Ulster Championship 2026

[mackers]

I would read too much into the scoreline.  Same if it happened in the final. They need to put in a performance against a bigger team and they wont get that for a while

That Monaghan side are still dogged as f**k and will be absolutely gunning for us. Always a bogey team for us as we well remember from '23

Down folded yesterday afer the first Armagh goal. Monaghan have the houdini act in their DNA, so they'll not give up just because we have a good first half. With Tyrone, we let them back in, we should not accord Monaghan the same opportunity.

Yesterday's match has no relevance to the final. Down were very poor. The match is barely worth reviewing.  One word for Pete McGrath and his "Down don't bend the knee to anyone" comment after the Donegal win.  What a load of nonsense.

Monaghan will bring lots more and will be provide a hell of a challenge. Discipline will be key with Beggan about.  No doubt he will get a lot of media attention in the build up and in a lot of ways he deserves it for his contribution to Monaghan football.  I think Geezer will go after his kickouts though as he is very hit and miss with them.  He had several howlers on Saturday evening and was the same in the Ulster club final.

[armaghniac]

I fancy Armagh by 10 points

Boylesports think 5.

[bennydorano]

The U20 semi final should offer a salutory lesson in gambling. Armagh were 2/9 to beat Monaghan, a ridiculous price. Armagh seniors are genuine favourites tho, not point in denying it. I do expect us to win, its not vintage Monaghan.

[Armagh18]

The U20 semi final should offer a salutory lesson in gambling. Armagh were 2/9 to beat Monaghan, a ridiculous price. Armagh seniors are genuine favourites tho, not point in denying it. I do expect us to win, its not vintage Monaghan.

Absolutely, we looked certs that day and got totally turned over. Need to keep the noise out as much as possible

[gallsman]

Yesterday's match has no relevance to the final. Down were very poor. The match is barely worth reviewing.  One word for Pete McGrath and his "Down don't bend the knee to anyone" comment after the Donegal win.  What a load of nonsense.

Monaghan will bring lots more and will be provide a hell of a challenge. Discipline will be key with Beggan about.  No doubt he will get a lot of media attention in the build up and in a lot of ways he deserves it for his contribution to Monaghan football.  I think Geezer will go after his kickouts though as he is very hit and miss with them.  He had several howlers on Saturday evening and was the same in the Ulster club final.

Well, what is it?

[Armamike]

The incident with McEntee yesterday was hilarious I thought.

Hats off to agent Tony. Played a blinder.

[Wildweasel74]

Monaghan be nowhere near it!

[David McKeown]

The incident with McEntee yesterday was hilarious I thought.

Hats off to agent Tony. Played a blinder.

Even if he did confuse the referee into initially awarding Down the free kick

[onefineday]

Maloney on commentary said Armagh got 8 fisted pts. Must be a record

People can complain about the fisted point all they want but it's up to Down to stop them getting to those areas.

I wasn't able to watch the first half in fairness as our club minors were playing. The opposition scored a fisted point in the last 2 minutes to bring it level and my first thought wasn't "Ffs a fisted point get it out of the game there's no skill in it" it was "Ffs they actually worked that really well".

Got the kickout away short when pitch was soaking (keeper showed some balls to do that a point down), didn't panic and worked it up the field, nobody took more than 1 touch until they got in our 45m roughly then they had another 10 handpasses maybe, no touches, movement everywhere, backdoor cut a few steps out from the endline. What would you want the young lad to do? Take on a goal that would be nearly physically impossible? Shoot on his right foot at a narrow angle? Cut back onto his left foot and get blocked down maybe?

Would genuinely like to hear

As the rules stand, the fisted point was the right option. I coach my underage team to take the fisted point for precisely the reasons you outlined.
But, it's not pretty and doesn't add to the spectacle, so I'd be very happy to see the option removed. Let him go for goal or play it across or whatever, either way most neutral spectators would prefer any other option than the no-risk fisted point
It only came in 30yrs ago, not hard to remove it. Anyone recall why it was introduced btw?

[thebigfullforward]

Maloney on commentary said Armagh got 8 fisted pts. Must be a record

People can complain about the fisted point all they want but it's up to Down to stop them getting to those areas.

I wasn't able to watch the first half in fairness as our club minors were playing. The opposition scored a fisted point in the last 2 minutes to bring it level and my first thought wasn't "Ffs a fisted point get it out of the game there's no skill in it" it was "Ffs they actually worked that really well".

Got the kickout away short when pitch was soaking (keeper showed some balls to do that a point down), didn't panic and worked it up the field, nobody took more than 1 touch until they got in our 45m roughly then they had another 10 handpasses maybe, no touches, movement everywhere, backdoor cut a few steps out from the endline. What would you want the young lad to do? Take on a goal that would be nearly physically impossible? Shoot on his right foot at a narrow angle? Cut back onto his left foot and get blocked down maybe?

Would genuinely like to hear

As the rules stand, the fisted point was the right option. I coach my underage team to take the fisted point for precisely the reasons you outlined.
But, it's not pretty and doesn't add to the spectacle, so I'd be very happy to see the option removed. Let him go for goal or play it across or whatever, either way most neutral spectators would prefer any other option than the no-risk fisted point
It only came in 30yrs ago, not hard to remove it. Anyone recall why it was introduced btw?

Go for goal at an angle where the keeper has it completely covered or play it across to nobody and for the defenders to stroll out with possession? That seems like a worse spectacle to me than actually taking a score

[gallsman]

I've absolutely no issue with a fisted point and can't stand listening to gobshites calling for a lad to go for goal because "he's one on one with the keeper!" even if he's running in along the end line and has almost zero angle to work with.

That said, the likes of Jarly Og in particular fisting the ball over from 25 yards out in lots of space and nearly square in front of goal admittedly doesn't look great.

[Armagh18]

It's a tricky thing to get right, I'd be in favour of going for goal if the chance was any way on but then looking at league games this year there were times we went for goal and missed when the simple point was on and ended up losing games.

[Armagh18]

@moonster will you do me a favour and fire €50 on Monaghan, thanks!

[Duine Inteacht Eile]

I've no issues with someone opting for a point when there is a goal chance. I'd just rather it was kicked. Throwing the ball over the bar is a bad look.
A rule was introduced that goals can't be scored with a handpass for the very same reason. That should be extended to points.

[Armagh18]

I'd be more concerned about why players are getting close enough to goal to fist it over rather than worrying about a rule. Most fisted points tend to come from pieces of good attacking play to get that close to goal.