Armagh v Monaghan round 1 qualifier

[mackers]

I'm told by a VERY good source that he will definitely play some part in Saturdays's match.

[full back]

Good stuff
Will give us more attacking options than we currently have

Is SK definitely out?

[mackers]

According to the IN today he is definitely out.

[Maguire01]

Is Freemans hearing over or is it tonight?

Hear Monaghan have 3 major injury doubts for Saturday and it's looking bad for 2 of them.

Freeman's hearing is tonight.

Irish News quoting Banty today that there are no injury concerns.

[JMohan]

I guess he would say that anyway ... but there's been no major rumours - I don't think at least.

Will be a good test for the two teams

[Main Street]

Maybe that quote was taken before a challenge game against the team of  '85.

[Our Nail Loney]

From Irish News today:

Farney still hopeful that Tommy willl face Orchard

TOMMY Freeman's latest appeal against his eight-week suspension, picked up for an incident in the Ulster SFC first round defeat to Derry, will be heard tonight.

Monaghan face an anxious wait to see if their star forward will be free to play a part in their All-Ireland SFC Qualifier clash with Armagh in Clones on Saturday.

Farney manager Seamus McEnaney has expressed his disappointment with the fact that Freeman's suspension saga is still not resolved.

"He will have his appeal on Tuesday (tonight), if that fails, there is the DRA (Disputes Resolution Authority) before the weekend. So there is a few rounds to go yet," said McEnaney yesterday.

"The most disappointing part of it is that we are

five-and-a-half weeks into his suspension and it's not sorted yet.

"We feel there has not been a level playing field here."

A criticism often levelled at the current Monaghan team is that they are too reliant on Freeman's scoring ability.

If the Magheracloone man's appeals fail this week, the Farneymen will get a chance to prove there is more to their game on Saturday.

Apart from the uncertainty surrounding Freeman, McEnaney has no major injury concerns ahead of the clash with neighbours Armagh.

A few players picked up knocks in league matches with their clubs, but 'Banty' insists they are nothing that will keep any of his players out of the game.

Monaghan will be aiming for a better return from their forwards than they got against Derry.

Despite creating a number of chances, the Farneymen only scored 10 points and kicked 12 wides, while they also dropped seven shots short.

McEnaney acknowledged his side must improve if they are to remain in the Championship beyond this weekend.

"Sometimes you learn more in defeat than you do in victory. And we took aboard the mistakes we made against Derry," he said.

"Armagh have been the kingpins of Ulster football in this past 10 years. It is a serious challenge for this Monaghan team, but a challenge we are looking forward to."

The counties have clashed a number of times in both the League and the Championship in recent years, but McEnaney particularly recalls the 2004 meeting when Armagh enjoyed a 2-19 to 1-10 victory.

"In 2004, they gave us the father and mother of all beatings," he admitted.

"That lies close to our hearts, it was an awful drumming to get in a Championship match.

"We know the task and we are going out to get the best performance out of this Monaghan team. For me and this team, there is no life after Saturday if we lose."

Meanwhile, Armagh's hopes have been boosted by the return of Charlie Vernon ahead of Saturday's match.

The Armagh Harps man has recovered from a broken jaw sustained in a challenge match against Dublin.

Armagh manager Peter McDonnell is aware that Vernon will be a valuable asset in Clones.

"Having a player like that back with us is a major boost," said McDonnell.

"Charlie has been back training with us for the last two weeks and will be available for selection."

There was less positive news concerning Stephen Kernan. The Crossmaglen man has had to undergo knee surgery and McDonnell confirmed he will be "out for a while".

Apart from Kernan's injury, Armagh have a clean bill of health as they aim to bounce back from their three-point defeat at the hands of Tyrone in the first round of the Ulster Championship.

[JMohan]

The counties have clashed a number of times in both the League and the Championship in recent years, but McEnaney particularly recalls the 2004 meeting when Armagh enjoyed a 2-19 to 1-10 victory.

"In 2004, they gave us the father and mother of all beatings," he admitted.

"That lies close to our hearts, it was an awful drumming to get in a Championship match.

I heard a story once about what happened to the Armagh bus as it was leaving and caught in traffic after the match the year before ... I think there was a reason for that "mother and father of all beatings"

[bingobus]

The counties have clashed a number of times in both the League and the Championship in recent years, but McEnaney particularly recalls the 2004 meeting when Armagh enjoyed a 2-19 to 1-10 victory.

"In 2004, they gave us the father and mother of all beatings," he admitted.

"That lies close to our hearts, it was an awful drumming to get in a Championship match.

I heard a story once about what happened to the Armagh bus as it was leaving and caught in traffic after the match the year before ... I think there was a reason for that "mother and father of all beatings"

Well they weren't going to appauled leaving Clones. The bus crept up the hill to the Paragon where the jumbliant Monaghan supporters waved and banged on bus as it went past. They got it all the way out of Clones. It was juvenile etc but was always going to happen after such a victory.
I don't think it had as much impact on the result in the hammering they got the next day, Armagh at the time needed very little motivation. The previous defeat hurt them bad enough and Monaghan where a shambles that day with Coyles rein very much over and players not really caring, sure even Longford give them a hiding the next day.

I think that was Armaghs best chance at a second All-Ireland but Fermanagh caught them in the long grass that year.

[armaghniac]

I think that was Armaghs best chance at a second All-Ireland but Fermanagh caught them in the long grass that year.

It is a pity that we didn't owe Fermanagh one. That team hadn't been born when Fermanagh had previously beaten Armagh and this didn't help the frame of mind.

Going into Saturday's game I hope Armagh are mindful of recent league defeats to Monaghan.

[Maguire01]

It's amazing that there's all this hanging around and now Tommy could have 2 hearings inside a few days. A shambles.
What happens tonight if he is given 4 weeks (if that can even happen?) - will he still go for the DRA to try and get it quashed altogether?

[JMohan]

The counties have clashed a number of times in both the League and the Championship in recent years, but McEnaney particularly recalls the 2004 meeting when Armagh enjoyed a 2-19 to 1-10 victory.

"In 2004, they gave us the father and mother of all beatings," he admitted.

"That lies close to our hearts, it was an awful drumming to get in a Championship match.

I heard a story once about what happened to the Armagh bus as it was leaving and caught in traffic after the match the year before ... I think there was a reason for that "mother and father of all beatings"

Well they weren't going to appauled leaving Clones. The bus crept up the hill to the Paragon where the jumbliant Monaghan supporters waved and banged on bus as it went past. They got it all the way out of Clones. It was juvenile etc but was always going to happen after such a victory.
I don't think it had as much impact on the result in the hammering they got the next day, Armagh at the time needed very little motivation. The previous defeat hurt them bad enough and Monaghan where a shambles that day with Coyles rein very much over and players not really caring, sure even Longford give them a hiding the next day.

I think that was Armaghs best chance at a second All-Ireland but Fermanagh caught them in the long grass that year.

It did.
That's from the horses mouth.
It was one thing to be beat - but the treatment, mocking and abuse afterwards was remembered

[thebandit]

I know for a fact that it hurt the Armagh boys. I have great respect for both sets of players, and what happened that day in Clones was plain wrong. I was standing outside the Paragon and I actually walked away when that crap started. There were grown men going crazy, throwing stuff at the bus etc.

I seen one fella who was a sunshine Armagh supporter the previous year when they won the All Ireland throwing beer cans at the bus and roaring abuse at them. 4 guards stood and watched the whole thing.

No team in Ireland deserves bad manners like that, and I'd be very annoyed if anyone ever did it to a Monaghan team.

[Maguire01]

I guess he would say that anyway ... but there's been no major rumours - I don't think at least.

Managers don't generally hide injury concerns - if anything, injury worries are widely circulated, exaggerated even.

[David McKeown]

It's amazing that there's all this hanging around and now Tommy could have 2 hearings inside a few days. A shambles.
What happens tonight if he is given 4 weeks (if that can even happen?) - will he still go for the DRA to try and get it quashed altogether?

Even if it is reduced to a four week ban will that not include at least one game at the same level and mean that Freeman misses the Armagh game in any event?