Ulster Final 2008 - Armagh vs Fermanagh

[Tyrones own]

Cheated/Lucky, whatever you have to tell yourself....    

[Kerry Mike]

7 provincials in 9 years is a great achievement but just confirms how one sided the Ulster champioship has become. Well done Armagh but until you win another All Ireland all the huff and puff put into winning the Anglo Celt cup over the years will count for nothing.

I am reminded of Cavan and all their Senior Ulster titles: 39 in total -
1891, 1903, '04, '05, '15, '18, '19, '20, '22, '23, '24, '25, '26, '28, '31, '32,
'33, '34, '35, '36, '37, '39, '40, '41, '42, '43, '44, '45, '47, '48, '49, '52, '54, '55, '62, '64, '67, '69, '97

But only 5 All Irelands in that period of dominance.

Will history be as cruel on Armagh.

[Maguire01]

Terrible game and very disappointing. Waste of money as a neutral - some of the worst shooting i've ever seen, from both teams, but mainly Fermanagh. If they had a Paul Finlay or a Tommy Freeman they would have been at least 6 up by half time, even just with the frees. No one willing to shoot from any distance, insisting on running the ball in and ultimately losing it. Would a Fermanagh v Monaghan match next week have the same result as May's game?

[stew]

7 provincials in 9 years is a great achievement but just confirms how one sided the Ulster champioship has become. Well done Armagh but until you win another All Ireland all the huff and puff put into winning the Anglo Celt cup over the years will count for nothing.

I am reminded of Cavan and all their Senior Ulster titles: 39 in total -
1891, 1903, '04, '05, '15, '18, '19, '20, '22, '23, '24, '25, '26, '28, '31, '32,
'33, '34, '35, '36, '37, '39, '40, '41, '42, '43, '44, '45, '47, '48, '49, '52, '54, '55, '62, '64, '67, '69, '97

But only 5 All Irelands in that period of dominance.

Will history be as cruel on Armagh.

Cruel? we would kill to have 5  All Irelands, Kerry will hamme us this year like they do every other year with the obvious exception of 02.  

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

Brilliant result. Fair enough we'd all love a 2nd All Ireland but to win 7 Ulster titles in a decade is a tremendous achievement particularly given how strong the opposition has been at times and how nobody had even put Ulsters back to back since the 70s before this Armagh side arrived on the scene.

Thought we just about deserved it over the 2 games although Fermanagh will rue all those missed frees in the first half. Just not good enough at this level as they were all well within scorable range. Someone said after the replay that if Armagh improved at midfield by about 5 or 10% they'd win and that's basically what happened. In the first half a lot of Hearty's kickouts were very aimless and went straight to Fermanagh men but we won a lot more ball in the second half. It was a very poor standard int he first half - I think it was half an hour before either side got their third point.

Good to see us winning with Stevie McDonnell having a quieter match although he still finished up with 1-2. He'd been taking a right bit of verbal abuse in the first game I hear but to be fair to Goan, he marked him very well today. Clarke didn't get into it that much but still scored a couple of great points. The disallowed goal was definitely a square ball from Clarke. Stephen Kernan was excellent in the build up to the goal and I thought Brian Mallon had a very good game. Some of the tackling from Armagh was superb. Very demoralising for a team than to have possession robbed from them with the ball in their grasp as Armagh did on a number of occasions today.

Midfield was hugely improved and that was probably the difference from the drawn match. To much further though we need midfield functioning at least as well and both Clarke and McDonnell in good form. If that happens we'll be a match for most sides.

Have to feel sorry for Fermanagh, the final score wasn't a fair reflection on their efforts although the fact that they made 5 changes in the forwards (albeit 1 was for an injury) tells its own story. Be a lot of disappointed people tonight as I got the impression that most of their supporters fully expected a win. very hard to see them lifting themselves again for next weekend.

[ardmhachaabu]

Ach, it looks the the Fermanagh ones who were predicting Armagh's demise have all lost their tongue. 

[FermGael]

Gutted.  Just back in there now.

Dominated the first half.  Could not put the ball over the bar.  Missed three free's from 20 yards. Just not good enough
Owens was a huge loss in the second half and I hope his injury is not to serious.
Once Armagh got on top, they closed the game out.  They had the game won long before the goal. 
Goan had a great game today.  Himself, McCluskey and Murphy were immense.

It's time to scrap the Ulster championship.  It's been holding us back for years.  I really think that we are never going to win it

As for the qualifiers, well at least we did not get an Ulster team.  Will be very hard for the Fermanagh boys to lift themselves for next weekend.  And from what I have seen and heard about this Kildare team, they seem to be a mini Armagh.  Just what we need!!!!

[under the bar]

and how nobody had even put Ulsters back to back since the 70s before this Armagh side arrived on the scene.

Too young to remember Tyrone in 1995 & 1996 then?

[Malone Aristocrat]

kerry and dublin are for another day and maybe they will be too good for us but it's great to be ulster champions again. pity to see our neighbours can't acknowledge credit where it's due.

woeful first half and an adequate second, that's about all. McGrane anwswered the crutucs in style wth a fantastic performance of ball winning and tackling. someone mentioned armagh's tackling... on a day when none of the forwards fired really it was the work rate and particular the turn overs armagh forced which won the game. the tackling of McGrane, Toner, AOR and McKeever was immense.

All ireland quarters is a whole new competition but we're going in with a bit of confidence and noone expected us to be this far.

[Onion Bag]

I've enjoyed the views and opinions today, but I am moving on for a while now, planning to be back here some time on Tuesday after the Fermanagh celebrations have calmed down a bit but I won't be gloating, well not much anyway

Good Luck, may the best team win on Sunday 

You should have saved that Holiday Sammy,

[ONeill]

When will Armagh learn? Winning Ulster will be their downfall again. I pity the fools.

[Onion Bag]

When will Armagh learn? Winning Ulster will be their downfall again. I pity the fools.

Explain?

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

Too young to remember Tyrone in 1995 & 1996 then?

Well I was 11 but yes I had overlooked that.  Was the 70s before that I think.

Armagh also joined Monaghan today as the 2nd much successful team in Ulster championship history with 14 titles a piece.

[stew]

When will Armagh learn? Winning Ulster will be their downfall again. I pity the fools.

Explain?

FFS don't ask, she is on the wind again.

[ONeill]

Armagh bust a gut trying to win Ulster - a meaningless competition - and have nowt left in the tank when they meet sides coming from the real All-Ireland competition - the qualifiers.