Messages

The dynamic between the 2 counties has changed a lot since the last meeting in 05. For a few years Armagh were the more experience outfit with Tyrone coming through with a lot of their underage team at the same time. A look at the teamsheet for Armagh now and there's no McGeeney, McGrane, Bellew, McNulty, McConville, McEntee, McKeever etc.  Now it's Tyrone who have the experienced personnel and Armagh with the young guns.  If Armagh were to win this game it could mark a big juncture in the development of the team, maybe in the same way Tyrone started to turn the corner on Armagh in 2001.  I think it's a bit soon though for us.

He is getting tiresome at this point though. Likes the sound of his own voice.

Time waits for no man unfortunately and time has caught up with Paul it seems.  Pivotal to everything good about Armagh over the past 10 years, he was the model footballer. From around about 1999 Paul just got better and better each year.  Bags of character and drive - the type of mentality that helped Armagh come out the right side of many's a tight game.

Has anyone been able to confirm whether P Toal is still on the panel, been training or injured?

Have you any reason to believe that he is no longer on the panel?

He's injured (again).

A very average player who gave his all is how I would describe him. Was ok on decent forwards but any time he was isolated on a top class forward got destroyed. Armagh fans are very quick to mention Jordans "dive" in 03 but they always seem to forget about Francies dive in getting the Cavan player sent off in 04 ulster semi. There was no doubt that day that he wasnt touched. You cant take away though what the man achieved on limited ability - fair play to him.

How difficult it must be for you to give any Armagh player a bit of faint praise.

Would Armagh and Tyrone attract 50,000 or more? Probably a low turnout from Armagh, as we're not expecting much from the game.

Sure he never recovered from Big Sean's shoulder in the 2005 AI semi-final 

It sticks in the memory bank alright - Big Sean wouldn't be known for too many of them.

Brian Mallon played a few games for Armagh as corner forward in the league a few years back and didnt do too bad - always handy for a point or 2.   I think Aaron Kernan needs to be in the half forward line - he just doesn't concentrate on the man marking for a wing back, far too open a player, concedes too much space to his man and too many scores. If he's played as half forward he has license to drop deep, sweep up a few balls and go on his runs, i.e. the things he's good at and likes to do. He doesn't have to be standing on the 40 with his back to goal waiting for a high ball into him.  I don't really care if he's not comfortable or keen playing in the half forwards - he needs to adapt his game for the team. IMO if he did so, it would open up a lot of possibilities. And it's just a bug bear of mine, but i don't agree with backs (i.e. Aaron) running up the field to take frees. That's a forward's job.

There are still a few questionable positions that in theory should be up for grabs but i don't understand why anyone would suggest that P Toal or P Kernan should start against Tyrone.  The thought of Paul Kernan starting would give me sleepless nights.   Peadar Toal too, just hasn't earned his stripes yet. Lads need to get a few games under their belts with a few decent performances before we can start touting them up as starters. I don't really understand how Finian Moriarity hasn't been 'rested' or at least subbed by now. Strange one that.  This league he has been skinned game after game.   Shannon has done quite well and should be in with a shout.  Brendan Donaghy has to be in that backline somewhere. Up front, outside Clarke, McDonnell, MOR, KOR, there's really any 2 of 5 or 6 players who could come in there.  Vernon and Toner look the best midfield pairing, with a fit Paul McGrane to play a role (but not for a full 70 mins).

[what about]

what about the attempted absolution of marsden for striking and the subsequent p r machine telling millions not to believe what they had seen.   Shame

That seems to be a well-used term in Tyrone.

Anyone see yer man from Republican Sinn Fein on the news last night in that press conference? Strange young fella - fancies himself as a bit of a Che Guevara by the look of him.

Kernan's comments on the DRA are a little strange considering when he was Armagh senior football manager he used one of their judgements to play players who would have otherwise had been suspended.

Sigh. We can deal in whatabouterys all day long or we can acknowledge, as the article is pointing out that counties (including your own) are ripping the piss out of the disciplinary system at this stage. 

Clough was a genius. His genius imo was the way he set his teams out to play, getting the very best out of underperformers (Robertson) and players a bit past their best (Clarke, Lloyd), spotting unknown talent (Birtles), and attracting top names (Shilton, Francis).  I don't know how much the arrogance thing was real or tongue in cheek most of the time. He came across as a bit mad, an eccentric but absolutely enthralling. The time he clipped a few Forest fans who had invaded the pitch suggests that there was something a bit off centre about the man to be fair.  But most of those who played under him seemed a bit in awe of the man and would have done anything for him.  I don't think his success with 2 provincial clubs - Derby and Forest, will ever be matched. Christsake, the man won leagues and European cups with those clubs! The story was the he never got over his own career being cut short and he carried a bit of bitterness about the way he was left on the scrapheap at that time into his managerial career.

I loved the clip with him on stage presenting an award to Trevor Francis, and telling him to take his hands out of his pockets - Francis, the millionaire signing, looked like a wee school boy.  There was another line i heard him use once - him and the wife were having a late night chat about something that he'd said or done that day and she says something along the lines to him, 'Jesus, what did you do that for?' Clough replies 'You can call me Brian when we're in bed love'.  

I dunno who wrote that column but i'd wager 95% of it didn't come from Joe Kernan's mouth or pen.

Talking of Declan Kidney, the level of graciousness and humility he showed in his post match interview was great. He was quick to mention the role of others before him, such as Eddie O'Sullivan. He could easily have grabbed the glory for himself but he didn't, which says a lot about him.

I just think there's a lot of expectation around him and i'm not sure why. He is a decent player and was an important part of the U21 team a few years back but he wasn't a star at that level, in the way that McGrane, Marsden etc were in their time.  He was doing ok for the seniors in the cameos he gave before his cruciate, but again hardly deserving of any great plaudits.  Just strikes me that game after game some supporters get disappointed with his contribution. I'm just not sure what they are measuring it against, in terms of what went before.