Messages

The record books will show that we bucked the hoodoo and finally beat Armagh and yes I know they were a 2nd string,reserves,hell some of them were probably playing for the Armagh U16 development squad only last week but a win is a win.Hopefully this can give the team confidence for May 27th.
     

       

IT mightn't be comfortable reading for Donegal ones, but it was a 2nd/3rd string.  I was at an Armagh v Tyrone U21 game on Saturday, Armagh were largely made up of trialists.  The last 3 subs that came on for Armagh yesterday were playing on the saturday and at least 2 of them were taken off then.

I thought Tony McClelland was excellent yesterday, very composed for such a young lad.  McNulty, as usual, never gave Devenney a kick and this could be Peadar's year to make the breakthrough.                                        

Went to watch Armagh v Tyrone this morning in Edendork.  Tyrone won fairly handily 2-11(ish) to 1-6(ish).  Armagh had maybe 3 players who would expect to start come championship time, the rest were made up of trialists and only a few made any impression.  Don't know how strong Tyrone were, but C Kavanagh and R Mulgrew started in MF, I'd suggest they were closer to a championship 15 than Armagh.  Cavanagh and Mulgrew basically ran the show for Tyrone only Lavery for Armagh around Mf putting in any sort of shift.  The 3 established Armagh players were Vernon@FB, and LAvery and G O'Neill in MF.  I dont really pay much attention to the opposition on days like these, but apart from MF the Tyrone corner back(2) was excellent.

The game itself wasn't up to much, a howling wind dictating the play mostly, Tyrone went in at the half with about 1-10 scored and as much again put wide, Armagh had 0-2, both frees.  The wind helped Armagh in the second half, but most of their scores game from frees and indeed the goal came from a 50 that O'Neill punched to the net after a scramble in the goalmouth.

I have the Setanta (northern version), and I have mixed feelings about it's value.  They have the odd 'freeview' event, but I doubt this would be one, as I'm sure it attracted a fair few new subscribers.

I know what I saw, he was acting the w**ker, pure and simple.

Kevin O'Rourke looks a lively player, but as someone else has said here, he lacks an end product at the minute.

Last time I watched this O'Rourke he was stamping on his Armagh Jersey in a huff after being taken off in the U21 championship match against Derry, looked  aright tit when he put it back on to go on again in ET.

Got this texted to me last night, classic.

After David Ervine's recent funeral, his son went to the coroner and asked could he have his moustache to keep, when he asked why he said cos thats the tash my father wore

I know for a fact that Dynesy has retired and is staying that way. 

Looks like my mistake then if those numbers are correct .  Must have been McCreesh who I thought was getting skinned.

I thought the defence was dodgy enough with Ciaran McKeever and JP Donnelly probably the best, thought Ferris was skinned every time. 

Surely Ferris (number 5) was playing at CHF?

Paudie McCreesh was number 5, Ferris was 9, i think.

The Ulster League has been talked about, do we have our grouping yet?

Saw the fixtures the other night(teams are correct dates & venues mightn't be)

4th Feb - Away to Trillick
11th Home to Donaghmoyne
18th Away to St Paul's Belfast
25th Home to Slaughteneil.

Pitch itself was in fairly ggod nick considering the time of year.  I arrived just on 2pm and there was a serious crowd trying to push through the 4 open turnstiles, that was a bit shit.

Decent enough game today, if there was a MOTM award I would have given it to Kieran Toner in MF, good to see him and his Granemore teammate McClelland playing very well. Martin O'Rourke had a fantastic first half but sort of dissappeared a bit during the second, McDonnell was tops again.  Toal had a good first half but faded in the second as well (funny, I mentioned the John Mac style as well on the way home).  I thought the defence was dodgy enough with Ciaran McKeever and JP Donnelly probably the best, thought Ferris was skinned every time.  I'd like to see more of Toner as I don't think Loughran is consistently up to county standard, but there's a big difference between MCKenna Cup & League & Championship.

Pointless exercise, does anybody remember preformances form the mid-80's and are able to compare them to performaces form the mid-90's? I don't think so, it's a sycophantic pat on the back for future achievments. Case in point, all the Cross nominations, what have Cross ever done in this competition?? and 4 current Cross & Armagh stalwarts get the nominations, load of balls.

Regarding the Harps, it's no co-incidence that the last time we were winning championships we had a team of nasty hoors, off course allied with class players with a good attitude.  Recent harps teams have been far too nice for their own good.

There was talk of the Cross Midfielder being a replacement for Paul McGrane a few months ago, didnt find him to impressive today and nowhere near county standard

Any time I've seen that big McKenna lad playing he's been fairly poor.  Charlie Vernon outfielded him on numerous ocassions last week.