Ulster Final 2008 - Armagh vs Fermanagh

[armaghniac]

I am sure it will be be a full house. It is an Ulster final, and it is not so long ago when Ulster finals involving Armagh drew 60,000. There are two different minor teams involved, which means a few more coming along.

[ExiledGael]

To be honest I can't see O'Rourke changing things too much from the start, but then the real messing could start. With McCabe playing in the UEFA cup on Thursday night, and already this week, I'd be reasonably sure he won't start. At the same time I'd expect to see him before half-time, probably blood sub or early change. Full-back is an issue. Think we have a straight call between McDermott and Shane Lyons, neither of which on paper you'd have to say could stifle Clarke. The system will have to do that. McDermott done well on Mark Lynch last time out, who'd be of a similar stature and size to Clarke. We have three excellent left footed free takers on the bench in Pat Cadden, Tom Brewster and Matty Keenan. Injuries have hampered all three and depending on how things are looking behind the scenes one of these could start as the place kicking could have a massive bearing on the scoreline. O'Rourke seems to instil real confidence in the team and puts his faith in players, I expect him to name the same team beforehand, with a late change maybe before Sunday. We'll see Owens at some stage too. The full-back line, the half back's and the midfield will retain their positions fairly rigidly, the six forwards could literally play anywhere on the day depending on how he reads it.
Ronan Gallagher

Shane Goan
Shane Lyons/Shane McDermott
Peter Sherry

Damien Kelly
Ryan McCluskey
Tommy McElroy

Mark Murphy
Martin McGrath

Mark Little
James Sherry
Ciaran McElroy

Eamon Maguire
Liam McBarron
Ryan Keenan

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

Clubs are struggling for tickets, particularly seated tickets.

I think we'll win on Sunday for a very simple reason - we have better players, particularly in the forward line than Fermanagh do. The Erne men are a very decent side, very fit, very tactically aware and will make things very difficult for Armagh but I think we should have enough about us to win the match. As Benny pointed out, the surprise element about Fermanagh is gone and McDonnell will know what to expect. I'd tend to agree that the management shouldn't overly concentrate on counteracting Fermanagh's defensive system, though obviously we will need to be aware of it. I think a huge advantage for us is that we have two wing half backs who are very comfortable going forward which will mean that withdrawn Fermanagh forwards could play into our hands.

As for team selection I'd go for;


Hearty

Mallon      Bellew     Moriarty

McKeever O'Rourke  Kernan

       McGrane  Toner

O'Rourke  Mallon  Vernon
McDonnell  Clarke     Kernan

But I expect him to retain McKeever. McDonnell is proving to be quite reluctant to change starting line ups which I hope doesn't come back to haunt him.

[Our Nail Loney]

Armagh should have far too much firepower for fermanagh at the end of the day

I think they will win by four or five, will be comfortable throughout but won't put the nail in the coffin!

Fermanagh's forwards just don't impress me that much, brilliant midfield but they need murphy up front to cause any damage

[ExiledGael]

Man for man how do Armagh posters think McDonnell will assign his defence?

[ExiledGael]

AFS I think this will be a major part of the tactics on Sunday, with fouling in certain zones. To be honest our best free-taker, Ciaran O'Reilly, is out for the foreseeable future. Don't even know what his exact injury status is any more. Our second best free-taker, Tom Brewster, is, or has been, on the bench most of the year. On his day he can knock over a '45 quite easily. Pat Cadden and Matty Keenan on the bench are also quite reliable free takers, Pat probably the more consistent, but I seen Keenan knocking over a few sidelines earlier in the year. when he gets on a roll
Ryan Keenan will probably be the choice from the start, but I'd be a bit worried about his accuracy once you go beyond 30/35 yards. Mark Little is another good option, who knocks over 45s quite often at club level.
It certainly could be an issue on Sunday, and somewhere Armagh certainly have the edge, but that's no surprise and something bound to have been worked on lately.

[FermGael]

What i think will be the Fermanagh team and how they will line out
                     R Gallagher
            S Goan    P Sherry
    M Lyttle   R McCluskey     C Mcelroy
   T McElroy  S  McDermott  D Kelly
            M McGrath    M Murphy
            R Keenan   J Sherry
           LMcBarron  E Maguire     
         

Man for man how do Armagh posters think McDonnell will assign his defence?

Without meaning to sound disrespectful but I don't think there's any specific threat in the Fermanagh attack that would require Armagh to change from the way that they'll be listed. In saying that I'd say if Little drops back A Kernan will probably alternate between picking him up and being the free man; obviously Francie will be on McBarron; Mallon will probably start on whoever lines up beside him (one of Keenan/Maguire/McElroy) but will be swiftly shifted on to any of the other two if their giving their man a bit of bother; A O'Rourke probably won't mark anyone with a combination of everyone else, particularly McKeever and Kernan, picking up his man (probably Sherry ?).

I think the fact that there is no specific threat in the Fermanagh forward line is actually an advantage for Fermanagh.  Unlike Down with Coulter and Cavan with Johnston, you can not say if you stop one man, then you stop Fermanagh.  We are more of a collective team than anybody that Armagh have played this year.

To the Fermanagh posters, how confident are yous about your free taking ability? If our games this year, and for the last decade for that matter, are anything to go by Fermanagh are likely to get a pile of frees, however a significant proportion of these are likely to be 35-50 yards out. Any intercounty free taker worth a shite will be able to knock over frees from 35 yards or closer to goal but if Fermanagh have someone capable of consistently knocking over ones from further out it'll be a huge plus for them.

Ryan Keenan certainly has improved this year but I would worry.  As already stated we have some good free takers on the bench but their fitness would be in question.

[FermPundit]

Yep, free taking is a concern. As Exiled has said our best free taker, Ciaran O'Reilly is out of football at the moment with a bad knee injury. Tom Brewster is our next best option but he hasn't the match fitness to start. I would think Ryan Keenan will take the majority of the frees, he has been consistent this year but anything from distance he might struggle with.

With regards team selection I don't expect too many surprises. Any changes will be positional.

[inisceithleann]

Fancy O'Rourke to make at least one change, probably at full foward but we'll wait and see. The absence of a regular free taker hasn't hurt us so far so hopefully we'll still get by on Sunday.

[FermPundit]

Has the game been confirmed as a sell out yet?  I know tickets are thin on the ground in Armagh, and I would assume there must be a ticket famine in Fermanagh as well.  Also Ticketmaster appear to be out of their allocation too.

Huge demand for tickets down in the Erne county as well. My own club aren't distributing their tickets until tomorrow although the majority of Fermanagh clubs have already given out their allocation. Whats the situation with the clubs in Armagh? With regards ticketmaster I was informed that the only tickets available were for behind the goals and on the hill.

[inisceithleann]

Has the game been confirmed as a sell out yet?  I know tickets are thin on the ground in Armagh, and I would assume there must be a ticket famine in Fermanagh as well.  Also Ticketmaster appear to be out of their allocation too.

Huge demand for tickets down in the Erne county as well. My own club aren't distributing their tickets until tomorrow although the majority of Fermanagh clubs have already given out their allocation. Whats the situation with the clubs in Armagh? With regards ticketmaster I was informed that the only tickets available were for behind the goals and on the hill.

Every man and his dog will want a ticket for this one. Loads of exiled fans like myself are flying back for it and thats putting a huge demand on the clubs.

[Fermanaghandsam]

I def think it will be a sell out alright, no doubt everyone wants to be there to see Fermanagh put Armagh to the sword and win there fist Ulster tiltle 

I think Mal might throw a surprise into the starting line up, I would actually like to see Cadden start instead of McBarron, Bellow will have no problem marking Liam, however Cadden might be a different story.

I expect a very tight low scoring game with the team that gets a goal winning it, lets hope thats an Owens screamer late on 

[FermPundit]

I think Mal might throw a surprise into the starting line up, I would actually like to see Cadden start instead of McBarron, Bellow will have no problem marking Liam, however Cadden might be a different story.

Given that Cadden has really featured since the start of the NFL, I'd be very surprised if he starts. If McBarron doesn't start it will be either Shane McCabe or Barry Owens. Both would be excellent inpact subs but as it is McCabe's last appearance before he on returns to the Glens I think he might start at full foward. I think he could be given a free role with the aim of running the legs of Francie Bellew. As was the case of Kevin McCloy, Fermanagh should try to exploit the lack of pace of Bellew. Although an excellent full back I don't think he would enjoy running around after the likes of McCabe or Eamon Maguire.

[mackers]

I think Mal might throw a surprise into the starting line up, I would actually like to see Cadden start instead of McBarron, Bellow will have no problem marking Liam, however Cadden might be a different story.

Given that Cadden has really featured since the start of the NFL, I'd be very surprised if he starts. If McBarron doesn't start it will be either Shane McCabe or Barry Owens. Both would be excellent inpact subs but as it is McCabe's last appearance before he on returns to the Glens I think he might start at full foward. I think he could be given a free role with the aim of running the legs of Francie Bellew. As was the case of Kevin McCloy, Fermanagh should try to exploit the lack of pace of Bellew. Although an excellent full back I don't think he would enjoy running around after the likes of McCabe or Eamon Maguire.

Ferm, in fairness, every county that has played Armagh over the last five years have tried to expose Bellew's lack of pace and due to a mixture of a sound defensive system and Francie's reading of the game it rarely seems to work. I would say two areas that would've been worked on in the Armagh training camp would have to be the tackling and the breaking ball area. We didn't do well in either sector in the semi and Fermanagh will test us in these areas too. They will be like terriers in the middle sector looking ball and we are too reliant on MOR, others are going to have to go in and win the dirty ball.

[ONeill]

Still a hard one to call. Armagh just don't lose Ulster Finals in this era - 1990 being their last.

Fermanagh have fought their way through the rocky path of Monaghan and Derry whilst Armagh have waltzed past the lighter challenges of Cavan and Down. Fermanagh are 'battle-hardened' yet there are few players more experienced than the core of the Orchard's squad. I do hold out some hope for the Erne lads in that if they can contain the Clarke/McDonnell threat to some degree, they'll go a long way towards lifting the cup as Fermanagh have shown that they are equally dependent on all 15. Kernan, O'Rourke, Mallon and McKeever are no better than what Fermanagh have on display. Although some have pointed to Bellew's lack of pace, Mallon and Moriarty will compensate adequately to allow the Fabulous Flamehaired to do what he does best - snuff out big Liam if O'Rourke starts him. McGrane on form will always be a worry.

Prediction: Fermanagh 0-2 Armagh 0-1.