Gaa society gone wrong in armagh

[winsamsoon]

Out tonight with an old boy that I played Gaelic against for many a year in north Armagh and we were disciscussing how bad the standard had got. We were saying the younger generation didn't really give a fiddlers and this was evident in the north Armagh area. It's an argument that really hits home and saddens me to see the gaa fade and be replaced by alcohol, meth, computers and other shite. Is society doomed in terms of gaa and sport. For Dublin tommorrow lads / lassies hope the boys in orange can put one over our old neighbours in croker.

[Mike Sheehy]

Was that Armagh team the biggest underachiever in GAA history ?

or were they overrated to begin with....beating a poor Kerry side in a tight contest...?

[Cde]

Was that Armagh team the biggest underachiever in GAA history ?

or were they overrated to begin with....beating a poor Kerry side in a tight contest...?

Is this the same poor Kerry side that you are proclaiming to be the team of the decade   
with the three O Se,s, Mc Carthy, Moynihan, Mike Frank, O Cinneide and the Gooch.

They were beat on the day by a very good Armagh team that should have gone on to win at least another AI

Come to think of it , you are probably right, that Kerry team were poor especially against Ulster teams   

[Hedley Lamarr]

Out tonight with an old boy that I played Gaelic against for many a year in north Armagh and we were disciscussing how bad the standard had got. We were saying the younger generation didn't really give a fiddlers and this was evident in the north Armagh area. It's an argument that really hits home and saddens me to see the gaa fade and be replaced by alcohol, meth, computers and other shite. Is society doomed in terms of gaa and sport. For Dublin tommorrow lads / lassies hope the boys in orange can put one over our old neighbours in croker.

While my first reaction is to agree 100%....I see the effort that is put in and no one goes out to play a bad game deliberately.....the drinking was done in my day to, just not as openly.
Anyway good luck to all teams today and let's hope Armagh can get revenge on Down.

[tyroneman]

. Out tonight with an old boy that I played Gaelic against for many a year in north Armagh and we were disciscussing how bad the standard had got. We were saying the younger generation didn't really give a fiddlers and this was evident in the north Armagh area. It's an argument that really hits home and saddens me to see the gaa fade and be replaced by alcohol, meth, computers and other shite. Is society doomed in terms of gaa and sport. For Dublin tommorrow lads / lassies hope the boys in orange can put one over our old neighbours in croker.
   

I was discussing this a while back with a mate of mine who lives in north Armagh (it started on the back of town v country debate with clubs) and this sounds like a bit of a generalisation there to be honest. The work being put in underage in Armagh, especially at clubs like Clann Eireann is phenomenal. I would also suggest that the fact you have (for example): st peters, Eire og, clann Eireann, st pauls, sarsfields, Wolfe tones, clanns all within 5 mile of each other means there is a big pool of teams drawing from a small enough catchment area.

I agree drugs and drink are a reall problem but if the interest is there from u10 up them hopefully it should be sufficient to keep the seniors well stocked.

[Mike Sheehy]

Was that Armagh team the biggest underachiever in GAA history ?

or were they overrated to begin with....beating a poor Kerry side in a tight contest...?

Is this the same poor Kerry side that you are proclaiming to be the team of the decade   
with the three O Se,s, Mc Carthy, Moynihan, Mike Frank, O Cinneide and the Gooch.

They were beat on the day by a very good Armagh team that should have gone on to win at least another AI

Come to think of it , you are probably right, that Kerry team were poor especially against Ulster teams   

We weren't really at our peak back then. Soft all ireland for Armagh really, when all is said and done.

[thejuice]

lads, Thats kind of what happened to myself, was all keen up till 14-15 then decided to pursue girls, drink and staying out all night, gave up all sports altogether, but ultimately I grew up/wised up and came back to playing sports in my 20's. I guess its no different to young lads these days as it was for me. I wasn't alone in this, there were several of us who in our late teens who got tired of it and wanted to do other things.

[pintsofguinness]

. Out tonight with an old boy that I played Gaelic against for many a year in north Armagh and we were disciscussing how bad the standard had got. We were saying the younger generation didn't really give a fiddlers and this was evident in the north Armagh area. It's an argument that really hits home and saddens me to see the gaa fade and be replaced by alcohol, meth, computers and other shite. Is society doomed in terms of gaa and sport. For Dublin tommorrow lads / lassies hope the boys in orange can put one over our old neighbours in croker.
   

I was discussing this a while back with a mate of mine who lives in north Armagh (it started on the back of town v country debate with clubs) and this sounds like a bit of a generalisation there to be honest. The work being put in underage in Armagh, especially at clubs like Clann Eireann is phenomenal. I would also suggest that the fact you have (for example): st peters, Eire og, clann Eireann, st pauls, sarsfields, Wolfe tones, clanns all within 5 mile of each other means there is a big pool of teams drawing from a small enough catchment area.

I agree drugs and drink are a reall problem but if the interest is there from u10 up them hopefully it should be sufficient to keep the seniors well stocked.

The last time I was at a game at St Peters, couple of years ago, they'd more in the club drinking and watching racing (I think it was racing) then out watching the game...I think that says a lot.

[Arthur_Friend]

Out tonight with an old boy that I played Gaelic against for many a year in north Armagh and we were disciscussing how bad the standard had got. We were saying the younger generation didn't really give a fiddlers and this was evident in the north Armagh area. It's an argument that really hits home and saddens me to see the gaa fade and be replaced by alcohol, meth, computers and other shite. Is society doomed in terms of gaa and sport. For Dublin tommorrow lads / lassies hope the boys in orange can put one over our old neighbours in croker.

There's a meth problem in Armagh?!

[fitzroyalty]

Out tonight with an old boy that I played Gaelic against for many a year in north Armagh and we were disciscussing how bad the standard had got. We were saying the younger generation didn't really give a fiddlers and this was evident in the north Armagh area. It's an argument that really hits home and saddens me to see the gaa fade and be replaced by alcohol, meth, computers and other shite. Is society doomed in terms of gaa and sport. For Dublin tommorrow lads / lassies hope the boys in orange can put one over our old neighbours in croker.

There's a meth problem in Armagh?!

Think he means mephedrone...
I actually would disagree with the original statement though. The standard at senior level certainly leaves a lot to be desired and that goes for the whole of the county, Cross & Ogs being the only two 'top teams' imo. But the underage setup in N.Armagh looks bright enough compared to what it was when I was at that age. Representation on county teams in the last 2/3 years has gone up, including the AI Minor last year, St Mick's won the McLarnon and most of the teams compete ok in the All county competitions. Also worth noting there are too many clubs in Lurgan area. Two division 1 teams, three division 2 teams, two division 3 teams for the 6 clubs in proximity, isn't so bad when you look at the likes of other towns like Newry, D'gannon etc etc.

[haveaharp]

Was that Armagh team the biggest underachiever in GAA history ?

or were they overrated to begin with....beating a poor Kerry side in a tight contest...?

Is this the same poor Kerry side that you are proclaiming to be the team of the decade   
with the three O Se,s, Mc Carthy, Moynihan, Mike Frank, O Cinneide and the Gooch.

They were beat on the day by a very good Armagh team that should have gone on to win at least another AI

Come to think of it , you are probably right, that Kerry team were poor especially against Ulster teams   

We weren't really at our peak back then. Soft all ireland for Armagh really, when all is said and done.

Soft or not, we lifted it, and showed Tyrone how to  hand you your ass on a regular basis. And fair play to them they did.

[Diarmi]

Was that Armagh team the biggest underachiever in GAA history ?

or were they overrated to begin with....beating a poor Kerry side in a tight contest...?

Is this the same poor Kerry side that you are proclaiming to be the team of the decade   
with the three O Se,s, Mc Carthy, Moynihan, Mike Frank, O Cinneide and the Gooch.

They were beat on the day by a very good Armagh team that should have gone on to win at least another AI

Come to think of it , you are probably right, that Kerry team were poor especially against Ulster teams   

We weren't really at our peak back then. Soft all ireland for Armagh really, when all is said and done.

A kerry man telling an Armagh man they won a soft All Ireland! Oh god, I could laugh for a week!!! All Kerry's are soft.

[BerfArmagh]

lol....I agree, they've been blessed playing in the weakiest province for decades now. All they had to do was beat cork & they were into a semi.

[longrunsthefox]

Was that Armagh team the biggest underachiever in GAA history ?

or were they overrated to begin with....beating a poor Kerry side in a tight contest...?

Is this the same poor Kerry side that you are proclaiming to be the team of the decade   
with the three O Se,s, Mc Carthy, Moynihan, Mike Frank, O Cinneide and the Gooch.

They were beat on the day by a very good Armagh team that should have gone on to win at least another AI

Come to think of it , you are probably right, that Kerry team were poor especially against Ulster teams   

We weren't really at our peak back then. Soft all ireland for Armagh really, when all is said and done.

Not really at your peak in 2003, 2005 or 2008 either?   

[armaghniac]

This started as a thread of general interest, how to keep youth interested in GAA and the damage that self destructive substance abuse can do. In comes Sheehy with a bit of thread destruction, and you were all unwise enough to follow his lead.