Armagh v Down- 29th June-Ulster Semi Final Thread

[Feckitt]

Those of you that are hoping that the Bould Francie will get cleaned are living in cloud cuckoo land.

Francie will have no bother against these boys.  The most overrated forward line in Ireland.  Down have a decent midfield, but there backs are so bad they make the forwards look good.

In all seriousness, Armagh will win by 5 or 6 points

[Down Gael]

 

Its the Aristocracy v Nouveau Riche. A team that wants to play fast flowing, attractive football v puke football. Down play the game the way it is supposed to be played. Armagh think they invented football in 2002. The tide is turning in Ulster, the favourites are dropping like horses at the canal turn on Grand National day. proper order to be restored on Sunday evening. Down by 5 points.

[T Fearon]

The consolation for Down is that at least they won't get dumped out of the qualifiers by Sligo this year as they're in the Tommy Murphy Cup

[Down Gael]

T. Fearon, your predictions are normally spot on  How are you doing in the Bele Tele predictions competition?

[Uladh]

It occurs that i should point out to you down gael that the great down teams of the 90s and particularly the 60s played with great style and panache but this down team's style is the very antipathy of that.

armagh are much closer to the style of those teams as they attempt to kick the ball. rugby league style running of the ball was never down's style.

[bennydorano]

Available at  http://armagh-gaa.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=184:armagh-team-to-play-down&catid=7:football&Itemid=110

Martin Ferris and Conor Clarke would have as much chance of getting a game as meself.

[corn02]

Exactly Benny where as ONeill probably would have a very slight chance.

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

ITOB I was just thinking of your situation and perhaps the relevant people should cancel the TV coverage, call off
the match and we should all watch the tennis because as you say there,s no point turning up to be stuffed by
the all conquering Armagh team that have won 6 ulsters and 6 oops sorry 1 All-Ireland.Call  this fiasco off now before
someones get hurt. Hail the mighty Armagh

As I've pointed out many times on this thread, Down's 5 All Irelands, one of which was only 14 years ago, are by far the most relevant factor in analysing who's going to win this match.

[Feckitt]

Was looking at the Armagh bench on Orchard County.com.  With players like,

Oisin
Enda
T Kernan
Donaghy
B Mallon
McKinney
D McKenna
etc,

This looks very very strong.  I think that most of these lads should get a run out against weaker counties in the next two matches versus Down & Fermanagh.  They need to be blooded for tougher challenges that lie ahead.

[southdown]

Typical BBC website, they mention that Dan McCartan has held his place at FB, then they go and name Martin Cole at FB

[Feckitt]

BBC website is spot on 99% of the time.  It's lazy to slag them off for every minor thing they get wrong.

As for UTV....

[corn02]

Stated all along, best Armagh squad since 02.

[T Fearon]

The BBC also ran a tv ad last night plugging its live coverage of this David V Goliath clash, and spoiled it all at the end with a board caption reading "Antrim" V Down . Does no one even carry out basic checks before these things go to air?

[man in black]

The BBC also ran a tv ad last night plugging its live coverage of this David V Goliath clash, and spoiled it all at the end with a board caption reading "Antrim" V Down . Does no one even carry out basic checks before these things go to air?

[billy the kid]

Its the Aristocracy v Nouveau Riche. A team that wants to play fast flowing, attractive football v puke football. Down play the game the way it is supposed to be played. Armagh think they invented football in 2002. The tide is turning in Ulster, the favourites are dropping like horses at the canal turn on Grand National day. proper order to be restored on Sunday evening. Down by 5 points.

They also seem to think that the history of the GAA began circa 1999 and that nobody else ever won anything  

Think game on sunday will be a close one as most derbies are and if Down start well up front Armagh could be in trouble.  However I would have great reservations about how that dodgy defence of downs will cope with the pace and power of McDonnel and Clarke if they are getting quick quality ball from middle third.

Gordon and McGrane should be a fine battle and will have a major say in who comes out on top.

I would love to see a Down Fermanagh final as it would be very good for football and would again demonstrate to the rest of the country how strong and competitive Ulster is, but i think Armagh are the better balanced team (Mainly because they have a defence that can defend) and have as much firepower as Down if they receive good ball.

My heart says Down but my head says Armagh

Down by 2

f**k it!!

Dam Heart always wins  

Good luck to both teams

PS. After the lesson they gave us last week I will be supporting Fermanagh in the final no matter who comes thru this one.