Armagh Vs Down

[Six Inch Nail]

are the McEntees defo off the panel?

I read an article a while ago and the McEntees said that they would not be making any decision on their Armagh future until after Cross are finished.

At that rate of going Aghdavoyle is right, Bellew will be a help (although against Derry the full back line was the best on the field).  Aaron Kernan I think will be a help too.  Oisin, I think possibly isn't fit for the half forward line anymore, I still think he could get a few scores and I would therefore play him in the full forward line and leave him in there.  Full forward line this year should be McDonnell, Marsden and McConville and leave all 3 in.

Sunday is a hard game to call with both teams going very badly (only for a last minute robbery against Louth Armagh would be below Down).  You could see the big guns on for Down, but I still think Armagh might have enough to win (although I predicted that we would beat Derry so don't be running off to the bookies now).

[dubnut]

Paddy power reckons Armagh will win @ 2-5

[thebandit]

Paddy musn't have been at the Derry match

[charlie stubbs]

wudnt touch rma at that price though it pains me to say it

[thewobbler]

Anybody looking for firm evidence that the GAABoard has descended into nonsense need look no further. From people speaking in Nokia, to people speaking gibberish, to people speaking who for the good of humanity shouldn't be allowed a voice, this really is the pits.

5ivetimes, while the odds definitely sound enticing, there is no way anyone should part with money on Down until they've heard what the lineups are going to be. And with Ross seemingly hellbent on carrying on O'Rourke's legacy of dreadful public relations, I'd say you'll not know what they are until 5 minutes after the ball has been thrown in at Crossmaglen.

[Pangurban]

With a weakened armagh side,and Downs desperate need for a win, there is some cause for optimism. However if they persist with the slow movement out of defence, and reluctance to have a pop from outside the 13 metre line, then we get our just desserts,and Div3.is where we belong

[Mourne Rover]

It's difficult to believe that Armagh could possibly have been worse against Derry than Down were against Laois. Pangurban is correct to highlight Down's slow movement out of defence, as it was like watching paint dry. If you throw in Down's woeful recent record against Armagh, we should not really have a hope. However, with the exception of the Laois game, Down's NFL form has not been bad. We lost to a better side in Louth, but showed a fair amount of spirit, we would have beaten Kildare if not for a freak goal and, by all accounts, McGovern's first half red card cost us a win at Westmeath. The IN interview with Ross yesterday, when he accepted responsibility for the poor run of results, was as honest as you would expect. He deserves a bit of luck in Cross, although he needs to start with his strongest team. 

[lfdown2]

Anybody looking for firm evidence that the GAABoard has descended into nonsense need look no further. From people speaking in Nokia, to people speaking gibberish, to people speaking who for the good of humanity shouldn't be allowed a voice, this really is the pits.

hear hear lad it has descended into something truely awful!

as for the game, what is downs strongest team?

and like ourselves armagh will be up for this one and will see it as their best opportunity to get back on the rails (hopefully it dosnt happen tis week or this year for that matter)

[full back]

It's difficult to believe that Armagh could possibly have been worse against Derry than Down were against Laois.

Although I didnt see anything from the Down game I did see the Armagh game, and I beg to differ.
It was one of the worst Armagh performances in many, many years. There was no hunger or drive in the team for the first time in ages, indeed this has been the hallmark of teams that has carried us through so many games in the last few years.
Unless this drive and 'bite' can be regained in the near future it does indeed look bleak for Armagh

[Orchard Warrior]

Morale is low in the Armagh camp

What are you basing this on?


Down seem to have put their experimentation behind them and will be all out to take an armagh scalp. in saying that, stronger down teams have had better chances to win against weaker armagh teams in the last two years but haven't been good enough.

[Armagh4SamAgain]

Boys I no Armagh havent been good this year and the Cross boys wont be about but for gods sake its only Down wer playing!!! They have been shit for years now and this is jus the sort of match we need to get a win under the belt.
Down show no sine of getting better. Car & DJ dont no there best team because they havent 1!!
Think well win easy enough and send them home to mourne with there legs between the legs!

[downredblack]

"Think well win easy enough and send them home to mourne with there legs between the legs!"

Classic Armagh speak 

[Lecale2]

Boys I no Armagh havent been good this year and the Cross boys wont be about but for gods sake its only Down wer playing!!! They have been shit for years now and this is jus the sort of match we need to get a win under the belt.
Down show no sine of getting better. Car & DJ dont no there best team because they havent 1!!
Think well win easy enough and send them home to mourne with there legs between the legs!

Holy f**k!

[Uladh]

Classic Armagh speak 

Don't fall into the trap of thinking he's from armagh...


OW

I'm simply relaying the info i've been given that the players are less than impressed with Joe's continual public lashing of them and him washing his hands of results. There is also a lot of consternation at management's refusal to start mr mcgeeney despite threadbare numbers and his performances in training. these are just the two most recent i've been told!

As has been said before, armagh's situation is a lot worse than a blip and only for the injury time goal against louth we'd be looking at 0 out of 8 points in what is a considerably weaker section than 1a.

[armaghniac]

BBC. Diarmaid Marsden will make his first start for Armagh since the summer of 2004 when he lines out in Sunday's NFL relegation battle against Down.

Armagh: C McKinney; A Mallon, E McNulty, F Moriarty; JP Donnelly, C McKeever, P McCreesh; P McGrane, G Swift; P McKeever, P Loughran, Martin O'Rourke; S McDonnell, D Marsden, Michael O'Rourke.

Most notable is perhaps the arrival of Loughran as a half forward.