NFL Division 2

Armagh: vs Laois (A), Wexford (H), Longford (H), Derry (A), Louth (H), Westmeath (A), Galway (H)

Derry: vs Galway (A), Laois (H), Wexford (A), Armagh (H), Longford (H), Louth (A), Westmeath (H)

Galway: vs Derry (H), Louth (A), Westmeath (H), Longford (A), Laois (A), Wexford (H), Armagh (A)

Laois: vs Armagh (H), Derry (A), Louth (H), Westmeath (A), Galway (H), Longford (A), Wexford (A)

Longford: vs Wexford (A), Westmeath (H), Armagh (A), Galway (H), Derry (A), Laois (H), Louth (A)

Louth: vs Westmeath (A), Galway (H), Laois (A), Wexford (H), Armagh (A), Derry (H), Longford (H)

Westmeath: vs Louth (H), Longford (A), Galway (A), Laois (H), Wexford (A), Armagh (H), Derry (A)

Wexford: vs Longford (H), Armagh (A), Derry (H), Louth (A), Westmeath (H), Galway (A), Laois (H)

The hardest group to predict you could have some big names drop to Div 3.

I've put together a video analysing Michael Meehan's goal against Derry for anyone interested [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Gaa_lover wrote:The hardest group to predict you could have some big names drop to Div 3.

Will Armagh be one of them, GF? That was a pretty heavy loss to Laois.

Thomas Clarke wrote:

Gaa_lover wrote:The hardest group to predict you could have some big names drop to Div 3.

Will Armagh be one of them, GF? That was a pretty heavy loss to Laois.

I think so. But I am not concerned by it either as the league will be used to find some new talent and Armagh have got to find a team that can mature together. Grimley knows that the big results aren't going to happen this year as do all Armagh fans. Armagh probably have the most inexperienced team in the division.

Yeah, I agree, the team that started against Laois was a mixture of young lads and others that just aren't good enough. Jamie Clarke and Aaron Kernan will make a big difference, but Armagh still look short of good players. Rebuilding is fair enough, but I'd rather be doing it in division 2 than division 3.

Thomas Clarke wrote:Jamie Clarke and Aaron Kernan will make a big difference, but Armagh still look short of good players.

Kernan and Clarke were both excellent on Saturday night, but few other Armagh players really looked the part. Forker was quite good at FF, but overall I saw a lot of eager lads, but little real quality. It was a very poor game, and Longford looked very limited. I still say that there is no division 1 or 2 side that is dependent on one player as Armagh are on Clarke.

Jamie Clarke was awesome. One of thE most naturally gifted footballers around. Reminds me of a young George Best ... if thats not too bizarre!

Parouisa wrote:Jamie Clarke was awesome. One of thE most naturally gifted footballers around. Reminds me of a young George Best ... if thats not too bizarre!

was just discussing him today with a Derry man at work. He can turn on a sixpence and leave a man for dead very quick. His goal came out of nothing near enough and he laid on one of the other goals with a similar move.

If there was a transfer market in GAA who would you buy if you could only afford one, Clarke or Murphy??????

bocerty wrote:
If there was a transfer market in GAA who would you buy if you could only afford one, Clarke or Murphy??????

It's an interesting question Boc, as they are both roughly the same age, and both brilliant footballers. Certainly, if there really was a transfer system in gaelic football (no Kildare jokes!), these guys would be near the top of everyone's list.

Having said that, for me, Murphy would be an easy choice. As stylish as Clarke is, he hasn't yet had the chance to show us what he can do on the biggest of stages. Murphy has, captaining his side to an AI win, and picking up man-of-the-match in the final. It is hard to turn down a known commodity in favour of potential.

Clarke's slight frame means that he can be marked out of a game, whereas Murphy's speed/size combination means that very few defenders are equipped to handle him. Also, if he is playing on a team that is being starved of possession, Murphy can go out to midfield and win the ball himself.

The only concern with Murphy would be his history with niggly injuries, but he'd be top of my shopping list in an open market.

How highly do we rate Patrick McBrearty? Would he enter this type of conversation?

Thomas Clarke wrote:Clarke's slight frame means that he can be marked out of a game,

...............................................

How highly do we rate Patrick McBrearty? Would he enter this type of conversation?

Not sure about that - I think he has that wiry type of frame that is very hard to mark! I think I would pick Jamie just because of his unpredictability and natural skill. IMO P McBrearty wouldn't be near this type of talk - Gooch or BB?

Parouisa wrote:

Thomas Clarke wrote:Clarke's slight frame means that he can be marked out of a game,

...............................................

How highly do we rate Patrick McBrearty? Would he enter this type of conversation?

Not sure about that - I think he has that wiry type of frame that is very hard to mark! I think I would pick Jamie just because of his unpredictability and natural skill. IMO P McBrearty wouldn't be near this type of talk - Gooch or BB?

The question asked was who would you buy - Gooch is over 30, so I wouldn't waste a fortune on him, and the same goes for Brogan. As Omar will tell you, buy low and sell high!

I mentioned McBrearty as he is also a young forward. I agree that he isn't yet as good as Clarke, but I wouldn't be surprised if he was the better of the 2 in a few years. He's still only 19.

Thomas Clarke wrote:

Parouisa wrote:

Thomas Clarke wrote:Clarke's slight frame means that he can be marked out of a game,

...............................................

How highly do we rate Patrick McBrearty? Would he enter this type of conversation?

Not sure about that - I think he has that wiry type of frame that is very hard to mark! I think I would pick Jamie just because of his unpredictability and natural skill. IMO P McBrearty wouldn't be near this type of talk - Gooch or BB?

The question asked was who would you buy - Gooch is over 30, so I wouldn't waste a fortune on him, and the same goes for Brogan. As Omar will tell you, buy low and sell high!

I mentioned McBrearty as he is also a young forward. I agree that he isn't yet as good as Clarke, but I wouldn't be surprised if he was the better of the 2 in a few years. He's still only 19.

Gooch is on the way down the hill i think the other two i mentioned are on the way up. As for Brogan knowing the goings on in Dublin footballing circles with payments to players etc i would think Brogan is owned by some third party a la Tevez and Mascherano so he couldnt be bought anyway.

bocerty wrote:I mentioned McBrearty as he is also a young forward. I agree that he isn't yet as good as Clarke, but I wouldn't be surprised if he was the better of the 2 in a few years. He's still only 19.

Gooch is on the way down the hill i think the other two i mentioned are on the way up. As for Brogan knowing the goings on in Dublin footballing circles with payments to players etc i would think Brogan is owned by some third party a la Tevez and Mascherano so he couldnt be bought anyway.[/quote]

I would think Kilkenny is one I wouldn't swap for no-one!

Harsh on BB comparing him with Tevez and Maserchano!!! Jaysus he's much much better looking!!

Parouisa wrote:
I would think Kilkenny is one I wouldn't swap for no-one!

I haven't seen enough of him to say that, but what I have seen is impressive.

We have 3-4 talented inside forwards in Tyrone, who between them wouldn't have more than 2 hours of championship experience. I'm talking about Kyle Coney, Ronan O'Neill, Darren McCurry and Conor McAliskey (O'Neill, just finding his way back after a cruciate injury last March, is particularly talented, and I'd be loathe to swap him for any other U21 in the country). If a couple of them can start to deliver this year, it will be a huge boost for our summer prospects.

One big problem with Jamie Clarke, I have yet to see him perform for a full match.

Very tight Division and even the scoring differences are minimal. Westmeath with 3 wins and a draw have a difference of just +5!

GAA-Fan wrote:One big problem with Jamie Clarke, I have yet to see him perform for a full match.

with talent like his he doesnt need too!!!!

watched Derry and Armagh last night and while it was exciting stuff with some great scores it was very niave open football at times and the big guns like Dublin and Donegal would destroy both sides - it was gung ho football at its best, it was almost as if both teams had come to some agreement before hand - you score one we'll score two!!!!

How there wasnt a goal i dont know. Kielt and Clarke both knocked over some amazing scores Clarke only started hitting the frees when Aaron Kernan went off, his first effort was sublime of the outside of his left boot.

I thought Derry and Armagh was a good game. Naive, yes, but entertaining.

Armagh have become a long ball side again, while Derry have been reinvented as the nation's foremost scoring machine. James Kielt was excellent, but neither of these teams will be around in mid-August.

Well done to Westmeath, and in particular their manager Pat Flanagan. Flanagan was criticised last spring by some Westmeath supporters, and even on Twitter by a couple of players. People forgot that he was missing the Garrycastle contingent but, with a full panel this year, he has led his county back to division 1.

I'm also impressed with the job that Brian McIvor is doing in Derry. I thought they might struggle this year, but he has them fit, hungry and scoring plenty.

As an interesting aside, there are 3 Tyrone men currently managing intercounty sides, and all 3 are at the top of their divisions (or in promotion place).

Really thought Armagh were on there way to division 3 a few weeks ago. They really put in a good performance to keep themselves in D2. However, I also have to question Galway's interest in the game. Not to worry though, Armagh were able to draw and narrowly lose to the division winners in the end.

GAA-Fan wrote:Really thought Armagh were on there way to division 3 a few weeks ago. They really put in a good performance to keep themselves in D2. However, I also have to question Galway's interest in the game. Not to worry though, Armagh were able to draw and narrowly lose to the division winners in the end.

A good result when it as needed, GF. Yes, perhaps it was helped by Galway having little to play for, but you still put up a good score. Being in division 3 would have done Armagh little favours, so well done on surviving.

Hopefully we can win at the weekend, the first of 3 senior football titles coming to Derry this year! ;-)

bald eagle wrote:Hopefully we can win at the weekend, the first of 3 senior football titles coming to Derry this year! ;-)

It would be the first of 1, BE, but it would be a great step in the right direction all the same! Fair play to McIvor, the right man at the right time. After Brennan, Derry could easily have slid out the bottom of division 2, but the Tyrone man has got them fit and organised, and I'm very pleased to see it. Westmeath will be a tough opponent on Sunday, and I'm really looking forward to the game.

Is he not a Derry man?