Derry v Armagh Championship

[illdecide]

Hearty is def a bit suspect under the high ball but i can't understand why as he's about 6'5" and I'd say 16 _1/2 stone so why would you fear anyone coming near you when you're a beast of a man.

When you look thru the Armagh team we are only about 3 players short of a really good team that could compete for honours, i believe if we had McKinney in nets that would only be two needed. Another midfielder to play alongside Toner and one more scoring half forward and i reckon we'd take some stopping but i suppose there another 10 teams in Ireland that are only 3-4 players short of an excellent team...

This may have been asked before but what is the capacity of Celtic Park and what allocation is Armagh likely to get? do you think tickets will be scarce or handy enough got?

[thewanderer]

capacity of 14.000 confirmed for the game. at last nights co. board meeting is was stated that the armagh allocation is 6750 with only 1450 seats available. i was told that after season tickets players tickets etc 800 seated tickets will be available to clubs etc. the only thing is that derry supporters probually wont take their full allocation for various reasons, dont like celtic park and small base of support.

[Oakleafer1993]

capacity of 14.000 confirmed for the game. at last nights co. board meeting is was stated that the armagh allocation is 6750 with only 1450 seats available. i was told that after season tickets players tickets etc 800 seated tickets will be available to clubs etc. the only thing is that derry supporters probually wont take their full allocation for various reasons, dont like celtic park and small base of support.

alot of what you say is correct - however its first game of the championship and I expect Derry supporters to be out in their numbers. Tomorrow at 12.30  is the deadline for tickets - being allocated on monday night.

[mountainboii]

Only 14,000? I thought Celtic Park was somewhere between 18,000 and 20,000.

[mackers]

Only 14,000? I thought Celtic Park was somewhere between 18,000 and 20,000.

Same here..........

[Throw ball]

Only 14,000? I thought Celtic Park was somewhere between 18,000 and 20,000.

Same here..........

Do not know if true or not but was told that health and safety reduced the capacity only recently to 14k while it was previously just shy of 20k.

[GrandMasterFlash]

Only 14,000? I thought Celtic Park was somewhere between 18,000 and 20,000.

Same here..........

Do not know if true or not but was told that health and safety reduced the capacity only recently to 14k while it was previously just shy of 20k.

  Seems to be happening a lot at GAA grounds lately. I think the stadia owners got their knuckles wrapped re health & safety and are thus being scaled back..

[Onion Bag]

capacity of 14.000 confirmed for the game. at last nights co. board meeting is was stated that the armagh allocation is 6750 with only 1450 seats available. i was told that after season tickets players tickets etc 800 seated tickets will be available to clubs etc. the only thing is that derry supporters probually wont take their full allocation for various reasons, dont like celtic park and small base of support.

f**k tickets are going to be scarce then, it will be a full house

[mountainboii]

14,000 could be tight enough. Been a good while since Armagh played an Ulster championship match in front of a crowd that small.

[JUst retired]

An incident (I`m not sure what it was) happened last year in celtic park resulting in the reduced capacity. It was a health and safety thing. the same thing could happen in other Co.grounds.
Stewarding is becoming an issue now and local councils who have responseibility for ground safety are looking at all grounds

[thewanderer]

beleive it or not i have been told that armagh clubs have been told that they have to appoint a health and safety officer to present at all home matches and that someone from the local council could call in at any time and if a safety officer or person responsible is not available games could be cancelled. seems a bit extreme wiyh maybe only a 100 supporters at a game. this also refers to underage games.  is the derry v armagh being televised?

[orange2009]

Orchard TV speaks to Paul Duffy in anticipation of the USFC game with Derry on 16th May in Celtic Park.

http://armagh-gaa.com/Orchard-TV/News/VIDEO--Paul-Duffy-looks-to-USFC-opener.aspx

[illdecide]

beleive it or not i have been told that armagh clubs have been told that they have to appoint a health and safety officer to present at all home matches and that someone from the local council could call in at any time and if a safety officer or person responsible is not available games could be cancelled. seems a bit extreme wiyh maybe only a 100 supporters at a game. this also refers to underage games.  is the derry v armagh being televised?

that is true wanderer...i have been on the Health & Safety course run thru Sport NI in the House Of Sport (Belfast) each venue will have their own Health & Safety Officer, these officers must send an application to the local council prior to any match. The match is assessed and categorised and then a % of allowable crowd is then granted to the venue.

Danny Murphy has a role in all of the Ulster venues as the application is in his name but there is a designated Health & Safety Officer to each venue. I was to be one of these dudes too only i was expected to attend all of Armagh home games and attend all these other courses run thru the Ulster Council but still being involved with the club (playing capacity) i had to (gladly) withdraw my services

[Oakleafer1993]

Cassidy: critics of Ulster football don't understand the intensity
By Fintan O'Toole

Friday, May 07, 2010

DERRY boss Damien Cassidy claims that people in the south do not understand the intensity of Ulster championship football.

Derry's quarter-final win over Monaghan last season drew fierce criticism over the cynical fouling on both sides, but Cassidy refused to condemn the actions afterwards and 12 months on, he believes the critics of that match after incapable of understanding the 'essence' of Ulster football as they only watch it on television.

"I have yet to talk to anyone that was at that game in Celtic Park, whether they were a Monaghan supporter or Derry supporter or neutral who did not enjoy that day,'' Cassidy said.

"A few Monaghan people I have talked to hated the result but they enjoyed the day. Whenever you are sitting back and watching on your television screen, you don't capture the essence of what the whole day is about and the spirit of what is going on. So you should never do that.

"If you are a critic and you have never been to an Ulster championship match, I would advise you to get into your car and drive to Celtic Park on Sunday week and experience what Ulster football championship is about."

Cassidy revealed that Armagh are in for a hot reception in Celtic Park in Sunday week's Ulster SFC quarter-final, insisting that the pressure is on Paddy O'Rourke's men to perform after the optimism generated by their recent NFL Division 2 title.

"Armagh are not going to get an easy ride in Celtic Park. They are not going to come to Celtic Park and walk out with a handy game. But the bottom line is still that it is theirs to lose. They had a good league. The pressure is clearly on Armagh and is clearly on their players to come up to Celtic Park and back-up those performances.

"To show their own supporters the league football that they played can be continued on into the championship."

In contrast to their opponents, Derry will be hoping to reverse their own league form as they plummeted to Division 2. Yet their manager is not perturbed by that poor run and stresses it will have no impact on their championship performance.

"Everyone has their own views on the league. I come from a culture that does not give a lot of credence to league football. What I do know is that the championship is really what it is all about.

"Derry have not performed in it for quite a number of years now. So are we going to produce fantastic football in the National League and deceive in the championship or are we going to get one where we understand that the championship is where we have to get consistency?

"I would like to see this as the start of our season. I am not going to say that this year is going to be any different. I am not going to do a Mourihino. But at the same time I have confidence in the players that I have."

Cassidy was also once more scathing in his criticism of the decision to bring in experimental rules during the league.

"I have to say the whole messing around with the league and the rules that were applied in my opinion undermines the league competition.

"It is still the second premier competition in inter-county football and whenever you are introducing different rules in different years concurrently, there is only one way that you can take it and that is that the people who are involved in bring in those rules don't value the league either.

"When you have people at the head of the organisation not paying respect to the competition that they should be paying to it, why should they be surprised that a lot of people follow the lead that they set?"

Meanwhile, Charlie Kielt is Derry's only injury casualty for that game, out for six weeks with a medial ligament injury.


This story appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Friday, May 07, 2010

[Throw ball]

The battle has commenced. Mind games in the GAA. Most Armagh people will be going to Celtic Park hoping to win. Derry are at home, the pressure is on them. They have disappointed for quite a few years now while in Armagh we believe we are building a team. A victory would be great but a good run in the back door would be great too. Should be close.