Cork Sunday, April 12

[Oraisteach]

So, if I understand it right, we have to beat Cork, and either Monaghan must loss to Laois at Portlaoise or Kildare must lose to Meath at Navan.  Draws don't do us great favours because of the point differential.  Can certainly be done, but will need Clarke and McKeever.  Midfield remains a worry.

[Midman]

Any word on what the injury to McKeever is?

[Oraisteach]

Haven't heard for sure, but radio commentator seemed to think it was a groin pull.  If we're lucky, it'll heal in a couple of weeks.

[Maguire01]

Armagh doing us a favour is probably the best hope of Monaghan winning promotion. At least with Armagh winning today, there will still be incentive for them to go for a win against Cork.

[David McKeown]

Midfield was good today, and McKeever seemed ok after the incident that lead to him being taken off.  It looked to me like it was precautionary more than anything

[Oraisteach]

Good to hear on both accounts.  To listen to the radio, it sounded as if the midfield was getting roasted, especially on kick-outs.

[bennydorano]

Good to hear on both accounts.  To listen to the radio, it sounded as if the midfield was getting roasted, especially on kick-outs.

Big Ward caught a few of Toner alrite, but Vernon won a serious amount of ball in the first half from scrapping.

[Goats Do Shave]

I though McKeever hurt his right knee.

[naka]

apart from the kernans has anyone else from cross joined the panel yet ?

[mackers]

apart from the kernans has anyone else from cross joined the panel yet ?

I was at the opposite side of the field from the dug out but there were no other Cross players called out over the PA system as being on the subs so I don't think so.
Whatever about promotion I think the last few weeks has shown who will make the cut on the 31st May and who won't. For what it is worth this would be my team for the Tyrone match.

                           McEvoy
A Mallon                P Kernan         B Donaghy
A Kernan               C McKeever     B Shannon
                 C Vernon        K Toner
B Mallon                P Toal             M O'Rourke
                          S McDonnell
                 R Clarke          K O'Rourke

Although B Mallon is going through a bad patch at the minute I would pick him with a view to the wing backs we will be playing against. D Harte and P Jordan will bomb forward at every opportunity and we will need wing forwards with the engine to track them back. For me, Peadar Toal has to make it to give our HF line some cutting edge and a scoring threat. The experiment of withdrawing Stevie back has worked well and I'd imagine will continue into the championship. As bc1 has said on the Meath thread we need a ball winner in the FF line along with Clarkie so K O'Rourke gets the nod ahead of R Henderson who I would bring on in the second half when there is a bit more room, same goes for SK. TK is a further option especially with his free taking.
The back line for me picks itself with Barry Shannon getting in ahead of Finn Mo at wing back. If Stephen o'Neill is fit then Ciaran McKeever will have to pick him up and PK could come out to CHB. I'd let B Donaghy pick Cavanagh up as I have that much confidence in him. AOR is the obvious casualty here but I think you have to pick horses for courses. I think his lack of mobility against Tyrone would be a big problem.
Midfield has been going fairly well in the last two outings and are in for a big test on Easter Sunday. If they do well there then they have earned the right to play championship football together as taking on the likes of Earley, Ward, Crawford and Nicolas Murphy will have stood to the very young pairing. McGrane would come on the second half when (hopefully) the game will be in the melting pot.
Overall it's a very mobile Armagh team something that we haven't always had but is now very important in today's game. It's a young team who probably won't win much this year but I really feel have a big future.
                   

[Throw ball]

Mackers. That team is not too far away from one I would pick myself. When it comes to the crunch, however, it looks as if Toal and O'Rourke will have no chance starting and Finn Mo. will get on somewhere - I think he has started every game since McDonnell took over. Still after the Laois game we would have settled for where we are now. Maybe McDonnell will be like the two Brians and develop a team for someone else to bring on. Hopefully anyway.

[GrandMasterFlash]

PLEEEEAAAASE do us a favour good neighbours..  Looks like our Meath result may come back to haunt us.. 

[mountainboii]

PLEEEEAAAASE do us a favour good neighbours..  Looks like our Meath result may come back to haunt us.. 

No sweat. Can you lads do us an equally big favour and lose please? Cheers 

[mountainboii]

apart from the kernans has anyone else from cross joined the panel yet ?

I was at the opposite side of the field from the dug out but there were no other Cross players called out over the PA system as being on the subs so I don't think so.
Whatever about promotion I think the last few weeks has shown who will make the cut on the 31st May and who won't. For what it is worth this would be my team for the Tyrone match.

                           McEvoy
A Mallon                P Kernan         B Donaghy
A Kernan               C McKeever     B Shannon
                 C Vernon        K Toner
B Mallon                P Toal             M O'Rourke
                          S McDonnell
                 R Clarke          K O'Rourke

Although B Mallon is going through a bad patch at the minute I would pick him with a view to the wing backs we will be playing against. D Harte and P Jordan will bomb forward at every opportunity and we will need wing forwards with the engine to track them back. For me, Peadar Toal has to make it to give our HF line some cutting edge and a scoring threat. The experiment of withdrawing Stevie back has worked well and I'd imagine will continue into the championship. As bc1 has said on the Meath thread we need a ball winner in the FF line along with Clarkie so K O'Rourke gets the nod ahead of R Henderson who I would bring on in the second half when there is a bit more room, same goes for SK. TK is a further option especially with his free taking.
The back line for me picks itself with Barry Shannon getting in ahead of Finn Mo at wing back. If Stephen o'Neill is fit then Ciaran McKeever will have to pick him up and PK could come out to CHB. I'd let B Donaghy pick Cavanagh up as I have that much confidence in him. AOR is the obvious casualty here but I think you have to pick horses for courses. I think his lack of mobility against Tyrone would be a big problem.
Midfield has been going fairly well in the last two outings and are in for a big test on Easter Sunday. If they do well there then they have earned the right to play championship football together as taking on the likes of Earley, Ward, Crawford and Nicolas Murphy will have stood to the very young pairing. McGrane would come on the second half when (hopefully) the game will be in the melting pot.
Overall it's a very mobile Armagh team something that we haven't always had but is now very important in today's game. It's a young team who probably won't win much this year but I really feel have a big future.
                   

Good team mackers, but even though I'd pick them, I can't see Paul Kernan or Peadar Toal getting the nod at this stage. It'll be even more difficult to see either feature against Tyrone if they don't start this last game against Cork. As Throw ball has hinted at, I'd be shocked if McDonnell dropped Finn Mo 

This is the team I think will line out, I'd have doubts over the guys in bold.

                            McEvoy
A Mallon                B Donaghy      B Shannon
F Moriarty           A O'Rourke    C McKeever     
                  C Vernon        K Toner
A Kernan              B Mallon          M O'Rourke
                         S McDonnell
                  R Clarke         S Kernan

[thebandit]

I know he's a talented lad, but I can't see the justification for starting Peader Toal to lead the attack against Tyrone.

The team I Think McDonnell will start v Tyrone (barring injuries)


                McEvoy

A Mallon   B Donaghy    B Shannon

A Kernan  C McKeever   F Moriarty

      K Toner       C Vernon

    M O'Rourke     B Mallon

    S Kernan        S McDonnell

    R Clarke         K O'Rourke

                 


The team I'd start:

                 Hearty

A Mallon     B Donaghy    P Kernan


A Kernan    C McKeever   B Shannon


       K Toner       C Vernon

M O'Rourke  J Lavery       S Kernan


S McDonnell    R Clarke      T Kernan