Round 4 Qualfier: Armagh v Meath

[Jinxy]

I remember watching Paddy McKeever that day thinking he was going to be some player.

[Armamike]

Meath were just a bit too cute and had a bit too much quality in the likes of Giles and Geraghty.  Armagh sat back too deep in the second half of that game and the missed chances at the start of the second half did for us (though from memory they were half chances under a lot of pressure).  Came away from that match thinking that we needed more forward power. Luckily enough we unearthed two more gems in the following couple of years that eventually got us over the line.

[armaghniac]

Between the 60,589 who attended the game, and the 500,000 or so more who watched it on the box, there can be few sports followers left in the nation who haven't heard tell of this drab encounter by now.

There will be only half the attendance at this one and one twelfth of the TV audience, however drab it is.

Came away from that match thinking that we needed more forward power. Luckily enough we unearthed two more gems in the following couple of years that eventually got us over the line.

Indeed, we could hammer the likes of Down, but had problems with a real team. Stevie and Ronan completed the picture, if the modern team could unearth another Jamie we'd be hard to stop.

[Syferus]

Between the 60,589 who attended the game, and the 500,000 or so more who watched it on the box, there can be few sports followers left in the nation who haven't heard tell of this drab encounter by now.

There will be only half the attendance at this one and one twelfth of the TV audience, however drab it is.

Came away from that match thinking that we needed more forward power. Luckily enough we unearthed two more gems in the following couple of years that eventually got us over the line.

Indeed, we could hammer the likes of Down, but had problems with a real team. Stevie and Ronan completed the picture, if the modern team could unearth another Jamie we'd be hard to stop.

And get some Cross lads to play at midfield.

[INDIANA]

Between the 60,589 who attended the game, and the 500,000 or so more who watched it on the box, there can be few sports followers left in the nation who haven't heard tell of this drab encounter by now.

There will be only half the attendance at this one and one twelfth of the TV audience, however drab it is.

Came away from that match thinking that we needed more forward power. Luckily enough we unearthed two more gems in the following couple of years that eventually got us over the line.

Indeed, we could hammer the likes of Down, but had problems with a real team. Stevie and Ronan completed the picture, if the modern team could unearth another Jamie we'd be hard to stop.

And get some Cross lads to play at midfield.

And find another John Mc entee, Paul mc grane, oisin and a few more.

[Jinxy]

They've plenty of cross lads on the team going by the Cavan and Tyrone games.

[illdecide]

I'm not too sure of the average age of the Meath team but Armagh have quite a few young players involved and this game is vital for their progress over next year and beyond, a heavy defeat to Meath in Croke Park could set them back but a win there could really give them the confidence to move to the next level...
I'm not too sure how the injuries will have cleared up by next weekend but I'd imagine there won't be too many changes from the last game, I'm led to believe C Rafferty season is over as he apparently needs pins in his hand...

[Throw ball]

Between the 60,589 who attended the game, and the 500,000 or so more who watched it on the box, there can be few sports followers left in the nation who haven't heard tell of this drab encounter by now.

There will be only half the attendance at this one and one twelfth of the TV audience, however drab it is.

Came away from that match thinking that we needed more forward power. Luckily enough we unearthed two more gems in the following couple of years that eventually got us over the line.

Indeed, we could hammer the likes of Down, but had problems with a real team. Stevie and Ronan completed the picture, if the modern team could unearth another Jamie we'd be hard to stop.

And get some Cross lads to play at midfield.

We have a number of key players around the middle injured who would help our midfield. Toner would be the most experienced. Ethan Rafferty who has the potential to be a great player and Caolan Rafferty who is , IMO, the biggest miss of all. The midfield played OK against Roscommon. Harold may be more suited coming on but Findon is showing potential in his first year. It was also Findon's fourth tough championship match in four weeks. I actually think he made his first senior start against Meath in the league and got black carded early on. I am sure he hopes to make amends.

[Throw ball]

I'm not too sure of the average age of the Meath team but Armagh have quite a few young players involved and this game is vital for their progress over next year and beyond, a heavy defeat to Meath in Croke Park could set them back but a win there could really give them the confidence to move to the next level...
I'm not too sure how the injuries will have cleared up by next weekend but I'd imagine there won't be too many changes from the last game, I'm led to believe C Rafferty season is over as he apparently needs pins in his hand...

Caolan Rafferty is a major miss. His pace frightens many teams. Pity.

[Syferus]

Between the 60,589 who attended the game, and the 500,000 or so more who watched it on the box, there can be few sports followers left in the nation who haven't heard tell of this drab encounter by now.

There will be only half the attendance at this one and one twelfth of the TV audience, however drab it is.

Came away from that match thinking that we needed more forward power. Luckily enough we unearthed two more gems in the following couple of years that eventually got us over the line.

Indeed, we could hammer the likes of Down, but had problems with a real team. Stevie and Ronan completed the picture, if the modern team could unearth another Jamie we'd be hard to stop.

And get some Cross lads to play at midfield.

We have a number of key players around the middle injured who would help our midfield. Toner would be the most experienced. Ethan Rafferty who has the potential to be a great player and Caolan Rafferty who is , IMO, the biggest miss of all. The midfield played OK against Roscommon. Harold may be more suited coming on but Findon is showing potential in his first year. It was also Findon's fourth tough championship match in four weeks. I actually think he made his first senior start against Meath in the league and got black carded early on. I am sure he hopes to make amends.

Jesus, I thought ye were well bet in the middle. Higgins was frigged after a bad knock in the first half and he still dominated his man despite Armagh being clearly the better team overall. His marker also seemed to think his incessant pushing and pulling on Higgins was subtle but Kinsella was seeing right through it. Shine won or broke plenty of ball too. Probably our best performers by a good margin.

Both our lads have seriously came on as players this year (they beat out the O'Sheas back in June) and have finally turned our midfield from a problem area to a weapon. All that said, both your lads looked like decent footballers but they were bullied and didn't look strong enough for the engine room and that particularly stood out when the rest of the Armagh team looked so physical and well conditioned for their roles.

Definitely should be looking at replacements for the next day in the middle. David McKenna really stands out to me as exactly the sort of tank that would be right at home in that Armagh team but I guess if the appetite for IC isn't there it isn't there.

[Throw ball]

Would agree Roscommon won midfield. Higgins was very impressive. I did, however, feel that Kinsella gave a couple of very soft frees against Harold. Findon is raw and does stupid things but is improving. You must also remember than in the system Armagh play the midfielders are not just primary ball winners. They have to do a lot of defensive cover and against Roscommon did score 3 from play.

[Syferus]

Would agree Roscommon won midfield. Higgins was very impressive. I did, however, feel that Kinsella gave a couple of very soft frees against Harold. Findon is raw and does stupid things but is improving. You must also remember than in the system Armagh play the midfielders are not just primary ball winners. They have to do a lot of defensive cover and against Roscommon did score 3 from play.

I'd agree they were marginal but most of them happened right in front of me (the benefits of sitting out in the pissing rain) and there were little impingements on Higgins, pulls, nudges, etc. Other times a ref mightn't catch it but if he does he does and it is still a foul.

If Armagh do better in the middle they can definitely beat Meath, indeed doing better at the middle would make giving Donegal a rattle quite possible if that was how the draw shook out.

[JP]

Harold and Findon are both inexperienced at this level but they both have something to offer. I'd rather have them playing then for example Toner, who may be better at fielding a high ball but lacks the mobility of the other two. Both of them got on the scoresheet, can't remember the last time Toner scored.  We also have James Lavery out injured who got a bad neck injury at the start of the year.

[heganboy]

I remember watching Paddy McKeever that day thinking he was going to be some player.

didn't turn out too bad...

[Hound]

Meath's master scavengers thrive in barren Orchard

MEATH 0-15  ARMAGH 2-05


MEATH: C. O'Sullivan; M. O'Reilly, D. Fay, C. Murphy; P. Reynolds, E. McManus, H. Traynor; N. Crawford, J. McDermott; E. Kelly, T. Giles, N. Nestor; O. Murphy, G. Geraghty (capt.), D. Curtis.. Sub: R. Magee for Murphy, (injured 22nd minute).

Hank Traynor

Great name.

(for a culchie anyway)