Derry v Armagh Championship

[GerryFromDerry]

d mc bride to mark stevie mc d. j clarke as overrated as iv ever seen. wasnt up to much for jtown this year never mind county football. derry by 2.

Are you for real? He couldnt mark bingo books

[Estimator]

d mc bride to mark stevie mc d. j clarke as overrated as iv ever seen. wasnt up to much for jtown this year never mind county football. derry by 2.

Are you for real? He couldnt mark bingo books

Thats harsh Gerry, he might not get to mark Stevie, but he'll do an excellent job in corner back.

[GerryFromDerry]

That is very harsh, It is very safe to assume that Gerry doesn't make many derry games. I guess to far to travel. I have been to all the games bar the Kerry game which i watched on TV and Mc Bride bar a poor performance in the mayo game, which the entire team had was very solid and at times v good. I cant recall the galway forward, the one who is a class player and did all the scoring in the connacht final last year, but Mc Bride cleaned him out, he was safe as houses in the cork game and did a decent job on Freeman again when all about were poor. I'm told he marked cooper out of it.

As for team selection, I could have a decent guess with about 13/14 players but where they will play at I haven't a clue. Pity about young Kielt another player who performed well in the league. Whats the word on Declean Mullan?

i was at all the home league games and i just dont rate McBride good enough for county football. Certainly not good enough to mark Stevie McDonald.

[puskas]

Who's Stevie McDonald?? yer man from Coronation street's playing on Sunday?

[mackers]

d mc bride to mark stevie mc d. j clarke as overrated as iv ever seen. wasnt up to much for jtown this year never mind county football. derry by 2.

Are you basing that opinion on a few games for the Poly? Bit OTT. Hopefully he'll get his chance on Sunday to prove you wrong.

[sheamy]

d mc bride to mark stevie mc d. j clarke as overrated as iv ever seen. wasnt up to much for jtown this year never mind county football. derry by 2.

I'd give Kevin McGuckian that job. Kevin's been taking her easy in prep for this. Like tommy freeman last year, Stevie won't get a kick.

[dodgy umpire]

fancy armagh by about 4 in this one

Same

[sheamy]

mc bride prob best man marker bar g o kane in team but hel be needed at wing half. if mc donells in the corner then mcbride will def mark him. mc guckian would be my choice also but i think cassidy would put mcbride on him. declan mullan will be fit but hasn played much football. id still have him at wing half forward, derry need more like him! still think derry will do it

I think mcbride is a good player but not strong enough to cope with mcdonnell. kevin has the experience. stevie's not got the place he used to so unless they bring him out the field to link with Clarke (not there this time) like they did v tyrone last year (plan that failed and was too predictable), he'll be in the corner. That's where mcguckian rules the roost. Cassidy be mad to put any one else on him (imo) unless he thinks mcbride can do him for pace and occupy him by driving forward. Don't think so though.

When Derry won in the qualifiers we had a very strong full line with mccloy at his peak and motm. Time after time the ball came straight out again from our full back line and that's why we won.

In a way we were set up to play Armagh their with the high diagonal ball.

Gonna be different this time as we don't have the full backs. That's where the manager has to earn his corn with a defensive strategy to cover up the weaknesses.

[mountainboii]

mc bride prob best man marker bar g o kane in team but hel be needed at wing half. if mc donells in the corner then mcbride will def mark him. mc guckian would be my choice also but i think cassidy would put mcbride on him. declan mullan will be fit but hasn played much football. id still have him at wing half forward, derry need more like him! still think derry will do it

I think mcbride is a good player but not strong enough to cope with mcdonnell. kevin has the experience. stevie's not got the place he used to so unless they bring him out the field to link with Clarke (not there this time) like they did v tyrone last year (plan that failed and was too predictable), he'll be in the corner. That's where mcguckian rules the roost. Cassidy be mad to put any one else on him (imo) unless he thinks mcbride can do him for pace and occupy him by driving forward. Don't think so though.

I don't think pace has ever really been a hugely important part of McDonnell's arsenal. He won't play in the corner either.

[sheamy]

corner, middle, same thing these days...he'll not play on the 40 is what I mean. I hope he does though...

[eireogatron]

that would be my team onionbag. I'm a big fan of JJ Clarke but having only ever played about 10 minutes of senior county football, I think his role would be better defined as an impact sub on Sunday. sometimes when players come on the scene and start games early, they might not get much of the ball etc and it knocks them back (see Tony Kernan vs Cavan in 2008). Coming off the bench, JJ will be raring to go, the game will be in full flow and I think it will suit him. He will be a sure starter in the near future regardless of the number on his back on Sunday.

yep, just a mistake guys, apologies! I of course mean Jamie.

JJ Clarke is Ronan Clarke's younger brother. I haven't heard anyone refer to Jamie Clarke as JJ, although I'm open to correction on that.

I meant to post that myself, I think it is an innocent mistake on eiregatron's part. 

I hope he is held back till tha last 20 minutesif needed at all.  the game will be open at that stage and he could make a lot of hay with his speed and clever ball use at that time.

[jodyb]

mc bride prob best man marker bar g o kane in team but hel be needed at wing half. if mc donells in the corner then mcbride will def mark him. mc guckian would be my choice also but i think cassidy would put mcbride on him. declan mullan will be fit but hasn played much football. id still have him at wing half forward, derry need more like him! still think derry will do it

I think mcbride is a good player but not strong enough to cope with mcdonnell. kevin has the experience. stevie's not got the place he used to so unless they bring him out the field to link with Clarke (not there this time) like they did v tyrone last year (plan that failed and was too predictable), he'll be in the corner. That's where mcguckian rules the roost. Cassidy be mad to put any one else on him (imo) unless he thinks mcbride can do him for pace and occupy him by driving forward. Don't think so though.

I don't think pace has ever really been a hugely important part of McDonnell's arsenal. He won't play in the corner either.

Mc Guckin has plenty of miles on the clock too, thought he was suspect enough last year and never really reached the fitness levels he's shown in the past. Has had some injury worries and I'd be concerned about his lack of game time this year in the league, whereas Stevie should be fairly sharp at the minute given his form during the league and league final.

That is very harsh, It is very safe to assume that Gerry doesn't make many derry games. I guess to far to travel. I have been to all the games bar the Kerry game which i watched on TV and Mc Bride bar a poor performance in the mayo game, which the entire team had was very solid and at times v good. I cant recall the galway forward, the one who is a class player and did all the scoring in the connacht final last year, but Mc Bride cleaned him out, he was safe as houses in the cork game and did a decent job on Freeman again when all about were poor. I'm told he marked cooper out of it.

As for team selection, I could have a decent guess with about 13/14 players but where they will play at I haven't a clue. Pity about young Kielt another player who performed well in the league. Whats the word on Declean Mullan?

i was at all the home league games and i just dont rate McBride good enough for county football. Certainly not good enough to mark Stevie McDonald.

I dont remember if it was Mick mc Goldrick or McBride that marked Joyce in Pearse stadium, but he was certainly kept quiet for most of the game as was Mattie Clancy

[hobit hunter]

could mc donnell not b full forward tho sayin clarke is out? id def put mc guckian on him in that case, stronger player than mc bride. think derry will line out with strong full forward line prob lynch and the 2 bradleys. armagh will need a strong full back line. agree with you sheamy by the way.

We're in for some match.  With a strong FF line from Derry and arguably the best full back line in Ulster it'll be nip and tuck - depends how niggly the ref wants to be?  Frees could well win and ruin this game (Wait for the southern press then on Monday morning!!)

The FB line will be matched up man for man, so roll on the importance of the HB line and again, it's probably the strongest in Ulster.  Which leads me to believe (if not hope) that the FF line will be isolated without the HF line making inroads.  Further out the field, it'll be a quare mix-up in MF, Toner has his chance to really make his mark as a new great for Armagh.  For me it's down to our HF line.  Stevie will get 5-8 points, the bradley's will likely score point for point with him, it's all down to the 'who' will get the other scores?  Step up Gareth Swift & Charlie - your time has come.

[oakleaf93]

Derry team to play Armagh

1. Gillis
2. McAlarey
3. McGuckian
4. McBride
5. O'Kane
6. McGuigan
7. Bateson
8. Dohery
9. Patsy Bradley
10. Mullan
11. Mickey Lynch's wee lad
12. SL McGoldrick
13. E. Bradley
14. Paddy Bradley
15. Wilkinson

No place for either Barry McGoldrick or James Kielt

[orange2009]

Armagh team to play Derry named

http://www.armagh-gaa.com/Football/News/Armagh-team-to-play-Derry-in-USFC.aspx