Armagh v Cork

[Uladh]

Its hard to asses that game at all at all. very dead atmosphere around the ground and that seemed to transfer to the players. there was no bite or urgency at all. Armagh coasted along nicely into the breeze and were well worth their half time lead. the game should have been sewn up early in the second hakf with a lot of chances missed by oisin and swift. then armagh inexplicably went to sleep and cork drove forwards in waves and buying handy frees for masters and co to convert. the goal followed by the handbags stung armagh into life and for the last ten minutes they reverted back to the football of last week with pace and directness.

Disappointed with McKinney's kick outs in that he seemed to be getting under or slicing a lot of them. for the second week running there was a lot of pointing and shouting from the midfield. It's still McKinney as number one for me though. Francie showed a lot more sharpness and aggression yesterday and seems to be regaining his form. still 8 weeks at least to the championship so he should be near enough by then. the two corner backs were out to lunch yesterday. moriarty was solid enough first half but awful playing with the breeze. paul k was terrible throughout. caught ball watching, allowing his man away from him in behind and very poor in possession coming out. mallon should have been in sooner.

the half back line were their usual dependable selves. McKeever closes down whoever he marks and picks his breaks forward very well. i would expect him to win more break ball though. aaron's strengths and weaknesses are well known and i guess we're just gonna have to live with the frees he concedes every week. also very weak on the break ball. AOR had a quiet enough game but essentially rescued the game scoring one and setting up 2 of the last 4 points when the game was in the melting pot.

Midfield is a worry. Unlike a lot of poster i felt McGrane did well. he wasn't competing against Murphy directly at any stage and won lots of ball, even if it wasn't soaring fetches. McKenna is one for the future but will hardly play championship football this summer. it was good to see loughran on the pitch even if he did look rusty. it can only increase mcdonnell's options.

Brian mallon was very industrious before going off and almost had a great goal. i really like mallon as a player and he provides a cutting edge and sharpness noone else really does when he's on form. disappointed with vernon and McKeever. Vernon takes the wrong option quite a bit and doesn't release the ball until he's exhausted every avenue of carrying it first. McKeever as we know is very talented but how lazy is he? Only for O'Rourke jnr showing from behind him there'd have been no link to the two inside men. McKeever looked like a man happy with his performance last week and going through the motions. mighty free at the end though!

Orourke junior showed plety of promise i felt. his willingness to actually show in front is something that has been lacking in the team. he wasted a couple of opportunities early on but his first half point was probably the score of the game. i certainly think he carries more threat from open play than tony k or Oisin and its a pity he didn't get more game time in the league.Yestreday confirmed what most of us have suspected about oisin. there's a lot less in the legs than there used be and impact sub s his role now. mighty sideline ball and usual good frees but a few uncharachteristic misses from play. he is easily contained at this level die to his lack of pace and strength. i think swift has used up his last chance. showed well early on but chose to shoot continually from tight angles when there were men better placed around him. he became very static in the second half and could have come off earlier.

all in all a strong enough finish to the league. McDonnell will undoubtedly have learned much more than use mere mortals and i'm sure he'll have at least 13 of his championship side formulated. its a long time to the first round of ulster though and you never know what injuries might occur. at this moment i'd go for

                   McKinney

McNulty          Donaghy         Mallon
McKeever       O'Rourke         Kernan

           McGrane       Toner

Kernan s         Mallon             O'rourke
McDonnell       Clarke             O'Rourke

The three major areas for decision are in the full back line each of the forward lines. if McNulty can find his form i think he will be in. at ing forward i think it could come down to who you're playing and whether the guile of kernan or the power of vernon is needed. then i think its a straight decision between tony kernan and o'rourke junior and i think o'rourke contributes far more from play and i'm not sure kernan's free taking will be a necessity.

[orangeman]

Why no Francie ULADH

[Uladh]

Even at his peak i was never the biggest francie fan. he can still do a job no doubt but he's cost armagh dearly in a number of major matches but that has largely gone unnoticed because of his lovable reputation

[Throw ball]

For the most part the match yesterday was a non event up until the last ten minutes. It looked as if both teams were merely going through the motions. I actually thought the full back line played better as a unit than in previous games without being particularly impressive. Francie looked fitter. Most of our midfield problems stemmed from not winning break ball and the referees interpretation of the rules. Vernon started brightly but faded and MOR did not appear overly interested until Armagh went behind. I thought Swift won ball well but his decision making was poor. However, he was a better option in this role than we had last year. The other MOR showed well. Oisin can still take a score but will need others to give him good ball. On another note I thought Aaron was very unlucky to be sent off yesterday. Managed to get a seat yesterday and the incident occurred in front of us. He was lying on the ground with the Cork man on top of him swinging for a good twenty seconds before he retaliated. If the referee had blown up straight away he would not have felt the need. Also the linesman was only about three yards away. This seemed to be the spark that started the other handbags.

As for the championship I would share most peoples concerns about midfield and the full back line. I would also add that I think that we need to get some Southern referees in to get there opinion on the tackle. Yesterday in the second half Armagh gave away numerous frees that we would never have considered to be fouls and it was the same in the Meath game. This frees will cost us in the summer. We need to be educated or educate these referees so that this problem is minimised.

[Goats Do Shave]

Even at his peak i was never the biggest francie fan. he can still do a job no doubt but he's cost armagh dearly in a number of major matches but that has largely gone unnoticed because of his lovable reputation

Any more than Enda?

Francie will be grand with the 2 speedy corner's of Donaghy & Mallon!

[Benny Barnaveld]

Lol. Good point!
Mc Kinney is suspect under the high ball, so I think Francie will be needed in there.
McKinney has been caught out for 2 goals from misjudged high balls this year already, nad heaty has not been at his best either of late.

Does anyone know of another kepper who would be in contention for a place?

[corn02]

Pure biasm here but Philip McEvoy is the best shot-stopper in the county.

[Goats Do Shave]

For Kick-out's - I'll shout Johnny McKeever at Balllyhegan, currently fighting with Rodgers of Lisummon for the U21 jersey!

[heganboy]

For Kick-out's - I'll shout Johnny McKeever at Balllyhegan, currently fighting with Rodgers of Lisummon for the U21 jersey!

seconded with no impartiality whatsoever

[Uladh]

Lads there is no way McNulty can be bracketed with bellew in that department in the championship. granted he has had a poor league this and i have been as critical as anyone of him on here but in the championship McNulty's record has been one of shutting down dangerous forwards and putting out fires afor armagh. there were similar concerns about him through last year's league but by the end of it and certainly by the championship he was as good as ever.

[Benny Barnaveld]

It would bias towards dealing with high balls and accuracy of kickouts for a keeper.
Generally as opposed to soccer, GAA keepers often have little chance when someone is drop kicking an o'neills from 5 yards!

I am surpised that McDonnell has not tried anyone else. Neither McKinney or Heaty has really made the jersey their own.

[Goats Do Shave]

Harshly I remember Enda's mistakes putting us out of the C'ship twice! - He misjudged a bouncing ball  & gave away the ball away right at the end also.

In saying that... I've always been a big fan! - Anyone that can shackle Peter Canavan consistently in his hay day has to be top quality!

Stevie O'Neill is the only player I can remember giving Francie a roasting!

[corn02]

Francie made msitakes against Donaghy too, plsu Enda got sent off against Fermanagh, so I think it is fairly even.

I am sure the Harps boys can back me up on Philip McEvoy, can't remeber the last championship goal he conceded, must have been 3 years by now.

[Uladh]

I'm considering McNulty on consistency. over the last 5/6 years McNulty has almost always done a great job. Bellew has frequently been taken for 3/4 points from play by the likes of sweeney, maguire, ronaghan, etc. its a tough life in the full back line. they are exposed heavily for every error and both have been good servants. i just reckon a fit mcnulty does a better job.

[orangeman]

Even at his peak i was never the biggest francie fan. he can still do a job no doubt but he's cost armagh dearly in a number of major matches but that has largely gone unnoticed because of his lovable reputation

Any games that particularly stand out ?

2005 semi final ?? Any others ?