Armagh Vs Derry

[blasmere]

From Setanta Ireland's TV schedule -:

6.00 Monday 12 March
Allianz NFL - Armagh v Derry
Former All-Ireland champions Armagh come up against an ever-improving Derry side in this Aliianz National Football League fixture.

Ever-improving? - I wouldn't have thought so!

[Sandy Hill]

What about;

Armagh team

McKinney
Mallon; McNulty; Moriarity
McCreesh; McKeever; McClelland
McGrane; Lavery
P McKeever; Martin O'Rourke; D Marsden
McDonnell; Toal; M O'Rourke
..... though I take Uladh's point about the half back line being an accident waiting to happen! By the way is P Duffy still injured?

[blasmere]

From http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/6429571.stm
Crozier drops Bradley from panel 

Paddy Crozier had words with Eoin Bradley
Manager Paddy Crozier has dropped Eoin Bradley from the Derry senior panel for Sunday's NFL clash with Armagh.
Crozier reacted following words between the two after Bradley's omission from the last game against Kildare.

For Armagh, Paul McGrane will start his first game this year while Diarmuid Marsden and Kieran McGeeney will get a run out from the bench.

Paddy McKeever is also promoted to the half-forward line with Malachy Mackin returning to the full-forward line.

Marsden announced his inter-county retirement in 2005 but had a change of heart and returned to training with Joe Kernan's panel in February.

The 33-year-old attacker has not played for Armagh since their 2004 All-Ireland quarter-final defeat to Fermanagh.

Meanwhile, the Derry fall-out between Crozier and Bradley could have consequences for the team with the player telling of his frustration. "I didn't think I should have been dropped for the Kildare game and expressed my opinion to the manager," Bradley told the Irish News.

"After my performances against Galway and Westmeath, I thought I did enough to get starting against Kildare. At the end of the day he is the manager."

Relations became soured when Crozier informed Bradley before the game at Newbridge that because of player illness, that he would be required to play.

However, Bradley said was himself suffering from 'flu and would only turn out if he had sufficiently recovered.

It is believed that Bradley was still ill, although he travelled to Kildare independently to watch the match from the stands.

The pair then met twice more and it is believed that the manager told the player that he was no longer in his squad.

"He told me to take a break, but at the end of the day, he is the manager of the team. If that's what he thinks, that all right," said the Glenullin player.

Meanwhile, Bradley's brother Paddy is a major doubt for Sunday's date with the Orchard County at Crossmaglen with a hamstring problem.

Joe Diver has returned to full training but is unlikely to be part of the starting line-up.

Armagh: C McKinney; A Mallon, E McNulty, F Moriarty; P McCreesh, C McKeever, T McClelland; P McGrane, J Laverty; P McKeever, C Vernon, M O'Rourke; S McDonnell, M Mackin, P Keenan.

[Hank Everlast]

Duffy will be out for another wee while yet.. dont think he is even back to work yet!

[true ulster gael]

if we dont beat a shit derry team then we wont win anything this year
armagh by 7 points

[Six Inch Nail]

I rather have a shovel in there than Malachy Mackin.  I know that Charlie Vernon scores a right bit from the middle of the field, but I still think he is more of a defender than a centre half forward.  McGrane and Lavery in the middle is the partnership for me, hopefully they'll prove it on Sunday.

I don't fully share the enthusiasm about Micheal O'Rourke, I think he struggles to get onto the ball and is just and average club player.

With Eoin Bradley gone and Paddy doubtful to make it Derry's scoring options are poor.  Armagh should win this one, with likely appearances from McGeeney and Marsden being a big help.

[Spiritof98]

if we dont beat a shit derry team then we wont win anything this year
armagh by 7 points

Ever the optimist TUG  , you like predicting unlikely victories.

Hope Charlie Vernon nails down a place soon, something that might go against him is that he is such a good all-round footballer. This might hinder his chances of cementing his place on the starting line up as Kernan moves him from defence to midfield and forwards, like 6"nail i feel he is a better half back.

[lynchbhoy]

From Setanta Ireland's TV schedule -:

6.00 Monday 12 March
Allianz NFL - Armagh v Derry
Former All-Ireland champions Armagh come up against an ever-improving Derry side in this Aliianz National Football League fixture.

Ever-improving? - I wouldn't have thought so!

well its technically correct,
Derry cant get much worse than they have been playing....*
so they can only get better.
Doest say they will mind.

(*although it could get worse if that county called Antrib or something manage to beat Derry - that would be a disaster)

[lynchbhoy]

if we dont beat a shit derry team then we wont win anything this year
armagh by 7 points

for the first time ever I think you're right on both counts ...

[Aghdavoyle]

It probably wouldn't have made any difference anyway, but mick o'rourke is injured from last weekend

[Orior]

This may be a final chance for McCreesh and McClelland to impress. I hope after St Paddys day Aaron is back and big Joe starts playing his championship half back line.

[holylandsniper]

Some people have said the half back line is weak, fulll forward line is worse, 1 proper forward out of 3, good enough to win?
Micheal O Rourke was outstanding for Queens so that was enough for me to prove his worth. I's imagine Marsden and Geezer will be on sooner rather than later.

[David McKeown]

Don't agree about Vernon from what ive seen of him in recent weeks he seems as good if not better going forward than defending

[Armagh Exile]

McGeeney and Marsden will be introduced at some stage in tomorrow's game Armagh v Derry.

[rory]

That was pretty awful stuff.  Why do we persist on playing the long ball in to the full forwards when it isn't working?  On days like this the half forwards need to work the ball up the field to make things easier.  Lots of work to do...