Armagh v Derry

How do our Derry posters feel about this game. Personally i think Armagh will shade it by 2 or 3 points. Certainly by no means an easy game but i think we are progressing nicely as where i think Derry have gone backways. Is Paddy Bradley anywhere near the player he once was? Who is going to handle McDonnell? Of course i am basing alot of my opinion on national league form (which is normally not a sensible thing to do). Derry have a great record in Celtic Park and will always be hard to beat up there, i just feel Armagh have the team to do it this time. Ithink Andy Mallon and Brendan Donaghey will pick up the two Bradleys. I see the Ulster Council is already talking about the Ulster final being in Croke Park. I think they're of the opinion it is going to be an Armagh v Tyrone Ulster final as am i.

For the record i think Armagh will line out as follows:

1. Paul Heart (in the mouth)y (Crossmaglen)
2. Andy Mallon (Pearse Ogs)
3. Brendan Donaghey (Clonmore)
4. Barry Shannon (Dromintee)
5. Paul Duffy (Pearse Ogs)
6. Ciaran McKeever (Cullyhanna)
7. Finnian Moriority (Wolfe Tones)
8. James Lavery (Maghery)
9. Kieran Toner (Granemore)
10. Charlie Vernon (Harps)
11. Aaron Kernan (Crossmaglen)
12. Gareth Swift (Armagh Harps)
13. Brian Mallon (Portadown Tir na nog)
14. Stevie McDonnell (Killeavey)
15. Steffan Forker (Maghery) or Ryan Henderson (Lurgan Clann Eirreann)

Forker dosent look like the complete player because he dosen't look very big. Thought he would have got dismantled by Down in the few minutes he did play but I was really suprised at how easily he held players off the ball.

Even without Clarke Armagh can win this. I dont remember an Armagh manager having so many talentented forwards at their disposal. Midfield is the rocky patch at the minute but that is expected. Our defence is strong, the goals that were conceeded in the league were soft. Hearty worries me greatly in goals though.

After the 70 minutes this game could be a draw.

Forker is decievingly big. About 6ft1 or 2. i would say about 13, 1/2 stone.

Just got this from official couty website, think its at least a year old
Stefan Forker

Club:	Maghery Sean McDermott's
Age:	20
Height:	6' 1"
Weight:	13st
Occupation:	Student
County Deput:	January 07 v St. Mary's
Appearances:

Honours


Club :
Armagh IFC
County :
USFC 08 / UMFC 2005 / Ulster U21FC 2007

He looks hell of a lot smaller!

He has long hair now dosent he?

Don't tell me he's another of those heavy metal geeks ..... Armagh seems full of them ....

GAA-Fan wrote:He looks hell of a lot smaller!

He has long hair now dosent he?

No

Must be Jamie Clarke you are thinking of, not short in height but he would be light and weak looking. He did seem to be able to hold players off for someone of his build. His fair would be fairly long.

Forkers hair would be much the same as in the picture.

I think tg4 were confusing them when they came on as subs in league final. They also put one of gareth swifts points down to Forker as well.

I haven't seen either of them play. I was at the 1st Down match but Phillip Lougran was standing in my way at the match .

When J Clarke bulks up he will be some player.

He certainly will, pity Loughran is not still playing. Only 28 or 29, was trying to get transferred to Pearse Ogs but it was turned down. Not playing any football

Aye his club keep blocking the move. I have always thought that Armagh would still be in the top 4 if Lougran and Toal kept playing - They were McGrane and McGeeneys replacements. The team have skipped a generation and were basically forced into creating a completely new team. We have hit the bottom and now can only get better, which we are.

To be fair to PB he hasn't been exactly cleared of injuries in about a year, Between hamstrings and ankle problems they are just setting him back a bit which is unfortunate to say the least. It will be a brilliant day on Sunday that is almost guaranteed what a great start to the Championship, I think the Derry players will take the notes from their past league games and use them as positives to drive forward this year. I wish both teams the best of luck and may the best team win on the day

Doire Abu

is this game destined to be an exact replica of the battle of the bogside last year. I fear it is. Maybe not as cynical but there will be very little space afforded to either team and it cold well be a dull start to the Ulster championship.

Both managers are under enormous pressure particularly Cassidy and i think both men would view an Ulster title as a major feather in the cap, though i dont think Armagh supporters would necessarily think the same thing.

I'd expect the middle of the field to be crowded and both teams deploying a sweeper system to stop quality ball into the forwards. For me Armagh look slightly the better side in terms of options up front and physically. They have a number of men who can score for them while Derry are still very reliant on the two Bradleys for scores and we all know what happens when the Bradleys dont turn up or get marked out for the game.

Derry need to bring a plan B to the table this year and they are going to require all 6 backs to be on their toes come Sunday.

For me this game will end in a draw with Armagh coasting to victory in the replay. Expect plenty of big hits plenty of yellow cards and not too many scores!!!!

Derry 0-12 Armagh 2-06

I think Armagh will win this by 2-3 points myself, I'd agree with alot of your analysis there samin. Armagh are just in much better form and played some very good football towards the end of the league. The forwards are firing well, especially Stevie, and they just seem an altogether more cohesive unit from what I've seen.
Derry didn't impress much in the league, and while some say that this could be the kick in the ass they need after underperforming the last few summers, I just don't think they'll be able to get it together in time to beat a very much in-form Armagh side. They are a very tough side to beat at home but I feel they may slip up here. If they do lose and go into the qualifiers though I can see them going a long way all the same and getting to Croke Park anyway, but I think this game has just come too soon.

Anyway, looking forward to the start of the championship, you can't beat it!

I'm not looking forward to this one to be honest lads, i feel we will be right up against it as we will be seen as favourite. I'm worried that Boc will be right and it will be a slog-fest like last years game against Monaghan!!

I think Derry are the better team, but i do thinkthat Armagh will prevail on the day by about 2 points then we'll get a decent run in the qualifiers.

One thing for sure, if we do lose i hope we stick with DC and not pull the trigger like we usually do!!!

How do the Armagh poster feel about PO'R in charge? I think he's done a great job so far, especially with the mess he took over from!!!

Derry to win this one by 4-5 points...

Yeah I would see it that way too mullins. I reckon Derry didn't give the League much thought ad are concentrating on Ulster and the Champo. Given home advantage and the fact that Armagh have some younger inexperienced lads I think a 4/5 shout for Derry is a good call.

Bald Eagle

I think just about everyone in Armagh is very happy so far with the job P'OR has done. There was a fair few unhappy people when he was appointed. People pointed to his period as Down manager and said he was a failure. I am glad to say i was one of the few who said to give him his chance and pointed out to many that when he worked with Down he had feck all to work with and that drawing with the eventual all-ireland champions in ulster final in 2003 was probably an achievement in itself with such a poor group of players. To be fair most Armagh supporters warmed to him very quickly even before his team kicked a ball. Paddy was clever in appointing his backroom staff, Donal Murtagh (all-ireland club winning manager), Justin McNulty (County championship winning manager, and would have played with most players) and Mike McGurn who by all accounts is probably as good a fitness coach as you are likely to find in Ireland.

As far as new players and tactics are concerned with Paddy, i dont think he has really brought anything that just about every supporter was calling for during Peter mcDonnells time. Paddy has given Gareth Swift a run of games in the half forward line and tried Aaron Kernan in the half forward line. Considering the half forward line has been a complete disaster for Armagh for about 3 years and our options were limited, basically every armagh supporter you would have spoke to would have seen these two players as our best options to solve the problem with Paul Duffy filling in for Kernan in the half back line. Instead the previois management played Duffy in the half forwards, Aaron in the half backs and Swift actually left the panel because he never got a chance in the half forwards or midfield.

In short Bald Eagle, Paddy has done well but the reality is Armagh had the players the last couple of years to do much better than they did. A lot of the problems were blatantly obvious and should not have been too hard to fix, our biggest problem the last couple of years was the incompetence of the management. PAddy has going in the right direction again.

This could be a good one. Armagh on the rise and Derry will be tough opponents again. I expect Derry to shade it provide Clark and McDonnell are kept quiet. Derry could be dark horses for Ulster.

Seen forker in 2 college games before he looked quality..

If im right he came on against monaghan on the champ last year and kicked the frees and looked a threat?

thats right, think he hit a couple of points against monaghan that day

I fancy Derry at home in Celtic park to win by 2 points. Is Ronan Clarke fit to play for Armagh on Sunday Samin?

Not sure Mugsy.

He wont start, maybe last 15 minutes or so if he is needed. On the other hand they may not take any chances regardless of how match is going and instead make sure he is fit for next game whether it be in ulster or qualifiers.

Yeah, We'll wait and see what develops but on form he is hard for any defence to handle as Conor gormley can testify from last year. I don't know who Cassidy would have in mind to deploy on him if or when he comes on.

RTE did a good feature on the news about the Ulster championship tonight - hardly mentioned Leinster or Munster at all - so at ease all you posters with thin skins! The thing that caught my eye was the interview with Oisin in some GAA ground. The stand in the background had an advert running the full length of the roof. It was for Bar One racing ..... Better placement could surely have been considered ....

thats Crossmaglens own ground JC they sponsored the jerseys too - bit like a Dublin player standing behind a sign for tampons if you ask me