DUBLIN V ARMAGH sat 17th @ 5.00pm croke park

[mountainboii]

O'Rourke is 29 I think. He seems to have slipped well back in the pecking order, although the poor performances of Hanratty and Feeney last week could see him move up a place or two. He hasn't played a minute's football for Armagh since last summer, so it would be surprising to see him at this stage really. If he's fit I'd have him ahead of Mackin.

[lynchbhoy]

what odds would you get on both armagh and monaghan losing by double digit scores this weekend ?

[Armaghgeddon]

what odds would you get on both armagh and monaghan losing by double digit scores this weekend ?

Would hazard a guess and say the same for Tyrone and Dublin to lose by double digit scores.

[As Cheide]

Anyone know, is Stefan Forker gone from the panel? If so, it' a pity!

[mackers]

That's as strong a team as we can put out at the minute. This year has been a real rollercoaster so it's impossible to make big predictions. Ciaran McKeever has been played as a sweeper all year so he's unlikely to take up Alan Brogan, Finn Mo did an excellent job on Martin Clarke on our last visit to Croker so maybe that's who will pick him up. We need Ciaran to take the ball forward and attack at every opportunity, don't want him sitting back.  The battle between Bernard Brogan and Brendan Donaghy should be worth the entrance fee alone.
If we can get enough possession into Clarke and McDonnell they will get us a lot of scores. Stevie always raises his performance level a notch or two when he gets to Croke Park..........hope that continues.

[Aghdavoyle]

if mor had been injury free this summer armagh's development curve would have been a lot steeper. we can't win a ball around the middle for long periods and that could be fatal if we disappear in the middle third again tomorrow. certainly i wouldn't expect the white flag to be hoisted as it was against monaghan if he were playing

[Hound]

what odds would you get on both armagh and monaghan losing by double digit scores this weekend ?

19/1 for both to lose by 6 points or more.

[naka]

really fancy armagh to do the biz tomorrow but feel that they will struggle to progress any further after that

[Armaghgeddon]

Dublin - First goalscorer

B Brogan - 11/2
E O'Gara - 15/2
K McManamon - 9/1

Armagh - First goalscorer

S McDonnell - 6/1
B Mallon - 8/1
J Clarke - 8/1

[Goats Do Shave]

really fancy armagh to do the biz tomorrow but feel that they will struggle to progress any further after that

Why?? - You'd have to fancy their chances v Limerick, Louth, Roscommon/Sligo!!

Tyrone wouldn't want to mee Armagh either!!

[Hill16 Blues]

Really don't know what Glroy is at with team named. He's either trying to be clever by naming same team as last day and then having different team line out or more likely he is a complete and utter idiot who does not know what the hell he is at. My money is most definitely on the latter

We are really struggling re any sort of gameplan, the players are confused  & lacking confidence particularly in the full back line. yet despite all of this he leaves Cahill, Fennell, Keaney & Cullen on the bench and continues with McMennimen and Corkery who are pure and simple not good enough for this level. As quite a number of Dublin supporters said before, during and after game v Tipp last Sat if losing means we get rid of Gilroy & Whelan once and for all maybe that's no bad thing.

Armagh are no great team but we are a complete shambles!!!

[eireogatron]

if mor had been injury free this summer armagh's development curve would have been a lot steeper. we can't win a ball around the middle for long periods and that could be fatal if we disappear in the middle third again tomorrow. certainly i wouldn't expect the white flag to be hoisted as it was against monaghan if he were playing

couldnt disagree more. Hes done, and when he was in his prime i still didnt rate him, same as alot of folks. Against Derry we won midfield, against Monaghan we lost the first half but the introduction of Lavery saw us get to grips with it - with 14 men, Donegal were abysmal and Fermanagh was a scrap.

MOR wouldnt have made a blind bit of difference to any of this. Losing B Mallon was the problem as he was hoovering ball up all over the place against Derry and also Monaghan before he got the line.

[Aghdavoyle]

Obviously we're both entitled to our opinion and mine would be very different from yours. there's a misguided belief among a lot of our younger contributers - and those who just don't know any better - that we need our 15 most skillful footballers on  the pitch and that there is some sort of development plan to be followed to "build" a team. the reality of intercounty football is that you put the best players on the field to win matches, whether they're 18, 40 or 28. you put players in position to do jobs. playing lads like feeney (and ak for that matter) in the half forward line is poor judgement.

Brian mallon is a fantastic footballer and a strong lad who'll win ball when its near him. he won't, however, go looking for work or win ball beyond his comfort zone.

The blinkers with mor in our own county regarding mor is astonishing, given that most counties in the country search high and low for that type of player.

[eireogatron]

Obviously we're both entitled to our opinion and mine would be very different from yours. there's a misguided belief among a lot of our younger contributers - and those who just don't know any better - that we need our 15 most skillful footballers on  the pitch and that there is some sort of development plan to be followed to "build" a team. the reality of intercounty football is that you put the best players on the field to win matches, whether they're 18, 40 or 28. you put players in position to do jobs. playing lads like feeney (and ak for that matter) in the half forward line is poor judgement.

Brian mallon is a fantastic footballer and a strong lad who'll win ball when its near him. he won't, however, go looking for work or win ball beyond his comfort zone.

The blinkers with mor in our own county regarding mor is astonishing, given that most counties in the country search high and low for that type of player.

mate, I'm 28 years old and not some pup who has watched 5 games and thinks he knows it all - I've been around the block a few times & I am well aware that we need horses for courses.

MOR will win break ball surely, but he will also kick 90% of that possession straight back to the opposition - he is well known for it. He is good at winning a free kick around the middle of the park, but is also as adept at giving these frees away and getting referees backs up. He has had his day and I dont think he should be anywhere near the line up. Counties do look for his "type" of player - but they would like one with some actual footballing ability as well as brute strength á la Dooher, McEntee etc - who can pick a pass or a score when they recycle the ball.

Agreed, B Mallon is a good player but to say he doesnt work or win dirty ball is an absolute joke! Watch the Derry match again and come back to me. He never stops running and has a knack of finding an orange jersey with a pass rather than an opposition one - see the first 15 mins against Monaghan as an example.

If you want a player who wins break ball, by all means pick MOR. If you want a player who wins break ball and then uses it properly, dont.

[mountainboii]

MOR will win break ball surely, but he will also kick 90% of that possession straight back to the opposition - he is well known for it.

Such silly exaggerations do nothing for your argument.