McKenna Cup 2024

[The GAA]

Training is the place to learn those lessons against the best in your sphere. make mistakes trying to do the right things where it doesn't matter.

It matters to a 19 year old defender to be making those mistakes in front of 5000 people

He captained Armagh minors to the AI in front of much more - I'm sure he'll cope. Give the man some credit.

This is getting pedantic. i didn't criticise Declan. the fact that anyone played minor football at the highest level is irrelevent to the learning curve of senior football where the scrutiny and quality is much higher. we need our younger players better managed is my point.

Did Deccie get the winning point?

No - Shorty Clarke

[fan01]

yea shorty got the last two scores...he played really welll

[pearseog]

Training is the place to learn those lessons against the best in your sphere. make mistakes trying to do the right things where it doesn't matter.

It matters to a 19 year old defender to be making those mistakes in front of 5000 people

He captained Armagh minors to the AI in front of much more - I'm sure he'll cope. Give the man some credit.

This is getting pedantic. i didn't criticise Declan. the fact that anyone played minor football at the highest level is irrelevent to the learning curve of senior football where the scrutiny and quality is much higher. we need our younger players better managed is my point.

Did Deccie get the winning point?

No - Shorty Clarke

no it was decky...shorty got the equiliser. very harsh and decky there the gaa. After getting a so called 'roasting' he didnt do too bad putting that winning score over the bar. give the lad time. lets be honest he's not gona be starting come championship this year with the talent we have in the half back line. this is all just a learning curve for him.

[The GAA]

Fair enough pog - was certain it was shotry but i'm sure a clubmate would know.

[pearseog]

shortys a clubmate and deckys my mate so had a vested interest in both 

[armaghniac]

Shorty Clarke got an excellent point, probably the equaliser. Well worth a run out again.

[The GAA]

I was pleasantly surprised with shorty clarke - showed very well for the ball and there's a good argument for saying he was the difference between the teams at the end

[Throw ball]

Was at the Armagh Down game and what a fine exhibition of forward play from both sides. A thoroughly enjoyable match which will benefit both teams. As some have already said Clarke and Coulter were superb for Down.

Declan McKenna has been getting some stick on here which I think is surprising as a number of people in the stand around me were commenting how after a slow start he stood up to the plate and showed alot of potential. I also liked that he has the nerve to come up near the end and take the winning score. To me this showed  great leadership from a player making his debut. In all Armagh used 7 players in defensive positions and he definitely was nowhere near the worst and on a par with others.

Although many will disagree I thought Armagh played into Down hands for a period ten minutes from the end of the first half and much of the second half. Down played players back and tried to hit Armagh on the break. This left Armagh on many occasions with only two defenders inside the 45. It was like forget about defending just attack.

As for the forwards they all played well. I would say however that Grugan's vision was superb. It is a long time since Armagh have had a player like him.

[Lecale2]

Is Billy Joe Padden playing for Armagh?

[dodgy umpire]

Was at the Armagh Down game and what a fine exhibition of forward play from both sides. A thoroughly enjoyable match which will benefit both teams. As some have already said Clarke and Coulter were superb for Down.

Declan McKenna has been getting some stick on here which I think is surprising as a number of people in the stand around me were commenting how after a slow start he stood up to the plate and showed alot of potential. I also liked that he has the nerve to come up near the end and take the winning score. To me this showed  great leadership from a player making his debut. In all Armagh used 7 players in defensive positions and he definitely was nowhere near the worst and on a par with others.

Although many will disagree I thought Armagh played into Down hands for a period ten minutes from the end of the first half and much of the second half. Down played players back and tried to hit Armagh on the break. This left Armagh on many occasions with only two defenders inside the 45. It was like forget about defending just attack.

As for the forwards they all played well. I would say however that Grugan's vision was superb. It is a long time since Armagh have had a player like him.

He was my M.O.M

[Maguire01]

Monaghan 0-9 QUB 0-13

Monaghan have many of their big guns playing? Queen's have any big names?

Sure Finlay and Clerkin are really the only big guns on the entire panel.

Surely Tomas Freeman would fit the bill? Wouldn't really include Dick as a "big gun". What age are those three lads now? Feels if they have been around forever. Must be 30+ Hope you have good youngsters coming through.

What are you talking about? Freeman isn't on the panel. Finlay and Clerkin are the only two on the panel who started last year's Ulster Final. Hence they are the big guns. (And as for Clerkin not being one of Monaghan's 'bug guns', he was our only player on the Ulster All-Stars team last year and was probably our best player.)

[ck]

Monaghan 0-9 QUB 0-13

Monaghan have many of their big guns playing? Queen's have any big names?

Sure Finlay and Clerkin are really the only big guns on the entire panel.

Surely Tomas Freeman would fit the bill? Wouldn't really include Dick as a "big gun". What age are those three lads now? Feels if they have been around forever. Must be 30+ Hope you have good youngsters coming through.

What are you talking about? Freeman isn't on the panel. Finlay and Clerkin are the only two on the panel who started last year's Ulster Final. Hence they are the big guns. (And as for Clerkin not being one of Monaghan's 'bug guns', he was our only player on the Ulster All-Stars team last year and was probably our best player.)

Ah right didnt know they were the only two on the McKenna cup panel.
Dick was the only player on the "Ulster All-stars"? What are the Ulster All-stars? That Irish news thing? Wouldnt read too much into that if that's what you are referring to. Yeah he's a decent oul player and good worker but nothing more than that. 

[Maguire01]

Monaghan 0-9 QUB 0-13

Monaghan have many of their big guns playing? Queen's have any big names?

Sure Finlay and Clerkin are really the only big guns on the entire panel.

Surely Tomas Freeman would fit the bill? Wouldn't really include Dick as a "big gun". What age are those three lads now? Feels if they have been around forever. Must be 30+ Hope you have good youngsters coming through.

What are you talking about? Freeman isn't on the panel. Finlay and Clerkin are the only two on the panel who started last year's Ulster Final. Hence they are the big guns. (And as for Clerkin not being one of Monaghan's 'bug guns', he was our only player on the Ulster All-Stars team last year and was probably our best player.)

Ah right didnt know they were the only two on the McKenna cup panel.
Dick was the only player on the "Ulster All-stars"? What are the Ulster All-stars? That Irish news thing? Wouldnt read too much into that if that's what you are referring to. Yeah he's a decent oul player and good worker but nothing more than that.

It's all relative. You asked me if Monaghan had any of their big guns playing. Clerkin is one of the most important players on Monaghan's team.

[ck]

ok fair enough. Seeing as Monaghan have quite a few flair players I can see how Dick has more relevance than he would say at Armagh, F'managh or maybe Donegal.
Interesting that he is being used in the McKenna cup, maybe just for fitness reasons.

[Maguire01]

ok fair enough. Seeing as Monaghan have quite a few flair players I can see how Dick has more relevance than he would say at Armagh, F'managh or maybe Donegal.
Interesting that he is being used in the McKenna cup, maybe just for fitness reasons.

I think he just never stops playing. He's one of our players who seems to line out in every competition we play. I doubt he's be struggling for fitness at all.

Also, the idea that he wouldn't make an impression on the Fermanagh or Donegal teams is a bit of a joke, in my opinion.