USFC Qtr Final - Armagh V Down - Athletic Grounds 28th May 7:30pm

[Applesisapples]

Miracle ???People recover from serious injuries all the time.

I hope you are right but he keeps breaking down.

[Groucho]

Miracle ???People recover from serious injuries all the time.

You over your paper cut yet?

[jobo11]

Apologies to mackers, just heard this morning that clarke has to under go surgery which will determine if he can kick another ball in his life. This is coming from a great source so, I wish him the best and hope to see him on the field again in the near future. On a other note , Armagh played kildare in friendly last night absolutely hammered by 20 points r more I heard on the grape vine so its not looking good. I dont know if result true but has anyone else heard anything.

[mackers]

No need to apologise jobo, that's bad news for Clarke. Hope the operation is a success.  Heard that they were playing Kildare last night but didn't hear a result.

[illdecide]

F**k thats some hammering, they play West Meath on Sunday

[Imposerous]

Sadly, Nippy Swift broke his collar bone in the Kildare challenge game.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

[RealSpiritof98]

Sadly, Nippy Swift broke his collar bone in the Kildare challenge game.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Ahh FFS

[mackers]

Bad news about Swift. That's a real blow as it further reduces our options in the forward line. I'd love to know the line up for last night, I heard Brendan Donaghy was unavailable due to exams......I hope most of our first team regulars were missing going by that result.

[regal]

The mood around armagh seems a bit depressing ahead of the down game. No reports from the kildare or westmeath friendly games? My guess of what the Armagh line up will be would be something like:

Hearty
Mallon Donaghy Martin
AKernan McKeever Dyas
Mackin Toner
Vernon MoRourke PDuffy
JClarke McDonnell Mallon

Subs in contention - Moriarty / ADuffy / Lavery / Padden / TKernan

The Down team would probably be a bit easier to predict:

McVeigh
Rafferty Gordon McArdle
Rooney McKernan Garvey
King Fitzpatrick
Hughes Poland Maginn
McComiskey Coulter MClarke

Subs in contention - McCartan / Colgan / JClarke

[thewanderer]

Apologies to mackers, just heard this morning that clarke has to under go surgery which will determine if he can kick another ball in his life. This is coming from a great source so, I wish him the best and hope to see him on the field again in the near future. On a other note , Armagh played kildare in friendly last night absolutely hammered by 20 points r more I heard on the grape vine so its not looking good. I dont know if result true but has anyone else heard anything.

armagh medical/ management have to have a serious look at themselves. clarkie had to wait 14 months from his injury to now be informed he needs an operation. why wasnt it done last year instead of silly rehab work which appears did not work. 14 months of rehab crazy. someones head needs to roll if true.

[thewanderer]

silly thickness by ulster council in relation to the game. why cant it be played on the sunday evening at 5,6 or 7 as its the bank holiday weekend. from intial reports the crowd could be down to 12/14,000 max a long way of a potential full house of 20,000. saturday work and champions league final will dictate this. rte are now only showing the game defered till 10.30 and im sure would be happy to broadcast live on sunday evening. another shot in the foot by the silly boys in the big office. the bottom line is clubs will feel  the pinch as revenues drop less grants for clubs but the big staff and salaries will be paid first. 

[PAULD123]

silly thickness by ulster council in relation to the game. why cant it be played on the sunday evening at 5,6 or 7 as its the bank holiday weekend. from intial reports the crowd could be down to 12/14,000 max a long way of a potential full house of 20,000. saturday work and champions league final will dictate this. rte are now only showing the game defered till 10.30 and im sure would be happy to broadcast live on sunday evening. another shot in the foot by the silly boys in the big office. the bottom line is clubs will feel  the pinch as revenues drop less grants for clubs but the big staff and salaries will be paid first. 

At first I was opposed to switching the game, thinking why should we switch to suit another sport? But I've revised my opinion and I think your points are very good. The clash is with the champion's league final, and also the Magner's league final. As you said it is a bank holiday weekend, so sunday evening is a feasible time. And also, as you have said it makes sense from a TV point of view. Being realistic it would be sensible to move it and it si foolish to stubbornly refuse to change because of a desire not be seen to kow-towing to another sporting event.

On another issue while the fact that Clarke and Swift cannot play is good news for us on the day, I wish them full recoveries and take no pleasure in seeing these lads injured

[Throw ball]

The mood around armagh seems a bit depressing ahead of the down game. No reports from the kildare or westmeath friendly games? My guess of what the Armagh line up will be would be something like:

Hearty
Mallon Donaghy Martin
AKernan McKeever Dyas
Mackin Toner
Vernon MoRourke PDuffy
JClarke McDonnell Mallon

Subs in contention - Moriarty / ADuffy / Lavery / Padden / TKernan

The Down team would probably be a bit easier to predict:

McVeigh
Rafferty Gordon McArdle
Rooney McKernan Garvey
King Fitzpatrick
Hughes Poland Maginn
McComiskey Coulter MClarke

Subs in contention - McCartan / Colgan / JClarke

I think Anto Duffy is injured also so will not be challenging for a place.

[whitegoodman]

The mood around armagh seems a bit depressing ahead of the down game. No reports from the kildare or westmeath friendly games? My guess of what the Armagh line up will be would be something like:

Hearty
Mallon Donaghy Martin
AKernan McKeever Dyas
Mackin Toner
Vernon MoRourke PDuffy
JClarke McDonnell Mallon

Subs in contention - Moriarty / ADuffy / Lavery / Padden / TKernan

The Down team would probably be a bit easier to predict:

McVeigh
Rafferty Gordon McArdle
Rooney McKernan Garvey
King Fitzpatrick
Hughes Poland Maginn
McComiskey Coulter MClarke

Subs in contention - McCartan / Colgan / JClarke

Id say that is likely to be very close to the armagh team although i wouldnt be surprised to see Lavery involved at midfield.  That is also likely to be the Down forward line, midfield and half back line (injury permitting).  Full back line is more hard to call with rafferty, mccardle, and the 2 mccartans battling for 2 positions.  My guess is that it will Dan McCartan and Rafferty.  Murtagh and Eoin McCartan are also likely to be first forwards coming on ahead of clarke again if fit.

[The Worker]

Is this game all ticketed?

you reckon there will be many tubes in utd tops at it?