USFC: Armagh v Tyrone @ MAG. 10/6/12

[under the bar]

It looks like the days of armagh fluking wins over tyrone in ulster with the help of dodgy referees is over for a long time. Football wins again. Thank feck.

[J OGorman]

It looks like the days of armagh fluking wins over tyrone in ulster with the help of dodgy referees is over for a long time. Football wins again. Thank feck.

A pollution

[Dougal Maguire]

Listened to Paddy O'Rourke being interviewed on the Beeb on the way home. He thought it was a great game...he was obviously neutral. Selections and decisions cost us. the players on the pitch gave it 100% some just weren't up to it. From the stands you just knew tyrone were always going to win. After Aaron Kernan went of Clarke got nothing until Hannratty came on, surely an indication that a couple of more Cross players such as Hanratty and Tony Kernan would benefit Clarkes productivity. Some of the younger lads played well today, Forker looked good and glad to see Finn Mo redeem himself and silence his detractors. Lots of hope but seriously need to up the ante on the line.

Tony Kernan has been tried ad nauseum for the county to no great affect.  We have a queue of young attackers who deserve a chance. The qualifiers will hopefully be an opportunity to see what Gavin McParland, Rory Grugan, Aidan Forker, Eugene McVerry and Jamie Clarke can do.  With Brian Mallon thrown in there also we will have a young, pacy, fluid forward line.....let them at it.  Why not throw young O'Hanlon onto the squad like we did with Ronan Clarke in 01?  I'm not saying he's going to start or maybe even come on but get him involved in the squad, give him a feel for it.
Tyrone have mentioned their injury list and rightly so, but what about Armagh's before, and more importantly, during the game yesterday. We lost AK, Finn Mo and Aidan Forker through the match all of whom were having a major influence whilst on the pitch.

+1 He's a great lad and should be blooded in now.

[Orior]

Maybe one of the reasons that Armagh' midfield did well was because Tyrone's midfield is complete shite?

Having said that, yesterday showed signs that Armagh can become a real competitive again in 3-4 years time. A good run in the qualifiers will all depend on how quickly we meet Kerry - we should have enough to beat all the rest.

[DuffleKing]

The flaw in that thinking is that the all Ireland u21 winning team are 29/30 and in 2/3 years will be past their prime. That includes McKeever, Mallon, Mallon, ak and mackin

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Colm Cavanagh - where did that come from?

That had been in the making all year; probably no coincidence that his football has excelled as his on-field discipline has entrenched itself (witness the total lack of mouthy attitude now).

[EC Unique]

Maybe one of the reasons that Armagh' midfield did well was because Tyrone's midfield is complete shite?

Having said that, yesterday showed signs that Armagh can become a real competitive again in 3-4 years time. A good run in the qualifiers will all depend on how quickly we meet Kerry - we should have enough to beat all the rest.

Galway would give you a game.

[LAP THE LOUGH]

I see the irish news ratings today were accurate

peterharte7.5

stephen o neill 6.5

what game was that fool at.

[David McKeown]

A few positives to take from the game but alas for me quite a few negatives as well particularly in terms of tactics.  Dealing with the tactics first half, the idea of moving McKeever back to mark O'Neill was sensible enough imo as before kick off I would have thought he would have been able to cope but if your going to do that why not have McKenna move out and take up the CHB position, he may be young but he is certainly played there before.  Moving Mallon to that position for me showed he isnt a chb.  To then drop Toner back to play as a sweeper was then foolish imo.  Toner whilst playing well when performing as a midfielder showed he clearly isnt a sweeper, not knowing when to track runners, when to mark space and when to go to the ball.  For me it was no surprise that about 8 of the Tyrone scores in the first half came from Tyrone being able to get players into the area about 40m out in front of the goal.  I was then further surprised that when McKeever was switched off O'Neill in the first half that he was moved onto Mugsy leaving us with a natural corner back playing playing out the field and a natural chb marking a good but not spectacular forward. It was too difficult for me to see this was rectified in the second half.

The tactic then of throwing on Kingham was poorly timed and extremely naive.  The Armagh forwards particularly McParland were thriving on the ball out infront but the introduction of Kingham crowded that space and made that ball much more difficult to execute.  As a result we were left with the tactic of having to throw high ball in to an inexperienced big forward being marked by a man who along with his brother have shown how strong they are against the high ball and big forwards in recent years.

On the plus sides there were a number of fine individuals displays across the pitch from Armagh and there clearly is a nucleus of a good squad there but I would like to see more cross lads involved including Stephen and Tony Kernan.  All in all if we get a good draw we might make the qf this year which is at least progress but I fully expect us to regress next game

[ONeill]

In the HB line Finn Mo did very well and is one of the best games I have seen him play for Armagh

I know he had a job to do but if his best game for Armagh saw him touch the ball 3-4 times......

[ONeill]

I see the irish news ratings today were accurate

peterharte7.5

stephen o neill 6.5

what game was that fool at.

Couldn't believe my eyes when I saw that. If Peter was a 7.5 for that game, he must normally be a 10.

[emmetryan]

I've put together a tactics piece on this for anyone interested http://action81.com/blog/?p=5885

[Radda bout yeee]

Just watched Mickey Harte talk to Tomas Kane
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/northern-ireland/18338503

After what has been going on in Mauritius, the fact that he can keep it together with such dignity?

You are some man Mickey Harte

+ 1 The man has some strength

I find it very odd that he isn't in Mauritius. I know if I was in that situation I would be there.

And would you leave your wife at home? Dealing with all thats going on in the press? I think alot of people (unintentionally) seem to forget Mickeys wife in this tragedy!

[brokencrossbar1]

In the HB line Finn Mo did very well and is one of the best games I have seen him play for Armagh

I know he had a job to do but if his best game for Armagh saw him touch the ball 3-4 times......

As a defender doing a specific man marking job on a danger man if your man is cosiderably less effective and you don't touch the ball too often then job done, end of story.

[Fuzzman]

I'd have to agree that whilst his own game wasn't too proactive, he certainly did an excellent (if sometimes illegal) job on Harte.
A bit like what Kildare did and I'd say McGeeney could have had some input there.
Difference between the teams though is Tyrone have a few more forwards that can be a handful and can all kick scores.

Interesting reading that tactic analysis. I didn't particularly notice that Tyrone switched from being man to man to being more defensive blanket in the 2nd half. I would agree though that the high ball into Kingham was gladly accepted by our defense as the low fast ball into the corners was proving hard to handle.

When Armagh pulled it back to all square I did fear the worse but our "Go to men" pulled through.
A bit alarming how quiet Mugsy and Harte were all game and how Stevie turned back that time after the great catch.

From watching it on TV live and then after I still can't see how it was a penalty but maybe I'm red tainted glasses.

I for one have been converted about Colm last year so I was not at all surprised to see him do so well
He's lack of mouthing though will certainly be well welcomed but I'd say next day out he'll be targetted again.
What's the story with Justy? I don't think he's played well at FB for a long time now though his hamstrings are always at him I suppose.