Armagh vs Donegal - Sunday 8th April 2012

[Onion Bag]

This game still in Ballybofey?

Someone told me that they had heard it was shifted to Ballyshannon,

[mackers]

I would love to see the introduction of morgan, AK, j clarke and cunningham although from an interview I read a couple of weeks back Cunningham was looking for a bit of a break when cross finished up.

I wouldn't be too convinced about this argument at all.  Obviously the Cross boys are working hard but they have played two matches in since the turn of the year.  The players on the county panel have had three McKenna Cup matches and six league matches including four in four weeks in March.  do they deserve a break?  Oh, and nobody come back with the excuse that the county boys weren't training in November and December, think we all know the story there! Lads of Cunningham's age should be busting for a game...Jamie Clarke doesn't have this attitude in fairness.

[armaghniac]

Oh, and nobody come back with the excuse that the county boys weren't training in November and December, think we all know the story there! Lads of Cunningham's age should be busting for a game...Jamie Clarke doesn't have this attitude in fairness.

I think this is a bit harsh. Anyone might want to go on holiday for a week or whatever. The Armagh panel may have done some training in November/December but there was a month or so in September/October when there wasn't much doing for most of them.

[mackers]

If Aaron Cunningham is heading away for a foreign holiday.....fair enough.....if he's just going to be lying in the armchair.....that's up to him but I'd say the Armagh management will view it as poor form.  If more established players like AK and Jamie Clarke can manage it then he should also.

[RMDrive]

Murphy away for an op on his knee. Doubtful for this game.

[DuffleKing]

I'll be v surprised if aaron cunningham is on the radar for the county management

[cadence]

Have you seen donegal play lately? If we beat them it won't be thru our full forward line. Really doesn't matter who plays inside - they'll be surrounded.

are ye serious ? Donegal are not defensive this year and we'll still being critisied. a lot of other teams are far worse and nothign is said. exhibit A : dublin on saturday night. no word of their defesivness

we weren't defensive enough... bring back the good old days!

[Armaghgeddon]

That would be the strongest team I have seen for a while. Shame Stevie isn't there.

[Armaghgeddon]

That would be the strongest team I have seen for a while.

Really? I'd worry if that team actually started. The forward line looks very light on fire power. Outside of Raffery winning frees for Stevenson to tap over, I don't see much to trouble the scoreboard.

Don't think that team will start to be honest, even if it does, I would expect Jamie to play at some point and Aaron. Kingham could hopefully be used as a target man up front.

[naka]

It's interesting that Morgan isn't mentioned on the panel?

[illdecide]

It's interesting that Morgan isn't mentioned on the panel?

Me too...

I'd start with

McEvoy
A Mallon
B Donaghy
J Morgan
A Kernan
K McKeever
D McKenna
C Vernon
J Lavery (still thing James lack of mobility at this level is a concern)
A Duffy
B Mallon
J Clarke (If Mal Mackin was fit he'd be here)
C Rafferty
BJ Padden
David Lavery

Now it's just a pity we hadn't S McDonnell, R Clarke and K Toner to add to that. That with possibly Hearty in nets would be a serious team for championship

[DuffleKing]

Is david Lavery the lad who came on and was taken off again the last day?

I'm not seeing the dec McKenna thing at all. Down was the frst day he kept his head above water - every other game he has been v poor

[J70]

Apparently McBrearty is flying back from London and the AFL trials on Sunday morning, while McFadden is not a certainty to start either. We could be very, very light on options up front, with Murphy already gone. Not what we need for a game against Armagh of all counties. Decent efforts in 2002 and 2006, and to a lesser extent, 2007, aside, we've just thrown in the towel against them too many times over the past 10 years. Don't care too much if we're relegated, but another tanking from Armagh would be hard to take.

[armaghniac]

Surely the entire McGuinness project is to ensure that Donegal does not get beaten by Armagh. If Donegal cannot beat the modern reduced Armagh at  home to avoid getting relegated, then not much progress has been made.

[J70]

I think we've made considerable progress, regardless of what happens on Sunday. This side are nothing special, talent-wise, comapred to other Donegal side over the past ten years. Just a lot more focus, belief, fitness and organization. And in the past, 2003 AI semi aside, we've played an open, traditional game against Armagh and got hammered physically. Just not sure we'll make much headway against Armagh without Murphy, especially if the other two boys are not firing on all cylinders or even not playing. Now part of my pessimism is just fatalism after years of frustration and humiliation, but its also down to missing our lynchpin player. He's not someone we can replace. Hopefully the boys will step up though and the heads won't drop if Armagh get on top. They've had plenty of good comebacks over the past year.