Donegal v Armagh Championship game

[Goats Do Shave]

Heard the team lads a couple of hours ago:

Hearty
Mallon
DONAGHY!
McNulty
Kernan
McGeeney
McKeever
McGrane
Toner
O'Rourke
KERNAN - COME ON STEVEN!!!!!!!!!!
McKeever
McDonnell
Marsden
McConville

Strong full forward line...hope they get enough supply Steven could be vital along with the ball winners in midfield!

Not sure about Donaghy in full back line...didnt impress me in previous outings for seniors or U21s.

[holylandsniper]

He has been playing there in training marking stevie and oisin an odd time. Also had a reasonable game in Laois in what was a poor armagh performance. 

[armaghniac]

While there isn't a big range of proven alternatives for half forward, and Kernan might be OK,  it is difficult to see Donaghy filling Francies boots, but I very much hope he does.

If Donegal are ever to beat us this is their chance and the real crunch for Armagh comes from July. However the last time DOnegal were strong favourites was the 2004 Ulster final, which was probably Paddy Mckeevers best game for Armagh, so here's hoping.

[J70]

If Donegal are ever to beat us this is their chance and the real crunch for Armagh comes from July. However the last time DOnegal were strong favourites was the 2004 Ulster final, which was probably Paddy Mckeevers best game for Armagh, so here's hoping.

Hopefully the Donegal lads have at this stage learned their lesson that victories have to be fought for and earned on the field, and that a team like Armagh are going to lie down for no one. They were completely unprepared for the intensity of Armagh's approach in the 2004 final and it showed in a performance where no Donegal player outside of the under-siege full-back line looked prepared to fight for the ball. From McIvor's approach so far, I would doubt that complacency or poor preparation should be an issue, but I suppose you never know what a team's attitude is until the ball is thrown in. It will be interesting to see if Donegal can reel Armagh in this time if they get three or four points up in the second half, because Armagh have tended to just do enough to keep Donegal at arm's length in those situations in several of the meetings over recent years.

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

Jezuz youse Armagh boys really don't like not being favourites!

Not overly happy about Donegal being favourites either but will have to live with it.

Yez aren't unbeatable by the way, yeah we have a piss poor record against youse recently but to start saying that even if Donegal win, Armagh will still finish better in the Championship is just over confidence and asking for a big fall - Tyrone v Laois ring any bells!!   


Tír Connaill Abú

[armaghniac]

Complacency is always a danger, Donegal's complacency in 2004 lead to Armagh's complacency which lead to Fermanagh winning.
While GAA people know better you never know what loose talk is around players. The Armagh management will be happy enough to be out of the limelight.

but to start saying that even if Donegal win, Armagh will still finish better in the Championship

Donegal winning does not prevent Armagh doing better in the Championship, that depends on how we play later on, not on how we play on Sunday. In 2003 we did better than Monaghan, in 2004 we did no better against Fermanagh than Donegal, in 2005 we beat Tyrone but they did better.

[bennydorano]

Malone, that is part of the reason Joe is not so popular anymore.

Naka, as I stated in one of the threads, S Kernan will throw over a couple of beuatiful scores but his laziness is unbelievable. On Sunday compare the work rate of the number 10 for Armagh and the number 11. If McIver has his tatcics right, the Donegal CHB will be key.

Not singling you out Corn as 2 or 3 people have mentioned workrate, but the notion that all HF's have to be workhorses is a total nonsense IMO, one really good one is plenty, Tyrone have Dooher, Kerry Galvin and Armagh O'Rourke. A CHF should be the focal point of attack, his defensive duties should be minimal.  Having said that Kernan is just not good enough at the minute.

I can't believe that Donaghy will start at FB, I hope that's a joke, he wasn't the strongest link in the U21 defence, has something changed in the past month or so   Toner FB, Lavery into MF seems simple to me.

[stew]

We are fcuked. Donegal will score three goals at least this Sunday.

SK needs to be sat down on the bench were he belongs, and i mean the cross bench.

This is going to get ugly real fast and we are doomed.

[J70]

We are fcuked. Donegal will score three goals at least this Sunday.

SK needs to be sat down on the bench were he belongs, and i mean the cross bench.

This is going to get ugly real fast and we are doomed.

Stew, you seem to be of the opinion that Francie Bellew and Ronan Clarke were holding this otherwise brittle, mediocre, aging Armagh team together between the two of them!

Do you really think men like McGrane, McGeeney, McConville and Marsden are past it?

[J70]

Malone, that is part of the reason Joe is not so popular anymore.

Naka, as I stated in one of the threads, S Kernan will throw over a couple of beuatiful scores but his laziness is unbelievable. On Sunday compare the work rate of the number 10 for Armagh and the number 11. If McIver has his tatcics right, the Donegal CHB will be key.

Not singling you out Corn as 2 or 3 people have mentioned workrate, but the notion that all HF's have to be workhorses is a total nonsense IMO, one really good one is plenty, Tyrone have Dooher, Kerry Galvin and Armagh O'Rourke. A CHF should be the focal point of attack, his defensive duties should be minimal.  Having said that Kernan is just not good enough at the minute.

I can't believe that Donaghy will start at FB, I hope that's a joke, he wasn't the strongest link in the U21 defence, has something changed in the past month or so   Toner FB, Lavery into MF seems simple to me.

The Irish Times is reporting that same line-up for Armagh:

ARMAGH (SFC v Donegal): P Hearty; E McNulty, B Donaghy, A Mallon; A Kernan, K McGeeney, C McKeever; K Toner, P McGrane; P McKeever, S Kernan, M O'Rourke; S McDonnell, D Marsden, O McConville.

Does Kernan have a habit of changing the announced team?

[illdecide]

Jezuz youse Armagh boys really don't like not being favourites!

Not overly happy about Donegal being favourites either but will have to live with it.

Yez aren't unbeatable by the way, yeah we have a piss poor record against youse recently but to start saying that even if Donegal win, Armagh will still finish better in the Championship is just over confidence and asking for a big fall - Tyrone v Laois ring any bells!!   


Tír Connaill Abú

It's the complete opposite amigo, we love it when our opponents are favourites and we love it when every one knocks us back and says we're past it. Then we get to prove everyone wrong, Armagh do not like going into games as favourites! We always play better as the underdogs

[Smokin Joe]

However the last time DOnegal were strong favourites was the 2004 Ulster final, which was probably Paddy Mckeevers best game for Armagh, so here's hoping.

Incorrect.  Armagh were favourites for the Ulster final in Croke Park in 2004.  I know because I backed us that day and we were odds on.

[High Catch]

Surprised by Donaghy's inclusion. But i would not be surprised to see Toner revert to full back at Lavery come in at centre field.

[David McKeown]

I don't think Toner is the man for full back from what I have seen of him this year.  I would have put Mc Nulty or mallon there and moved one of the half back line into the corners and brought in someone there.

[Uladh]

Donaghy for moriarty must have been a twelfth hour change. It's much of a muchness either way. either would have been a weak link. Donaghy had a very poor run with the u21s this year, getting roastings against tyrone, Derry, Monaghan and Cork unfortunately. He must be showing up well in training.

Joe wouldn't have a habit of changing personnel before throwin and rest assured that's the 15 that'll start barring injury.

We're gonna leak goals.