All-Ireland QFs: Armagh/Roscommon, Dublin/Galway, Donegal/Louth, Kerry/Derry

[onefineday]

https://x.com/doiregaa/status/1806417495294722277?s=46&t=F_sQ_3viFZ6zidQYNagDEA

Eunan Mulholland in for Emmett Bradley
Niall Laughlin back in the squad

It would definitely be a shock if the named team was the one that started!
 
Good to see loughlin back but probably a week or two too early for him?

[naka]

Probably would if this match became a shootout but the likelihood of that happening? cagey tactical affair looks more likely with long awaited semi final place offer for both teams.


[/quote]
Armagh need to go for it at the beginning and see if they can get a lead, if this happens the game will open up.

[Derryman forever]

Probably would if this match became a shootout but the likelihood of that happening? cagey tactical affair looks more likely with long awaited semi final place offer for both teams.

Armagh need to go for it at the beginning and see if they can get a lead, if this happens the game will open up.
[/quote]



Roscommon need to go for it at the beginning and see if they can get a lead, if this happens the game will open up.

[NotedObserver]

Probably would if this match became a shootout but the likelihood of that happening? cagey tactical affair looks more likely with long awaited semi final place offer for both teams.

Armagh need to go for it at the beginning and see if they can get a lead, if this happens the game will open up.

Roscommon need to go for it at the beginning and see if they can get a lead, if this happens the game will open up.


[/quote]
derry need to go for it at the beginning and see if they can get a lead, if this happens the game will open up.

[screenexile]

Maybe I'm letting my heart take over my head here but if you take out the Donegal and Armagh performances we actually have a better team this year than we had playing Kerry last year!

Baker at corner back frees up McEvoy into HB and Lachlan Murray in Corner forward is an upgrade too.

Our bench is stronger as well with Toner/Loughlin/Bradley/Murphy/Gilmore to come in whereas we were a lot lighter in that department last year.

I'm not saying we'll win but if the lads aren't wrecked after last weekend I think we can give Kerry a right rattle again!

[imtommygunn]

You appear stronger individually but ,thus far, not as a team I would say...

[marty34]

Maybe I'm letting my heart take over my head here but if you take out the Donegal and Armagh performances we actually have a better team this year than we had playing Kerry last year!

Baker at corner back frees up McEvoy into HB and Lachlan Murray in Corner forward is an upgrade too.

Our bench is stronger as well with Toner/Loughlin/Bradley/Murphy/Gilmore to come in whereas we were a lot lighter in that department last year.

I'm not saying we'll win but if the lads aren't wrecked after last weekend I think we can give Kerry a right rattle again!

Does the week make a big difference?

[tbrick18]

Maybe I'm letting my heart take over my head here but if you take out the Donegal and Armagh performances we actually have a better team this year than we had playing Kerry last year!

Baker at corner back frees up McEvoy into HB and Lachlan Murray in Corner forward is an upgrade too.

Our bench is stronger as well with Toner/Loughlin/Bradley/Murphy/Gilmore to come in whereas we were a lot lighter in that department last year.

I'm not saying we'll win but if the lads aren't wrecked after last weekend I think we can give Kerry a right rattle again!

Derry by 6 lad, said it already 

On paper we're stronger than last year, if everyone is fit.
McEvoy and CD are just back from injury, and were not at their usual levels last week. Still played well, just looked a little rusty.
McKinless should be fresh 
Loughlin's first appearance on the 26 for some time due to injury, so unsure as to how match fit he'll be.

We're no Armagh, who have another entire first 15 on the bench - team to beat for me. Sailing through to the SF at the minute.

But yes, your point stands.

[Armagh18]

Maybe I'm letting my heart take over my head here but if you take out the Donegal and Armagh performances we actually have a better team this year than we had playing Kerry last year!

Baker at corner back frees up McEvoy into HB and Lachlan Murray in Corner forward is an upgrade too.

Our bench is stronger as well with Toner/Loughlin/Bradley/Murphy/Gilmore to come in whereas we were a lot lighter in that department last year.

I'm not saying we'll win but if the lads aren't wrecked after last weekend I think we can give Kerry a right rattle again!

Derry by 6 lad, said it already 

On paper we're stronger than last year, if everyone is fit.
McEvoy and CD are just back from injury, and were not at their usual levels last week. Still played well, just looked a little rusty.
McKinless should be fresh 
Loughlin's first appearance on the 26 for some time due to injury, so unsure as to how match fit he'll be.

We're no Armagh, who have another entire first 15 on the bench - team to beat for me. Sailing through to the SF at the minute.

But yes, your point stands.

 

[yellowcard]

A better more in depth squad, then probably. However a lot of the Derry players have been in poor form, they lack real purpose as a team and morale hasn't been great. Can that be turned around in a week on the back of one decent result? Possibly but unlikely I would say. The best Derry can hope for is to turn it into another arm wrestle and stay in the match with 10/15 minutes to go. Very few people realistically expect Derry to win it though so there is probably less pressure on them than last year.

[tbrick18]

A better more in depth squad, then probably. However a lot of the Derry players have been in poor form, they lack real purpose as a team and morale hasn't been great. Can that be turned around in a week on the back of one decent result? Possibly but unlikely I would say. The best Derry can hope for is to turn it into another arm wrestle and stay in the match with 10/15 minutes to go. Very few people realistically expect Derry to win it though so there is probably less pressure on them than last year.

No-one expected us to win last year!
Derry are peaking at the right time - will win by 6. 
(thats what the voice in my head is saying)

[yellowcard]

In fairness to Geezer, he has built a panel where every sub coming on could easily fit into the starting 15.  I think it was Oisin O'Neill who said after the Derry game that the B team hadn't lost to the A team in training in a month.

I think there are 4 or 5 lads who would be considered in the strongest XV but who are being held back in order to have the best team on the pitch at the end. It's a risky strategy but it could be a tactic to try and see these close matches out. I don't see a stronger bench than that for any of the other counties bar possibly Dublin. 

[Armagh18]

In fairness to Geezer, he has built a panel where every sub coming on could easily fit into the starting 15.  I think it was Oisin O'Neill who said after the Derry game that the B team hadn't lost to the A team in training in a month.

I think there are 4 or 5 lads who would be considered in the strongest XV but who are being held back in order to have the best team on the pitch at the end. It's a risky strategy but it could be a tactic to try and see these close matches out. I don't see a stronger bench than that for any of the other counties bar possibly Dublin.

Yeah O'Neill is for sure in our best 15 but the likes of him and Soupy are great to come in and make an impact against tired legs. Also you can't really start 6 superstar forwards- no doubt there's better players on the bench than McElroy but you need a man like him to do the dirty work up and down the field tracking runners etc.

[cornerback]

Maybe I'm letting my heart take over my head here but if you take out the Donegal and Armagh performances we actually have a better team this year than we had playing Kerry last year!

Baker at corner back frees up McEvoy into HB and Lachlan Murray in Corner forward is an upgrade too.

Our bench is stronger as well with Toner/Loughlin/Bradley/Murphy/Gilmore to come in whereas we were a lot lighter in that department last year.

I'm not saying we'll win but if the lads aren't wrecked after last weekend I think we can give Kerry a right rattle again!

Think the match-ups will be interesting; 12 months on from last years semi-final there is only 1 changes to the Derry defence (Baker for McGrogan).
McKaigue offers the least as an attacking/scoring threat (despite his equalising score against Mayo) so would it be best to have him on concentrate Clifford?
Or do you put a more attacking threat on Clifford to give him more to think about defensively.

Toner has been very good coming off the bench; we've seriously missed Loughlin - I would have been critically of his scoring return at times but his workrate and support play is immense.
Would love to see what Murphy could bring in the closing stages, a couple of impressive league performances but injuries have stopped him from pushing on.

[bennydorano]

A better more in depth squad, then probably. However a lot of the Derry players have been in poor form, they lack real purpose as a team and morale hasn't been great. Can that be turned around in a week on the back of one decent result? Possibly but unlikely I would say. The best Derry can hope for is to turn it into another arm wrestle and stay in the match with 10/15 minutes to go. Very few people realistically expect Derry to win it though so there is probably less pressure on them than last year.

No-one expected us to win last year!
Derry are peaking at the right time - will win by 6. 
(thats what the voice in my head is saying)

You didn't win