Donegal v Armagh Championship game

[Over the Bar]

aaron kernan = best in ireland

I like his style but still think he would be a better half-foward who tracks back than a half-back who likes going forward.

[Caitlin]

Frustrating sort of game.Thought Armagh had done enough but a 2 point lead is always dangerous.For Donegal, Roper and Bonner haven't the brains to play the game Mc Iver wants- you are never going to run through Armagh tackles- and their loss of possession should have been punished more.Their full-back line did well while the half-back line had little to do as Armagh's half-forward line is very poor.The old brigade plus Donaghy were Armagh's best although the full-forward line missed easy scores.As Down are only in the first round proper, a defeat to Monaghan could put us in with the teams mentioned earlier and I think it's a bit early to write the post-mortem report on our neighbours yet.

[Smokin Joe]

I had a real fear about our full back line heading into today's game but they were immense.  As I already stated above I thought that Donaghy had a great game, undoubtedly this was helped by him playing out the field rather than standing under a high ball.  Just a pity that his decision to shoot near the end was made, and hopefully this won't effect his confidence the next day.

McGrane was immense but sadly lacked support from Toner.  We hardly won a breaking ball during the whole of the second half, and this was ultimately our downfall.  I think Stephen Kernan won one ball all day (the 2nd half restart) but there seems to be no point analysing this position as Joe appears to be a stubborn man.

Taking away the goal we scored 8 points.  That is a very skinny lead to defend and while our defence was heroic today I am afraid that until Clarke gets back in full fitness I don't see us having a very successful year, depsite the first impressions after today's game.

We just need some more creativity, and I don't think we have it.

Finally a word on the tremendous minor game.  Armagh had a fabulous 2nd half performance against a massive Donegal team.  And a special mention to the 3 Tulysaran lads who all shone.

[Midman]

I'm gutted by the defeat but i'm more optimistic for our championship campaign than I was a few minutes before throw in. Our league form wasn't great and maybe ,living abroad, I listened to the media a bit too much beforehand.

I thougt Armagh were the better team and defensively we were excellent. We made some savage tackles, I ddn't know much about Donaghy beforehand but was impressed with what I saw ( when was the last time Armagh had a galloping full back?  )  I thought we missed Clarke today but our forwards had enough ball to win the game. They will improve as the ability is there.  We were sloppy in  the shorts passes though and played ourselves into trouble too many times.

Bannon was brutal! Gave alot of soft frees and then didn't blow when worse fouls were being commited.

Congratulations to Donegal you were due it, I hope you go on to lift the Ulster.

I've a got a weird feeling we are certs to draw Mayo,will be interesting to see how the players react to the defeat

[tyroneman]

Donegal to win the Ulsterin a canter, we will hopefully meet them again at the business end of the season, i hope to feck they hammer their next opponent.

Ach it's sad that yeh have to look to the misery of other counties to keep yerself feeling good. From that performace neither side would win Ulster at a canter. That's not saying Tyrone will have it in them to beat Donegal with our injury situ but a canter?

Way on, lick the wounds, fill the aul car with diesel and start packin the sangwidges for the long roads ahead....

As for young Stevie Kernan....excellent player - keep him at CHF for the rest of the Championship  

aaron kernan = best in ireland

aye..best Kernan playing for armagh at wing back in Ireland..maybe..

[Muzz]

Coming from a Tyrone man you may see this as strange...but watching todays game I would have preferred to play Armagh in the next round. 

Everyone is talking about their tackling (blanket defence when tyrone do it is disgusting but today on RTE described as passionate-dont see the difference) How many times did we see donegal man surrounded by 4/5 Armagh men?  There should be 4 other Donegal players available to recieve the ball, but so many times no one made themselves avaiable.  Tyrone support each other and wouldnt let one man carry the ball into the tackle without options.

Tyrone would have wiped Armagh out with counter-attack play.

Should still be a good game verus Donegal!

[Uladh]

A few bullet points:

Armagh defended heroicly. the tackling from McGeeney, McKeever and McNulty was an absolute privilage to witness.

McGeeney is a machine.

we lack any real threat up front without clarke. they keep feeding stevie wee dinky balls in front when he wants it over the top. oisin's legs are long gone unfortunately.

Steven Kernan. Jesus H Christ. a full 70 minutes, but credit to the rest of the lads for producing the goods with a man less.

Great aerial battle between Gallagher and McGrane, Which i think McGrane just shaded.

Armagh never got a ball round the middle third after o'rourke was inexplicably called ashore.

Aaron carried the ball forward well in the second half but got roasted by roper in the first half.

Marsden does the running of 5 men.

Donegal were naive in the extreme leaving 2 on 2 in 60 yards of space for the whole game, but armagh hadn't the players to exploit it.

was surprised to see dunnion go off.. thought he was causing problems overlapping.

why is mcconaghy (sp) playing in front of eamon mcgee?

Donegal lack a real marquee scoring threat up front but the shape sweeney looked to be in he could do a hell of a job.

ironic that 2 years ago mcivor was o'rourke's club manager

[Jinxy]

Donegal seemed very green today. I think Armagh have a psychological edge on them (as they do with most teams) and Donegal  sought to take the ball into contact and reverted to their pre-2006/2007 style of football. It was like the league success never happened. I hope they get confidence from the win and open their shoulders now and start to play a bit.

[ziggysego]

In the lead up to this game I was expecting Donegal to win this game, at the end of the game I was surprised that Donegal had won. Armagh were more the superior team and at times, had ran circles around Donegal.

Donegal had plenty of chances, but missed them. Too many foolish shots for points and too many quick free, without any thinking behind it.

Whilst Tyrone have a lot of room for improve, if this is how Donegal will play, we won't fear them.

That said, congratulations Donegal. That's one demon lead to rest now.

[J70]

Donegal lack a real marquee scoring threat up front but the shape sweeney looked to be in he could do a hell of a job.

I'd say there are very, very few forwards who could have put on a display against that Armagh defence today. There was just no room or time. The likes of Devenney must have been sitting on the bench green with envy seeing the space that the Armagh forward pair had around them at times in the first half today.

I would expect to see Sweeney in serious consideration for a starting place the next day though.

[J70]

In the lead up to this game I was expecting Donegal to win this game, at the end of the game I was surprised that Donegal had won. Armagh were more the superior team and at times, had ran circles around Donegal.

Donegal had plenty of chances, but missed them. Too many foolish shots for points and too many quick free, without any thinking behind it.

Whilst Tyrone have a lot of room for improve, if this is how Donegal will play, we won't fear them.

That said, congratulations Donegal. That's one demon lead to rest now.

I'd say Donegal can't play much worse than they did today. The only thing is that Tyrone probably would not let them off the hook, although they almost did that last week with Fermanagh. Maybe the mental thing was a factor for Donegal today with Armagh.

[Over the Bar]

Couple of interesting points which I'd like to hear the Armagh brethren's views on.

1.  Joe Kernan deflecting by laying a degree of blame on the 2000 or so Armagh fans who stayed away.  (Pints was that you?)

2. Jarlath Burns descibing Stephen Kernan's contribution as "superb".

comments?

[Orior]

I thought perhaps Joe took O'Rouke off because he was tiring and he had a yellow card. The real shame was that he brought on Mackin. Was that the best replacement we had? What about Charlie Five? I mean Charlie V.

With regard Stephen Kernan, he did make a few very good passes and scored a good point. However he didnt orchestrate and command the centre half forward like McEntee used to do.

I was glad to see Paddy McKeever staying on the whole 70 (I think he did anyway). Both he and Marsden were good running at the defence.

The scarey thing is, our forwards will be much sharper next day. Mayo beware.

[Orior]

BTW, no hint of a square ball with the Donegal goal?

[armagh leg-end]

Home from match about an hour, still cant believe were not playing tyrone in the semis an looking for a four in a row. we were robbed today, donegal were lucky to get out of jail. shows that league form cannot be taken into account, the finalist, mayo are out and donegal should be.

donaghy had a stormer and if he plays like that in the rest of the games then bellew will find it hard to get his place again.

hearty was unlucky with that ball, nut he cannot be blamed, armagh kicked too many wide balls.

turning point in the game was the ball the donegal goalie caught from mcconvilles free. would have put us 4pts up.

Scenie route here we go!