USFC Qtr Final - Armagh V Down - Athletic Grounds 28th May 7:30pm

[Goats Do Shave]

Yes but if u look at Downs midfield in 91 and 94 Eamon Burns went from midfield to wing back, Conor Deegan went from Full Back to midfield and Barry Breen went from midfield to CHB.

Dont think Paul is saying that Dan is as good as McGrane, Tohill or McCartan, just that he would be as good a midfielder as possible Breen or Burns were but has to play at FB at the min as he is doing a good job there and there is no alternative for the position whilst there are viable alternatives at midfield, just like maybe Breen and Burns had to do in 94 as there was a lack of alternatives for the CHB and WHB roles.  Alot of the time u play where the team needs u most, not necessarily ur best position.  On a smaller scale alot of club midfielders never actually get to play there when they play for the county even though that is the position that got them on the county panel in the first place.

For what its worth i would have a fit Amrbose in ahead of Dan at midfield on that team anyway.

So would I!

[PAULD123]

I don't think I would, I considered Ambrose but I genuinely think Gordon is a better midfielder. But that's just my opinion.

As for Hughes not getting in because Mason would be better at frees, I did think about that and it is possible but I think Hughes is so dynamic and adds so much to the attack through his work rate that I would still select him. And for the frees apart from Ross Carr, didn't Greg McCartan take a lot of frees? So he could do that, allowing Danny to replace Mason.

[Ulick]

Lads any chance of taking this Down old crocks love-in to a dedicated thread and leave this one for the actual game?

[brokencrossbar1]

Lads any chance of taking this Down old crocks love-in to a dedicated thread and leave this one for the actual game?

There's no point discussing the game Ulick as the result is a foregone conclusion!

[mackers]

Lads any chance of taking this Down old crocks love-in to a dedicated thread and leave this one for the actual game?

It does beat the debate about whether to go to the match or watch the Champion's League Final though..............

[whitegoodman]

Lads any chance of taking this Down old crocks love-in to a dedicated thread and leave this one for the actual game?

There's no point discussing the game Ulick as the result is a foregone conclusion!

Is there any chance of getting away from this shite of  foregone conclusion, no point armagh turning up, blablabla. Did any down players actually say any of this.

Brakes my balls with the amount of shite talked.

[brokencrossbar1]

Lads any chance of taking this Down old crocks love-in to a dedicated thread and leave this one for the actual game?

There's no point discussing the game Ulick as the result is a foregone conclusion!

Is there any chance of getting away from this shite of  foregone conclusion, no point armagh turning up, blablabla. Did any down players actually say any of this.

Brakes my balls with the amount of shite talked.

Breaks mine too!

[whitegoodman]

Lads any chance of taking this Down old crocks love-in to a dedicated thread and leave this one for the actual game?

It does beat the debate about whether to go to the match or watch the Champion's League Final though..............

+1

[whitegoodman]

Lads any chance of taking this Down old crocks love-in to a dedicated thread and leave this one for the actual game?

There's no point discussing the game Ulick as the result is a foregone conclusion!

Is there any chance of getting away from this shite of  foregone conclusion, no point armagh turning up, blablabla. Did any down players actually say any of this.

Brakes my balls with the amount of shite talked.

Breaks mine too!

Stop talking it then !!

[brokencrossbar1]

Lads any chance of taking this Down old crocks love-in to a dedicated thread and leave this one for the actual game?

There's no point discussing the game Ulick as the result is a foregone conclusion!

Is there any chance of getting away from this shite of  foregone conclusion, no point armagh turning up, blablabla. Did any down players actually say any of this.

Brakes my balls with the amount of shite talked.

Breaks mine too!

Stop talking it then !!

What?  Quote right and spell right if you're going to give off

As for the game itself I honestly feel that Armagh will struggle.  They do not have a settled team, they do not have a settled game style and I don't believe they are all pulling the same way.  You could argue that they have home advantage and that must mean something but let's look at the reality.  They won 1 game at home during the league and that was against a poor Monaghan side and Armagh had to rely on the last minute point of a corner back to win it.  Down on the other hand had a decent league showing, steadied the ship this year after going up with Armagh and comfortably stayed in Division 1.  They have a settled gameplan and relatively settled team but more importantly than anything they have a group of players who are more or less doing what McCartan wants them to do.  Man for man there is a hair's breadth between the two teams but that is if all is going evenly.  As it stands I don't see Armagh winning and think Down will win with some left over in the tank.

[PAULD123]

Lads any chance of taking this Down old crocks love-in to a dedicated thread and leave this one for the actual game?

It does beat the debate about whether to go to the match or watch the Champion's League Final though..............

Good call Macker's. in my defence I was just answering a question by an Armagh poster but I do admit it would be better on another thread.

But what do we talk about regarding the game? Haven't we said pretty much everything:

• Cagey people say there isn't a kick of the ball in it (what's the point in an anonymous debate forum if you won't give your honest prediction? - BrokenCbar has at least come out and given his straight opinion)

• Pessimistic Armagh followers bemoan their manager's contribution (rightly so in my opinion)

• Armagh fans widely debate their best line up (I haven't a clue what's your best line up and I've read all your forums hoping to learn from Armagh fans about your team)
  

• R. Clarke won't make it, S. Kernan won't get picked, Ambrose won't make it, Coulter is a doubt
  

• The Down team pretty much picks itself (hence we are left debating fantasy teams!!)

• Down fans range from cautious to wildly optimistic

• Sorry if this is offensive but there has been a lot of sarcasm which isn't constructive. I like to hear other people's opinions but prefer they deliver an intelligent point not just smart-ass ironies that teach you nothing but that the poster has little to say of merit.

Isn't that about it all?

I would like to hear sensible reasons why Armagh fans think they can win (not sarcasm there, just a request for opinions) Through winter the justification was frequently heavily weighted on Ronan Clarke's renaissance but that will not happen now. So where do you see a victory coming from? As I've said it is current form and team cohesion more than anything else that I think is giving Down the edge.

[Armamike]

Lads any chance of taking this Down old crocks love-in to a dedicated thread and leave this one for the actual game?

It does beat the debate about whether to go to the match or watch the Champion's League Final though..............

Good call Macker's. in my defence I was just answering a question by an Armagh poster but I do admit it would be better on another thread.

But what do we talk about regarding the game? Haven't we said pretty much everything:

• Cagey people say there isn't a kick of the ball in it (what's the point in an anonymous debate forum if you won't give your honest prediction? - BrokenCbar has at least come out and given his straight opinion)

• Pessimistic Armagh followers bemoan their manager's contribution (rightly so in my opinion)

• Armagh fans widely debate their best line up (I haven't a clue what's your best line up and I've read all your forums hoping to learn from Armagh fans about your team)
  

• R. Clarke won't make it, S. Kernan won't get picked, Ambrose won't make it, Coulter is a doubt
  

• The Down team pretty much picks itself (hence we are left debating fantasy teams!!)

• Down fans range from cautious to wildly optimistic

• Sorry if this is offensive but there has been a lot of sarcasm which isn't constructive. I like to hear other people's opinions but prefer they deliver an intelligent point not just smart-ass ironies that teach you nothing but that the poster has little to say of merit.

Isn't that about it all?

I would like to hear sensible reasons why Armagh fans think they can win (not sarcasm there, just a request for opinions) Through winter the justification was frequently heavily weighted on Ronan Clarke's renaissance but that will not happen now. So where do you see a victory coming from? As I've said it is current form and team cohesion more than anything else that I think is giving Down the edge.

Why Armagh can win? Because football matches aren't foregone conclusions. If they were we'd all be rich on our winnings from the bookies.

[BarryBreensBandage]

How can Armagh win?
Last year, Down hammered them in the league, yet Armagh won the important one.
This year, it is 1-1 if you include McKenna Cup.
IMO it will come down to:

Who wants it the most, from management right through to players.
Who believes it is their right to win the game
Who will drop the heads first
And finally, who gets the break of the ball

Nothing between them - am really looking forward to it - and for what its worth, for me, theres no spectacle like a GAA championship game between your team and their closest rivals.
I have followed United since I can remember. But still, no contest.

[seafoid]

Who cares who wins? When is the last time the ulster championship meant anything ?
Did Down win Ulster last year? Did it do them any harm? 

[BarryBreensBandage]

Who cares who wins? When is the last time the ulster championship meant anything ?
Did Down win Ulster last year? Did it do them any harm?

So, if Mayo beat ye in Connacht it wouldn't hurt? Not one wee bit?