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This is getting hard to take at this stage.  It's ok sucking up one near miss on penalties but 4 now in 2 years?  Forgive me as an Armagh supporter for never wanting to see penalties in our games again.  For any  of you neutrals who think it's great entertainment, be careful what you wish for.  A lot said here and elsewhere about penalties being a lottery?  Sorry, that's nonsense. It's down to skill and composure.  If it was a lottery on the law of averages we would have won 1 or 2 out of those 4. 

For me it's hard to escape the notion that we do have a mental block when it comes to seeing out a game, and especially when we are in front.  I've got to the point now where I would rather we were a couple of points behind going into the final minutes where we don't have to think to much about it and just for for it. 4 points up in a game like that where 2 teams set up defensively was a big advantage heading into the last 15.  We just had to match Donegal on the scoreboard but we stopped scoring completely. Just one or two points in that final 15 or 20 minutes would have won it.  Collectively I think there's a lack of nous and smartness in decision making when the pressure is on, and I don't see a go-to player who will demand the ball and do something to get us over the line, whether that is a crucial high catch in the middle, having the confidence to nail an important score, or a driving run to set up somebody. To be fair I thought Nugent showed some of that confidence and attitude but there wasn't enough.

Really feel for the management and players though. It's a tough one to take and will be hard to motivate themselves.  McGeeney has had so many near misses with Armagh and Kildare. He must feel bloody cursed at this point.

I have this bad feeling in my stomach that this is going to be packed defenses and 15 men behind the ball with cross field passing until we're gonna pull our own hairs out. If this happens Armagh can do one, if i've to go back up that road again losing another close game thru defensive football I swear to f**k i'll crack. If we're gonna lose i'd rather have a go at them and play an entertaining  and enjoyable game of football. Take the shackles off and have a rattle at them!.

Probably 99% of Armagh supporters would agree.

I personally think that Donegal will be 4-5 point winners.
Donegal didn't get the credit they deserved for walloping Derry and were narrowly beaten in an Ulster final 2 years ago.
They've already beaten Armagh in a final this year, however, were didn't perform at the same level against tyrone as they did against Derry. Some of their attacking play against Tyrone was poor enough.
They have, in my opinion, a better manager and overall better players than Armagh.

Armagh have struggled to beat a limited Down team and were not that impressive against Fermanagh.
Ok, they are perhaps trying to peak for the final so may improve.
But they've done nothing in recent years to show they have the nerve to win a big game - I think they are just short a few players and need to focus on the football and not the physical antics they often get themselves involved in. If they focus on playing their own game and I think they'll do better than trying to out-tactic Donegal.

Of course I could be entirely wrong, just my read on it.

Hard to argue with most of that.  Time to finally step up for a few of our players and leave everything on the pitch.  I'm not overly hopeful though. I'd expect McGuinness will be better tactically and will have a plan to keep our best players quiet. Obviously hope to be very wrong...

Time to ditch Salah. That was ridiculous behaviour from him.

[Endo and Jones wouldn't get on the Liverpool first 11 if all were fully fit,]

Not a supporter of any team, but Klopp has done a wonderful job, being competitive against a City who have become a monster. Just looking at their team last night; would Endo, Jones, Konate get their place on the City and Arsenal squads?

Would get in their squads ok!  Konate in decent form would be good enough to start.  Endo and Jones probably wouldn't if others were fit.

Endo and Jones wouldn't get on the Liverpool first 11 if all were fully fit, let alone Arsenal and City.

Good enough squad players to come on the last 25 minutes or so.

The thing about Klopp which will be hardest to replace is that he was someone top players wanted to play for even if the money was slightly less, like MacAllister, VVD and Allison for instance.

Will this new quy have that same pull?

Would fully agree on that. Endo nailed down a starting place half way through the season.  Jones was starting until he got that injury set back. 

Not a supporter of any team, but Klopp has done a wonderful job, being competitive against a City who have become a monster. Just looking at their team last night; would Endo, Jones, Konate get their place on the City and Arsenal squads?

Would get in their squads ok!  Konate in decent form would be good enough to start.  Endo and Jones probably wouldn't if others were fit.

I would easily have him above Dalglish.

Good point about Liverpool in 2019-2020.  They were the best team in the world, no argument about it.

Salah, for all the praise he gets, has form for going missing in the second half of seasons when the heat is on.

Yes, saw that stat. Not sure if it is a mentality thing or being burnt out from starting most games.

Klopp has left Liverpool in a very strong position compared to where he started.  So that's the ultimate assessment of his contribution.  Changed the culture around the club where the expectation now is the pursuit of excellence on and off the pitch.  There will be regrets over not winning another PL title or another champions league but we know the context around Man City and the PL.  Judge him as well on the finances made available to him compared to other clubs.  Will really miss his infectious personality and sheer presence as will just about all Liverpool fans. He's a one off.

That good?

Looks like Slot in for Klopp.  I don't know too much about him, but that doesn't mean much.

Clattenburg has lost any credibility he had, to be associated with them. 

Good result and decent performance.  Could see the team get a new lease of life once that goal from Gravenberch went in.

Easy to be less than optimistic though.  Been here before and know the script.  115 charges FC don't tend to  let go once they get in front at this stage.  Just have to keep plugging away and hope.

From Kieran taking over until the past 2 years Armagh struggled for years to get a win or two in the Ulster championship and that has been the most disappointing thing for me.  Not being able to beat teams they could/should have been beating over 6 or 7 years.  That's not all down to lack of underage success.  We have though improved markedly in terms of conditioning and tightened up a good bit at the back. Seem better organised these past 2 years but the question is still very much out on whether they can take the next step, i.e. get through tight games and win something or get further than a quarter final.

Not being disrespectful, but 2 very lop sided draws in '23 and' 24 surely helped?

Yes of course but my point was that Armagh couldn't beat any of these teams in previous years.

From Kieran taking over until the past 2 years Armagh struggled for years to get a win or two in the Ulster championship and that has been the most disappointing thing for me.  Not being able to beat teams they could/should have been beating over 6 or 7 years.  That's not all down to lack of underage success.  We have though improved markedly in terms of conditioning and tightened up a good bit at the back. Seem better organised these past 2 years but the question is still very much out on whether they can take the next step, i.e. get through tight games and win something or get further than a quarter final.