Donegal v Armagh Championship game

[Fear Boirche]

Something about 2000 armagh fans not turning up (by all accounts I don't know where they would have went) and he yapped about this a bit and said he hoped the fans that did turn up would get the good tickets the next day.

He was giving off because Armagh had returned 2000 tickets, not because they didn't turn up on the day. I think it's a good point from Joe considering all the crying people did about the game being in Ballybofey in the first place. You can't be the best fans in Ireland and then not bother travelling a few hours to see your county in the first round of the Championship. I also agree what he said about fans who did turn up getting preference the next day. They went to the bother of travelling to Ballybofey and should be done out of a ticket by someone who'll go to the next game cos it's in Clones or Casment.

[High Catch]

PH - a few wobbly kick outs and a calamity at the end
AM - solid as a rock
BD - good debut, pity about his attempt for the equaliser at the end
EMcN - solid
AK - very good
KMcG - very good
CMcK - solid
PMcG - very good
KT - not much of an impact
MOR - usual self, missed in later stages of game
SK - didn't do enough, nice point
PMcK - good enough, wasted some ball though in first half
OMcC - frees not as good as usual, coolness personified for goal
DM - very good, shooting could be sharper
SMcD - not his usual excellance but good enough

[Smokin Joe]

What exactly did Joe say, he is a fool of a man, hopefully this is his last year.

Something about 2000 armagh fans not turning up (by all accounts I don't know where they would have went) and he yapped about this a bit and said he hoped the fans that did turn up would get the good tickets the next day.

Agree Corn.  Those were 2 of the Tullysaran lads.  Good to see them doing well on the big stage after coming from such a small club.

I seen the captain kicking a hell of a point on the championship last night, didn't you say he was from Tullysaran Joe?

he was indeed pints

[Smokin Joe]

I think the Clarke rumours are greatly exaggerated.

Smoking Joe, alot of mid and North ones on the team so I knew very little, they were excellent. They was another one too? Was it that McClelland fellow with the ginger hair? Tullysaran must have a very good minor team. It is the first time in years I have seen an Armagh team deploy a running game from defence. No question of winning a ball and launching it, the defender on the ball always made a gallop to the half forward line. As dangerous as it can be it had great results yesterday.

The 3 Tullysaran lads were Barry McKenna (the small ginger Number 4), Ryan Conlon (the ginger Numbr 5) and the captain David Comiskey (Number 10).
They should have a good minor team this year, bearing in mind that Clan na gael beat them by a point in the county U16 final 2 years ago, after Tullysaran despatched no less than Crossmaglen in the semi final.

I agree with what you say about their brand of football - it was breathtaking, and that's probably what beat the physically bigger Donegal team.

[Smokin Joe]

As the ground was stuffed to bursting yesterday I assume that the 2000 returned tickets must have made their way to Donegal to be distributed.  Can any of the Donegal posters confirm that - do you get a 2nd raft of tickets later on during the week?

[pintsofguinness]

Something about 2000 armagh fans not turning up (by all accounts I don't know where they would have went) and he yapped about this a bit and said he hoped the fans that did turn up would get the good tickets the next day.

He was giving off because Armagh had returned 2000 tickets, not because they didn't turn up on the day. I think it's a good point from Joe considering all the crying people did about the game being in Ballybofey in the first place. You can't be the best fans in Ireland and then not bother travelling a few hours to see your county in the first round of the Championship. I also agree what he said about fans who did turn up getting preference the next day. They went to the bother of travelling to Ballybofey and should be done out of a ticket by someone who'll go to the next game cos it's in Clones or Casment.

He actaully said 2000 fans didn't turn up - but I think we all got his point.  Of course anyone that was there should get first preference the next day but I'd like to think he realises he's got bigger problems than tickets being sent back. 

[corn02]

I love the way on Orchard County they think Stephen was just super yesterday. Lay off Stephen he is one of us, you can not say bad things about an Armagh player. 

[pintsofguinness]

Don't get me started on orchardcounty corn - it's some blessing I can't post over there.

[Smokin Joe]

Here is a different slant on the Hearty fumble:
I was standing in the front row directly behind the armagh dug out yesterday.  During the team's warm up there was a panic that Hearty had left his cap in the dressing room.  One of the back room team gave his hat to the water carrier to give to Hearty, but the message that came back was that Hearty wanted his own cap.
Interesting he never wore a cap all day (I am pretty sure of this).

The sun may well have been an issue (as my burnt forehead attests to this morning) for the ball he missed, but also the previous McFadden point that just dropped over the bar which he appeared to be struggling with.

This may well all be speculation, but let's hope a small matter such as not being able to find his own cap and refusing to wear another one didn't contribute to the late goal.

Of course, perhaps the sun didn't affect the keepers at all as Durcan didn't wear one either - I just thought it was interesting that such a fuss was made on the Armagh sideline about getting Hearty's own cap and then he never wore it.

[armaghdaisy]

There is no different slant on the Hearty fumble or ****up!the man let the ball go through his hands lost the match sun or no sun he should of had it in his hands!!!end of!
i thought Toner did very well a young fella coming into the match and he made some catches which were up to the standard of McGrane.

[Fuzzman]

As a neutral kinda supporting Donegal I thought it was a crap game to watch but as Tohill said it had huge intensity. Big Deal. Horrible to watch.

I was shocked how McIvor hadn't told Donegal to release the ball much faster even when playing into the wind but maybe he thought they could draw frees from the usual over robust Armagh defenders.  I got very frustrated watching Doengal continually carrying the ball into 3 man tackles and spilling it again and again. I know it was very windy but surely quick low passes into space can overcome this if your forwards are making good runs.

I can see why some people compare Armagh to Chelsea as they strangle ever game they play and unfortunately my native Tyrone have dispensed with some of their attacking flare for this more negative football with getting more bodies behind the ball all the time.
I think that's why we rarely see high scores now in Ulster football and is it now time to change tact and go for more route one football again.
We want goals and points from all angles. Fast passage of passing play and not play on the break. In fairness watching other province football is a lot easier on the eye.

I hope the Donegal v Tyrone match is very open and that there is little swarming or double marking. I'd rather it was 3.13 to 2-16 draw than 0-07 to 0-06 win.
Thought the best point yesterday was scored by Marsden as Armagh won the throw-in and within 2/3 quick passes it was over the bar.

I hate to agree with the Southern softies and especially W*nker Spillane but I'm getting a bit tired of these defensive battles and swarm tackling.
Yes it's great when your defenders stays disciplined and get the attacker blown up for two long but as they said on the Sunday game last nite most Refs can't decide any more is it overcarrying or one on the line tackle too much.

Thought McDonnell was well held yesterday but was that cos poor ball going into him? Meath or Mayo for the qualiifers?

[never kickt a ball]

The goal.

McIvers reaction:



Cassidy's reaction:


Kernan's reaction:

[john mcgill]

Well rumours of Armagh's demise are exaggerated. I agree with Joe K on that.  However his rant at the missing supporters or the 2000 tickets sent back is over the top. Joe has always been one for keeping any disagreements in the team in house.  Now missing supoorters are fair game and held up to his scorn.  As one poster, earlier in this thread, said the supporters who were there made enough noise.  It seems to me that his frustration with what happened and didn't happen on the field was translated into an attack on supporters.  It is the supporters missing and there in attendance that have helped Armagh over the years and been part of a great journey.
Now in the cold light of day, I would hope that Joe is a big enough man to retract his comments.

[Armamike]

Disappointing way to lose the game, but the Armagh performance was heartening - there is a lot to build on there for the qualifiers route.  The team looked to be in good shape, well prepared and organised.  The full back and half back lines were immense and midfield did well.  Great to see young Donaghy do so well, fair play to him (proved a lot of people wrong and i hope he can keep it up). As said here already, the defensive play was really good.

The game was lost for Armagh in the forward line, a combination of some poor shooting by the full forwards (particularly first half) and the lack of support from the half forwards. I didn't think any of the half forwards justified staying on the pitch for the full 70 mins.  Joe Kernan had options on the bench and he could have brought on Vernon and Lavery or Toal (if fit?) to add another dimension there.  Very disappointing that he waited until the 58th minute to do something, but that is Joe Kernan's form - he is a very conservative, predictable and stubborn manager. Young Lavery could easiliy have been brought on early in the second half for Toner to let him get some championship game time (though Toner did ok). Why was he only introduced on 68 mins - what heroics did Kernan expect him to produce at that stage? If we had have gotten a bit more out of the half forwards Armagh would have beaten Donegal easily. I'm not sure if its tactics or personnel, all i know is if the half forwards don't get up to support the 2 front men, then Armagh will continue to struggle to score more than 1-8 in any game. The Armagh goal came from one of McKeever's few forays forward.

For the next day i'd like to see Vernon or Toal tried out. Give them a chance in the championship to see what they're made of.  Toal would inject a lot of pace into the half forwards, which is badly needed to help support the 2 front men.  

Hearty should be dropped for the next game (what are the chances of that though) - that was a horrible blunder (the sun had nothing to do with it - as anyone behind his goals can testify to) and to make matters worse, his kickout after the goal went straight out over the line. McKinney deserves a chance.  

Final point - Ballybofey is a nightmare to get to and even worse to get out of!

[Smokin Joe]

Fuzzman, you mightn't like to watch good defending but unfortunately that's what wins games.

2 or 3 years ago Cork beat Galway in a QF match at Croke Park, the socre taking was a joy to behold as both teams rackec up monster scores.  After the game the pundits were taking of Cork as possible All Ireland winners.  They were comprehensively beaten the next day (may have been Kerry, I'm not sure).

The point is in that Cork v Galway game there was no defensive play all day, there was no tackling or close marking.  You had a shootout which looked nice to watch, but when it came to the next day, Cork's lack of a defence meant they stood no chance.

At the moment it appears you either defend and try to win or play lovely football with the expctation that you'll win feck all.