Sporting rivalries

[Ethan Tremblay]

Armagh and Tyrone was pure hatred at a time, not as spicey as it would have been, but still there to a degree. 
Dublin/Mayo for a moment was class.  Great football and drama.
 
Arsenal/Man Utd in the 2000's was unreal.  Two teams unwilling to concede an inch to the other.  Good football played and a lingering tension that a fight could break out at any time.  (soccer has went to the dogs). 

[SouthOfThe Bann]

What exactly fueled the hatred between Armagh and Tyrone.

Was it purely the fact both teams were very successful at the same time and obviously neighbours?

Or was there a specific incident?

[ONeill]

Was it purely the fact both teams were very successful at the same time and obviously neighbours?

Those things. Plus the timing. There was always a rivalry but because both sides were in the top 3 in the country for about 4/5 years, and meeting regularly, every game was monumental. Crowds were swelling at that time too with a lot of young ones off their skulls on the buses on the way. It was a powderkeg. And don't forget the football was fairly high standard with some legendary players at their peak.

I'd say at their peak Tyrone edged Armagh on footballing terms but the Orchard were far more consistent.

Great days. Great atmoshere. But made you sick as a dog too. When Armagh beat us in the 05 Ulster final, I was in France and it ruined the holiday.

[clonian]

Was it purely the fact both teams were very successful at the same time and obviously neighbours?

Those things. Plus the timing. There was always a rivalry but because both sides were in the top 3 in the country for about 4/5 years, and meeting regularly, every game was monumental. Crowds were swelling at that time too with a lot of young ones off their skulls on the buses on the way. It was a powderkeg. And don't forget the football was fairly high standard with some legendary players at their peak.

I'd say at their peak Tyrone edged Armagh on footballing terms but the Orchard were far more consistent.

Great days. Great atmoshere. But made you sick as a dog too. When Armagh beat us in the 05 Ulster final, I was in France and it ruined the holiday.

I watched that game (as a neutral) in Tenerife with 2 families Derry and Tyrone that were related. Derry ones were wearing Armagh jerseys. That was the Croke Park final wasn't it?

[Ethan Tremblay]

Was it purely the fact both teams were very successful at the same time and obviously neighbours?

Those things. Plus the timing. There was always a rivalry but because both sides were in the top 3 in the country for about 4/5 years, and meeting regularly, every game was monumental. Crowds were swelling at that time too with a lot of young ones off their skulls on the buses on the way. It was a powderkeg. And don't forget the football was fairly high standard with some legendary players at their peak.

I'd say at their peak Tyrone edged Armagh on footballing terms but the Orchard were far more consistent.

Great days. Great atmoshere. But made you sick as a dog too. When Armagh beat us in the 05 Ulster final, I was in France and it ruined the holiday.

I watched that game (as a neutral) in Tenerife with 2 families Derry and Tyrone that were related. Derry ones were wearing Armagh jerseys. That was the Croke Park final wasn't it?

I think thats it.  Both teams had never really been near the top before, so the fact they were trying to displace each other was the main thing (aside other counties involved of course). 

I mind in 03 the Tyrone ones driving through Armagh blaring their horns and raving and cheering, the hurt from the game manifested into hate for me that day. 

Two great teams.

[seafoid]

What exactly fueled the hatred between Armagh and Tyrone.

Was it purely the fact both teams were very successful at the same time and obviously neighbours?

Or was there a specific incident?

In the early 90s Donegal and Derry broke the duck
Armagh and Tyrone came later.
Both of them could beat Kerry

Armagh underperformed and Tyrone won 3
McGeeney said the other day that most players don't want to win more than 1

[Armagh18]

What exactly fueled the hatred between Armagh and Tyrone.

Was it purely the fact both teams were very successful at the same time and obviously neighbours?

Or was there a specific incident?

In the early 90s Donegal and Derry broke the duck
Armagh and Tyrone came later.
Both of them could beat Kerry

Armagh underperformed and Tyrone won 3
McGeeney said the other day that most players don't want to win more than 1

Plenty of parallels- we got the Kerry monkey off our backs in 02 and then Tyrone managed to beat them after, we took an awful tanking then in was it 06 off Kerry. Tyrone managed to beat Kerry in 2021 and we did in 2024, we've both taken a couple of tankings off them since. Seems Kerry don't take kindly to lesser teams beating them 

[seafoid]

What exactly fueled the hatred between Armagh and Tyrone.

Was it purely the fact both teams were very successful at the same time and obviously neighbours?

Or was there a specific incident?

In the early 90s Donegal and Derry broke the duck
Armagh and Tyrone came later.
Both of them could beat Kerry

Armagh underperformed and Tyrone won 3
McGeeney said the other day that most players don't want to win more than 1

Plenty of parallels- we got the Kerry monkey off our backs in 02 and then Tyrone managed to beat them after, we took an awful tanking then in was it 06 off Kerry. Tyrone managed to beat Kerry in 2021 and we did in 2024, we've both taken a couple of tankings off them since. Seems Kerry don't take kindly to lesser teams beating them 

Kerry have lost the most All Ireland finals. I think they never beat Offaly and Down as well.

[Mourne Red]

Was it purely the fact both teams were very successful at the same time and obviously neighbours?

Those things. Plus the timing. There was always a rivalry but because both sides were in the top 3 in the country for about 4/5 years, and meeting regularly, every game was monumental. Crowds were swelling at that time too with a lot of young ones off their skulls on the buses on the way. It was a powderkeg. And don't forget the football was fairly high standard with some legendary players at their peak.

I'd say at their peak Tyrone edged Armagh on footballing terms but the Orchard were far more consistent.

Great days. Great atmoshere. But made you sick as a dog too. When Armagh beat us in the 05 Ulster final, I was in France and it ruined the holiday.

I watched that game (as a neutral) in Tenerife with 2 families Derry and Tyrone that were related. Derry ones were wearing Armagh jerseys. That was the Croke Park final wasn't it?

Final and Replay both in Croke Park that year.. I remember being a cub going to that final Down where on before in the Minor final. 60k in croke park - Some atmosphere.

[westbound]

What exactly fueled the hatred between Armagh and Tyrone.

Was it purely the fact both teams were very successful at the same time and obviously neighbours?

Or was there a specific incident?

In the early 90s Donegal and Derry broke the duck
Armagh and Tyrone came later.
Both of them could beat Kerry

Armagh underperformed and Tyrone won 3
McGeeney said the other day that most players don't want to win more than 1

Plenty of parallels- we got the Kerry monkey off our backs in 02 and then Tyrone managed to beat them after, we took an awful tanking then in was it 06 off Kerry. Tyrone managed to beat Kerry in 2021 and we did in 2024, we've both taken a couple of tankings off them since. Seems Kerry don't take kindly to lesser teams beating them 

Kerry have lost the most All Ireland finals. I think they never beat Offaly and Down as well.

Kerry beat Offaly in the 1981 all ireland, before offaly (famously) reversed the result in 1982.

[clonian]

Was it purely the fact both teams were very successful at the same time and obviously neighbours?

Those things. Plus the timing. There was always a rivalry but because both sides were in the top 3 in the country for about 4/5 years, and meeting regularly, every game was monumental. Crowds were swelling at that time too with a lot of young ones off their skulls on the buses on the way. It was a powderkeg. And don't forget the football was fairly high standard with some legendary players at their peak.

I'd say at their peak Tyrone edged Armagh on footballing terms but the Orchard were far more consistent.

Great days. Great atmoshere. But made you sick as a dog too. When Armagh beat us in the 05 Ulster final, I was in France and it ruined the holiday.

I watched that game (as a neutral) in Tenerife with 2 families Derry and Tyrone that were related. Derry ones were wearing Armagh jerseys. That was the Croke Park final wasn't it?

Final and Replay both in Croke Park that year.. I remember being a cub going to that final Down where on before in the Minor final. 60k in croke park - Some atmosphere.

I can't remember now was it a draw I watched or not. I was at the final in 05 for the same reason - great atmosphere. Tyrone men offering thousands for tickets before the match.

[O’neill Army]

Armagh/Tyrone noughties.
Dublin Mayo 2013-2021.
Armagh Galway 2022-
United Arsenal early noughties
United Chelsea late noughties

The Tyrone/Armagh early noughties rivalry was special. Both counties happening to have their strongest ever team in their history at the same time. Both counties winning their first ever all Ireland championships in 02/03 with the 03 final involving both counties which was the first time in history a final involved 2 teams from the same province.

The Ulster final in 2005 involving both teams had to be played in Dublin to accommodate the demand for tickets which is understandable when both the drawn game and replay had an attendance of 60k while clones have a capacity of 32k.

I remember A mckenna cup semi final involving both teams around that time was played in casement park in front of 25k people. It seems mental looking back now that a pre season fixture played in Belfast involving both teams attracted 25k when in current times Tyrone would be lucky to have more than 5k attending a championship game.