The Armagh Harps Thread

[Rufus T Firefly]

This last years report rufus aye?

Aye, point taken - I'm struggling to stay motivated!! 

You can come write for the Bridge 

I've just got my motivation back!! 

Rufus thats not bad if i say so myself, and a pretty accurate discription of the match, we need someone like you for our reports. Only recently it would be Clans beat again o and did i mention Clans beat again

It certainly looks like Porty will be relegated and we have still 9 games left with 5 at home and the rest of our suspensions finished so hopefully we can climb up the table a bit with yourselves, who do you reckon is the next favourites to go down between Clans, Harps, Whitecross and Culloville (have i left out any other victims)

I would guess at this stage that Portadown are going to struggle to stay up. It really is tight after that, with only a few points separating Clans, ourselves, Whitecross, Culloville and maybe even Maghery and Dromintee.

It's an ill wind that doesn't blow someone some good, and Armagh's disaster last Sunday means that we should have Charlie Vernon and Peadar Toal for the remiander of the campaign. We have to play Culloville twice, Whitecross and Portadown at home, and I would see these as vital fixtures. 

Like yourself, I thought Whitecross might struggle, but up there they really gave us a going over - playing lovely football - looked really fit and run all night. In my time with Harps, I don't think I ever won down there. It really is a tough place to get a result.

I would guess 14/15 points should be enough for safety - that said, a good or bad run for any team could change the picture dramatically.

[Uladh]

What do the league tables look like now?

Anyone frequent orchard county and could copy them across for us?

[pintsofguinness]

What do the league tables look like now?

Anyone frequent orchard county and could copy them across for us?

And why exactly can you not get them on orchardcounty? 

They're on Page 168 of the armagh club thread.

[Rufus T Firefly]

I wrote

Like yourself, I thought Whitecross might struggle, but up there they really gave us a going over - playing lovely football - looked really fit and run all night. In my time with Harps, I don't think I ever won down there. It really is a tough place to get a result.

That should have read

Like yourself, I thought Whitecross might struggle, but up there they really gave us a going over - playing lovely football - looked really fit and run all night. Culloville could still gather enough points to get to safety as they are always difficult to beat at home. In my time with Harps, I don't think I ever won down there. It really is a tough place to get a result.

[Uladh]

And why exactly can you not get them on orchardcounty? 

Can't bring myself to add to that site's hit counter on a point of principle...

[pintsofguinness]

And why exactly can you not get them on orchardcounty? 

Can't bring myself to add to that site's hit counter on a point of principle...

You should, currently my favourite threads are "I LOVE BIG JOE" and "So, what are you gonna do on Sundays now?"  (Because club football doesn't exist).

[corn02]

OrchardCounty is the most disatorous forum I have ever seen, I feel sorry for your man Coleman because he has made an excellent site.

[lurganblue]

OrchardCounty is the most disatorous forum I have ever seen, I feel sorry for your man Coleman because he has made an excellent site.

yeah. big barry is a genuine lad and he has (and still does) put an awful lot of work into that site. he should be more strict and ban certain people for talking pure cack

[Armagh Exile]

I find the Fixtures, tables and results are excellent on the Orchardcounty website.  Always up to date and spot on.

[topgun]

wat time is the game at on sunday, do the harps have a full panel to pick from

[nashville]

think the boys have a full panel to pick from, apparently Toal has been going to training since the county were beat so thats good news.. anyone any views on what the team will be?

[corn02]

It is an excellent site for fixtures and as a site it is fantastic, just appears the average age of posters would be in single figures.

Any truth in the rumour John Rath is the new Armagh manger stating he could do alot better than his former workmate Raff?

[Rufus T Firefly]

Pearse Og v Harps

Harps travelled the short distance to Ballycrummy in the West of the City on Sunday afternoon, and came away with a very important league win. Any win over the Ogs is a good win, but with the need for league points so important, this win was extra special.

Harps, in perfect conditions and in front of a large crowd, started off playing towards the Killylea Road end of the ground, with a slight breeze behind them. Neither team dominated early on, with the Ogs eventually managing to open the scoring when referee Paudie Hughes spotted off the ball pulling, and awarded a close in free, that was duly pointed. The Ogs had a wide before Joe Quigley's run was stopped with a foul, and Joe duly pointed the resulting free. Harps maintained the momentum, and Minnie finished the next move with a well taken point. The Ogs returned to the attack, but were guilty of over elaboration, when a goal chance looked on. They did manage the equaliser though when the ref again spotted off the ball pulling, and awarded a close in free that was again sent over the bar. This was to signal the start of a period of Harps pressure. Charlie Vernon's run through the middle was halted by a foul, and Peadar Toal somewhat surprisingly put the free wide. Minnie had Harps' second wide before Nippy landed a great point from a fifty five yard free. Harps kept up the pressure. A slip by an Ogs defender put Peadar Toal through on goal but he pulled his shot badly wide. Charlie Vernon was again fouled on the run, and Joe Quigley pointed to give us the lead for the first time. Joe added a further point from a free after Minnie was fouled. The Ogs kept in touch, with their first point from play, and had a chance to close the gap further but shot a bad wide. Harps finished the half on a high, with Minnie notching his second point after good play by Joe Quigley.

Half time, Pearse Og 0-03, Harps 0-06.

The half time break was just what the Ogs needed, and they returned in much more determined fashion. They had a point from their number eleven, and added a brilliant point from their midfielder out on the wing, to leave just a point between the sides. Peadar Toal had a wide from a difficult free, but from the kick out Nippy fielded brilliantly and fed Joe Quigley for an excellent point on the run. The Ogs continued to press, and won a free (for the ball being touched on the ground) which was pointed by Gregory Loughran. The same player had a bad wide, before a slip in the Harps defence let the Ogs in for the equalising point, although we were lucky it wasn't a goal. Harps badly needed a response, and Peadar Toal supplied this, when he pointed a massive free from sixty yards out. Harps pressed again and were awarded another free, closer in but from a narrower angle, and Kevin Kelly duly obliged with a tidy point. Harps though were still not out of the woods. They pointed from play, and following another Gregory Loughran wide, the same player stepped up with the equalizing point from a free. Ebbie replaced Gerard McDonagh in attack and began winning break ball further out the field. Another Harps attack resulted in a free, which was over sixty yards out. Peadar Toal lined the shot up, but spotted Kevin Kelly's run out of the square, and found him with a lovely pass. Kevin gathered, turned, and split the posts for the lead again!  The Ogs returned to the attack and won a long range free. Gregory Loughran took the free off the ground. The ball went into the square and was fisted towards goal. Keeper Willie McSorley made a smart block at his near post, at the expense of a fifty. Gregory Loughran again took the kick, but his fifty drifted wide much to the delight of the Harps support, as referee Paudie Hughes immediately blew the full time whistle with the Harps a point to the good.

Final score, Pearse Og 0-09, Harps 0-10.

This was a big win for the Harps and will hopefully be the lift needed to ensure that enough league points are accumulated to avoid relegation. Best for the Harps were Charlie Vernon, Chuckie Morris and my man of the match Nippy Swift. The Harps fielded as follows. Willie McSorley, Jungle McKee, Martin Gill, Liam McAuley, Chuckie Morris, Charlie Vernon, Kevin Daly, Nippy Swift 0-1 (0-1 free), Simon Lennon, Peadar Toal 0-1 (0-1 free), Minnie Holmes 0-2, Joe Quigley 0-4 (0-3 frees), Kevin Kelly 0-2 (0-1 free), Gerard McDonagh (Ebbie Toal) and Harpo McKenna.   

[el_cuervo_fc]

Sounds like a pretty acurate description Rufus.  A poor display by us without a doubt.  we'll just have to lift it from here

[Spiritof98]

A good tight game that will do the Harps survival fight the world of good. It also ideal preparation for the ogs in the run up to the championship, although a few player would need to up their game for them. It was a game dominated by the 2 defences with the Harps winning the midfield battle and just having that bit more quality up front. The referee Paudi Nugent, did his best to destroy the game blowing up for nothing tackles and then talking to the players like he was Uachtaran.