Laois v Armagh, NFL Div 2, Round 1, Sat 2nd February

[regal]

Isn't Grimley the saviour of Armagh football?

Crossmaglens success is costing Armagh dearly, surely they have to make their players available for selection???

When the county management had them last year they started 2 players.  We are always told that Cross have a strong club 15 but a lot of them are not good enough for the county.  The reality is that PG would only have started 2 maybe 3 Cross players  if they were available.  Easy to have a ready made excuse for the others.

I believe James Morgan was injured last year. Most armagh supporters would have at least morgan, akernan, hanratty and jclarke in the first 15 but it has to work both ways, not just crossmaglen's way. How will we know whether cunningham, mckeown and others are good enough for senior championship unless they are available for more than the last league game. I think Morgan is exceptional and has already proved he is ready for the first 15.

[our_fella]

Anyone hear that wan*er on the radio.. "Ciaran McKeever is the most over-rated player in Ireland"... Ars*hole!

[laoislad]

Pretty comfortable win. Pity we let them back into a small bit and took the shine off the scoreboard.
No score is too big to be beating these Nordies by.

[brokencrossbar1]

Isn't Grimley the saviour of Armagh football?

Crossmaglens success is costing Armagh dearly, surely they have to make their players available for selection???

When the county management had them last year they started 2 players.  We are always told that Cross have a strong club 15 but a lot of them are not good enough for the county.  The reality is that PG would only have started 2 maybe 3 Cross players  if they were available.  Easy to have a ready made excuse for the others.

I believe James Morgan was injured last year. Most armagh supporters would have at least morgan, akernan, hanratty and jclarke in the first 15 but it has to work both ways, not just crossmaglen's way. How will we know whether cunningham, mckeown and others are good enough for senior championship unless they are available for more than the last league game. I think Morgan is exceptional and has already proved he is ready for the first 15.

regal, you are correct but the reality is that the county management have not given Cross players opportunities even when they were available.  Case in point is Paul McKeown. He was available to play in the league a few years back against Cork down in Cork.  The lad had won the AI and came to training the next available night.  He was told by the management that he would be starting and to be ready for the game, he wasn't even handed a jersey and hasn't played since.  This is a small example of the treatment. There was an incident last year that I will not go into detail about less I be accused of stirring the pot where a player were ridiculed by a member of the management set up.If people question why Cross players are not available this singular event encapsulates it completely.

[Captain Obvious]

Not ideal start for Armagh still plenty of points to play for and probably beaten by the eventual Div 2 winners.

[Onion Bag]

Can we take any positives from the game lads? Anyone play well? How about the new lads?

[laoislad]

Can we take any positives from the game lads?

No one sang GSTQ to ye this time.

[ardchieftain]

Isn't Grimley the saviour of Armagh football?

Crossmaglens success is costing Armagh dearly, surely they have to make their players available for selection???

When the county management had them last year they started 2 players.  We are always told that Cross have a strong club 15 but a lot of them are not good enough for the county.  The reality is that PG would only have started 2 maybe 3 Cross players  if they were available.  Easy to have a ready made excuse for the others.

I believe James Morgan was injured last year. Most armagh supporters would have at least morgan, akernan, hanratty and jclarke in the first 15 but it has to work both ways, not just crossmaglen's way. How will we know whether cunningham, mckeown and others are good enough for senior championship unless they are available for more than the last league game. I think Morgan is exceptional and has already proved he is ready for the first 15.

regal, you are correct but the reality is that the county management have not given Cross players opportunities even when they were available.  Case in point is Paul McKeown. He was available to play in the league a few years back against Cork down in Cork.  The lad had won the AI and came to training the next available night.  He was told by the management that he would be starting and to be ready for the game, he wasn't even handed a jersey and hasn't played since.  This is a small example of the treatment. There was an incident last year that I will not go into detail about less I be accused of stirring the pot where a player were ridiculed by a member of the management set up.If people question why Cross players are not available this singular event encapsulates it completely.

Bcb, that treatment of McKeown and the ridicule of the other lad is disgraceful but this is a new management team. Wariness is understandable but i feel that the future success of our County team must include the Crossmaglen players being available for the league. Players like McKeown, Morgan, Mckenna, Hanratty and Paul kernan need to perform well in the National League so they can nail down the starting jersey come championship time. All those players are more than capable of making the first 15.
I digress, we're getting into this old chestnut again.

Arrived home just as the game ended so obviously can't comment. Disappointing result , just like every defeat really, but can anyone tell me who performed well, or poorly etc

[The Boy Wonder]

If Billy Sheehan did anything to upset  Armagh last year he certainly atoned tonight - twice clean through on goal and he sportingly opted to fist the ball over the bar 
But seriously, Armagh did come close to making a grandstand finish - they shot a couple of bad wides when the gap was down to 3. At the other end Laois kicked some very bad wides too before wrapping it up.

[ck]

Missing Crossmaglen players is an easy out. Armagh still have access to enough players to make a challenge. The reality is that Mr.Grimley was part of a set up that was deemed a failure 6 short months ago yet he is appointed manager. Will Armagh wake up and smell the coffee? Some counties just get what they wish for

[BennyCake]

Can we take any positives from the game lads?

No one sang GSTQ to ye this time.

Get back in your hole, Queen's County lad 

[Shamrock Shore]

That's a good result.

Second relegation spot now between Wexford and Westmeath.

[armaghniac]

But seriously, Armagh did come close to making a grandstand finish - they shot a couple of bad wides when the gap was down to 3.

Last year Armagh shooting at this venue wasn't great, and they had some bad wides this evening also. Had they got one or two of these it might have created a competitive finish.

But we won't win much if the opposition score 20 points, even if we do take our scores.

As for the Cross' issue, Cross is one club, 97% of Armagh isn't in Cross and it should be possible to build a decent team from that.

[regal]

Isn't Grimley the saviour of Armagh football?

Crossmaglens success is costing Armagh dearly, surely they have to make their players available for selection???

When the county management had them last year they started 2 players.  We are always told that Cross have a strong club 15 but a lot of them are not good enough for the county.  The reality is that PG would only have started 2 maybe 3 Cross players  if they were available.  Easy to have a ready made excuse for the others.

I believe James Morgan was injured last year. Most armagh supporters would have at least morgan, akernan, hanratty and jclarke in the first 15 but it has to work both ways, not just crossmaglen's way. How will we know whether cunningham, mckeown and others are good enough for senior championship unless they are available for more than the last league game. I think Morgan is exceptional and has already proved he is ready for the first 15.

regal, you are correct but the reality is that the county management have not given Cross players opportunities even when they were available.  Case in point is Paul McKeown. He was available to play in the league a few years back against Cork down in Cork.  The lad had won the AI and came to training the next available night.  He was told by the management that he would be starting and to be ready for the game, he wasn't even handed a jersey and hasn't played since.  This is a small example of the treatment. There was an incident last year that I will not go into detail about less I be accused of stirring the pot where a player were ridiculed by a member of the management set up.If people question why Cross players are not available this singular event encapsulates it completely.

I'm not close enough to the set up to know all the ins and outs. The treatment of mckeown, as you point out, is rediculous and unacceptable. I'm not sure if grimley was involved in last years incident but I hope to god he wasn't. Whilst I realise grimley was part of the last management, I think he deserves his chance and the the county needs to get behind him in unity otherwise we will all suffer

[Ulick]

Missing Crossmaglen players is an easy out. Armagh still have access to enough players to make a challenge. The reality is that Mr.Grimley was part of a set up that was deemed a failure 6 short months ago yet he is appointed manager.

That's the bit that I still don't get.