USFC Armagh v Derry, St Tiernach's Park, Clones, 19th June 2pm

[Captain Scarlet]

Lads I have to say the best thing about that game was afterwards in the Derry huddle. I couldn't believe my eyes...inter-county players laughing and joking! Ya see in most cases even after a great win big serious heads but Enda Muldoon was grinning away and John Brennan clearly throwing in a few jokes. Whatever he said last he just threw up the arms and they all walked off laughing and joking.
It might sound stupid but it was great to see and shows that Derry are very much enjoying life under Brennan.

[BerfArmagh]

Eugene Mcgee pulling no punches

This was a game full of excitement, drama, wonderful goals and many great points. It was very sporting and generally a great advertisement of open, positive football. The pity was that only about 15,000 fans turned up -- the Derry turnout in particular was pathetic

[DoireGael]

Eugene Mcgee pulling no punches

This was a game full of excitement, drama, wonderful goals and many great points. It was very sporting and generally a great advertisement of open, positive football. The pity was that only about 15,000 fans turned up -- the Derry turnout in particular was pathetic

It was awful, already talked to a boy at work who just said he'l go to the final. On Friday, he laughed at the thought of going to Clones, grinds my gears.

Very happy to see the Derry team enjoying it

Giving Big Enda a standing ovation beside honest Derry Gaels who made the journey was great.

On another note great craic with the Armagh people before and after the game, always great supporters.

[naka]

appreciate that bradley will get the plaudits but from an armagh point of view i thought mark lynch was immense and did as much damage as was conleith gilligan

[DoireGael]

Also if Derry do by the grace of God lift Ulster there gonna have bother keeping me off that field.   

[RMDrive]

Lads I have to say the best thing about that game was afterwards in the Derry huddle. I couldn't believe my eyes...inter-county players laughing and joking! Ya see in most cases even after a great win big serious heads but Enda Muldoon was grinning away and John Brennan clearly throwing in a few jokes. Whatever he said last he just threw up the arms and they all walked off laughing and joking.
It might sound stupid but it was great to see and shows that Derry are very much enjoying life under Brennan.

Saw that all right. Unusual and nice to see.

[cornerback]

[oakleafgael]

I have to say I didnt see that performance coming from Derry at all. Its hard to know from what stool to view it either, was it a case of Armagh playing poorly or only playing as well as they where let play. Whichever way it was its great to be back in an Ulster final and great to beat Armagh again.

Bradley was fantastic with some of the scores from distance a joy to watch. It will be interesting to see if he can do again when the space is likely to be a lot tighter and the opposition manager will be a bit "cuter". On other days some of those shots would have been hitting the corner flag.

I cant see how there can be any complaints about the ref. He set the tone early enough with the booking for McAlary and was consistent with what was a foul throughout the match. In general it was a sporting enough contest with the exception of Diver leaving his feet in the air, I dont think he deliberatly tried to kick anyone but it was stupid and could have been a red card, and Mallon trying to goad Bradley into something silly near the end.

The Derry support as usual was pathetic, no doubt it will grow considerably for the Ulster final and if by some chance Derry make it to the later rounds of the All Ireland there will be plenty of Derry "fans".

Its a pity Brennan didnt get the Derry job 5/6 years ago. At the very least we would have won an Ulster title. I dont think he is any great tactical genuis but he has Derry playing as a team for the first time in a long time.

[Main Street]

Just read the Mike McGurn article on the Indo website.
Brolly will love the fact that the Armagh players spend so much time thinking about him.

In fairness to Brolly and Spillane they made a good point . . . start mouthing about pundits and how wrong they are once you've won something!!

Wasn't it Brolly (not Spillane) who went over the top about a few lines in a newspaper article ridiculing him.
Brolly can't handle a bit of criticism, he protests too much.
Whenever Derry play, his immature qualities are exaggerated and he starts mouthing off his bitter grudges. He has no mature restraint. If he has to be an RTE pundit, could they at least show the viewing public some mercy and keep him away whenever Derry are playing.   

[Denn Forever]

It was an enjoyable game to watch until Armagh seemed to throw in the towel.  Some lovely long range points.

This did Mallon/Bradley thing not start when Bradley kicked the ball at Mallon?  Watched the hurling game after and my Dad commented to me that it would be fun to see a football match refereed to the same rules as a Hurling match.

[lynchbhoy]

This did Mallon/Bradley thing not start when Bradley kicked the ball at Mallon?  Watched the hurling game after and my Dad commented to me that it would be fun to see a football match refereed to the same rules as a Hurling match.

do you mean you'd like to see football refs allow a bit of rough stuff?
Some do. I'd like ot see it , i'd like to see consistent refereeing also.
However the picky nit picky ones are adhering to the letter of the law, and the best refs who allow play to flow and not blow every 30 seconds are actually contravening GAA football refereeing guidelines.

IMO Eoin Bradley was completely wrong to kick that ball off Mallon.Yes, he may have been unhappy that mallons subtle pulls and digs were going unoticed and unpunished. However thats what the craftier experienced defenders do. Also no ref was going ot blow him each time as Derry were so far ahead.
Eoin is briliant, but needs to cut that craic out completely.
Some refs would have sent both of them off. Mallons retaliation with a wee close in jab and grabbing the wind pipe is way more than what Brian Farrell, Michael Murphy and Dick clerkin got sent of for last weekend.
Skinner Bradley could have got the line also and imo both of them were lucky they didnt. Stupidity. Derry cannot afford that.

[RealSpiritof98]

Listen I saw what I saw, Derry were fully deserving of their victory, but for my post to be deleted without any explanation for stating what I felt at the time is wrong. This board is getting hyper sensitive

[Puckoon]

[J OGorman]

Listen I saw what I saw, Derry were fully deserving of their victory, but for my post to be deleted without any explanation for stating what I felt at the time is wrong. This board is getting hyper sensitive

surely the mods are well within their rights to delete a post that is 100% donkey manure? deal in facts man

[David McKeown]

My observations of the game would be as follows:

Armagh were awful, particularly tactically, I can think of very few occasions were failing tactics were changed by POR who instead choose to change players for almost identical players.  Before the game I could have told which subs were going to be used and who they were going to replace and sure enough I got 4 out of 5 of them right. When a defensive system isnt working (i.e. man for man on Lynch and Bradley) there is no point sticking with the system and continually change players without ever thinking of changing tactic.

Derry were good but not great, with the exception of Braddley and Lynch (who were excellent and allowed to be excellent) I thought Derry were ordinary to good and I would expect a big improvement in the final (which I feel will likely be needed)

Bradley is a fantastic footballer but should have been slapped by his manager for the stupid altercation with Mallon which was needlessly instigated by Bradley.  In addition Bradley is one of the cutest footballers at winning himself frees and getting opponents booked that I have ever seen.  Thats not a criticisim as winning a foul is a much a skill in the modern game as beating your man.

Brennan is a fantastic manager both tactically and interms of man management, I bumped into the Derry team when I was getting a feed after the game and they seemed very relaxed and were even having a drink or two as if the game had just been another day at the office.

POR is wasting one of the finest squads Armagh has ever had imo but we will have him for at least one more year. I may only be 26 but this was the first summer I ever booked a holiday without first ensuring it didnt clash with an Armagh game.  The reason for this is I am so disillusioned with the Armagh management.

The refereeing was very poor and highly inconsistent but made no difference to the result, the booking for Donaghy was for me harsh but what irked me more was when Clarke got fouled at the other end the cards werent as quick at coming. Also why was Diver was booked?  From where I was it looked like he kicked Toner in the face?  If he did surely thats either deliberate (and a sending off) or accidental and not even a foul?  This fudge always annoys me. Likewise with Mallon for the retaliation on Bradley

From the minor game Armagh were highly impressive and tbh the scoreline flattered Fermanagh a little as Armagh hit the crossbar three times and the Fermanagh keeper pulled of some wonderful saves.  Third straight Ulster Final for this management team (and I think for McGeown at full forward) and for me they really deserve a chance with the U21's or seniors next year.  Also I would really like to see McGeown in the senior team as he seems well able to take a score and is quite creative, he may well be worth a look in the half forward line.