Armagh vs Monaghan 6/6/10

Do Armagh have home advantage?

Yeah, with the Athletic Grounds unavailable Armagh get to nominate a ground. Seeing as Clones would be too convenient for both teams I expect ye to drag us to Casement!

You never know. Armagh are well acquainted with Clones, but then again Monaghan would have the bulk of support. The manager wouldnt like that.

I will be gutted if it is at Casement. Im not going to be at uni on the 6th and it would be a short journey away from Queens

Well it being in Clones wouldn't hamper Armagh in the slightest, it's nearly more of a home to Armagh than Monaghan over the last number of years. But if Armagh were to be sly they could move it north to spite us!

Should be a very interesting game, what with the qualifier game last year and Grimley on board with us now. Ronan Clarke will be back I presume and hopefully we will have a full panel of players to pick from. Eoin Lennon is the big doubt as he's struggled with injury for many months at this stage, and a few of our county players in the club are carrying niggling injuries at the minute, hopefully all are fit for the game in 3 weeks time.

Indeed it is going to be very interesting. Could enjoy last years game [although it wasnt interesting anyway] because of chickenpox. Anyway back to this year, I think this is going to be a lot like Derry match, both teams playing defensive football, the Armagh defence have proved themselves yet again that they can limit a forward lines capabilities.

Monaghan however have the experience, they have strength and they have Grimley. He is going to have Monaghan in tip top condition and he has worked with Armagh's best 2 forwards allow the Monaghan defence to limit them.

Im going for a draw again!

Confirmed for Casement.

Not long left now, really looking forward to it, even though our preparations haven't been the best. A few niggling injuries not cleared up yet and two of our better young performers in the league, Dermot Malone and Colm Greenan, are ruled out. Both would have been in strong contention for a starting spot so it's disappointing.

This is an absolute must-win for us, a loss and you'll see a few retirements aswell as a change of management at the end of the year. Last chance saloon for an Ulster I reckon, but it's going to be very tough against a resurgent Armagh side with Stevie back to his best. Should be interesting viewing, and I think it might just be a better game than everyone is thinking.

MMM - any chance there was of this being an entertaining game of football has almost certainly being blown out of the water by the choice of referee!!!

A Tyrone man who is an absolute stickler for the rules so expect a stop start game with the main 'attraction' being the sound of his whistle.

You can expect plenty of yellows and at least 1 red!!!!

Getting the excuses in for a poor game early lads! I think I'll wash the hedgehog this Sunday so ...

Jayo Cluxton wrote:Getting the excuses in for a poor game early lads! I think I'll wash the hedgehog this Sunday so ...

i wouldnt crow JC i see that eejit Hughes from Armagh is doing the Kerry Cork game its unlikely to be any better.

bocerty wrote:MMM - any chance there was of this being an entertaining game of football has almost certainly being blown out of the water by the choice of referee!!!

A Tyrone man who is an absolute stickler for the rules so expect a stop start game with the main 'attraction' being the sound of his whistle.

You can expect plenty of yellows and at least 1 red!!!!

Aye just seen the ref after I posted that boc! Sludden will probably blow up for every little thing and the game won't get into any sort of flow at all. Pity as if this game had got a ref who let the game go I do feel we could have seen something alot better than what people were expecting!

bocerty wrote:

Jayo Cluxton wrote:Getting the excuses in for a poor game early lads! I think I'll wash the hedgehog this Sunday so ...

i wouldnt crow JC i see that eejit Hughes from Armagh is doing the Kerry Cork game its unlikely to be any better.

A nordie referee for a Kerry-Cork match! Thats the end of Munster football

This game should be a classic of its kind. Two bona fide Div 1 outfits with genuine aspirations to the Anglo-Celt Cup and beyond, no quarter will be asked, no quarter will be given. This game is likely to hinge on whether Dessie Mone can keep the threat from the evergreen Stevie McDonnell at bay, if Monaghan can contain the Killeavy man and if Ulster Football legend Dick Clerkin can use all his legendary guile and craft to keep the undoubted promise of Charlie Vernon in check then Monaghan have a real chance of taking the honours in the surprising venue of Casmond this coming Sunday. Failure however, on either score and it will be the men from the Orchard's who will be left standing tall at the end of what is likely to be as tough, hard hitting and uncompromizing an affair as we will see all Summer. I for one, cannot wait!

Not sure if failure on either score would mean certain defeat for us moss, certainly the Dessie-Stevie battle is pivotal. Stevie has no shortage of motivation after last year and he's in serious form. Dessie however hasn't played a competitive game in weeks and it's hard to tell what shape he'll be in for an in form McDonnell. Logic would say that Stevie will get the better of the this battle, and win it well, but it's hard to tell with Dessie sometimes.

Happy enough for that to be the focus, as I'm confident of our own forwards doing a job. I don't think it's all about us stopping Armagh to be honest.

Not long now MMM

How you feeling?

saw the ref walking about Omagh today with a smug look on his face wearing his referees polo shirt as if he was something important - which he thinks he is incidentally.

Was reading the Irish News and they done a 'ref watch' on him and they reckon he is the right man for spotting tactical fouls which both teams would be 'fond' off. All in all we can expect a stop start game unless both teams have changed tactics to accommodate the ref - which i doubt.

I think he was the man in the middle for the Armagh V Down league game this year, he flashed 13 yellows and 1 red!!!!!

GAA-Fan wrote:Not long now MMM

How you feeling?

Can't wait for the game now! Feeling a bit apprehensive but confident we can do it at the same time. It could go either way really so it's very hard to call.

Seen the teams named there, I'd be worried enough if we lined out the way it is at the minute but I can tell you now there'll be a change or two and many positional changes.

Have heard all sorts of rumours from across the border too about Armagh's selection; Ronan Clarke is fully fit, he's ruled out, or he'll be fit for 20 minutes; Henderson's off, Jamie Clarke's in, or Forker in etc. etc. Who knows who to believe.

Not looking forward to this trip up though, don't like travelling to Casement at the best of times but now there's these roadworks on the motorways at the Sprucefield Bridge, guaranteed to make travel to and from a nightmare. Won't care about the return trip as much if we take a victory home with us though! Here's hoping.

The ref really is going to ruin this game.

As for lineup's I would fully expect it to still be lose towards the end and would expect both clarke's to come on towards the end and wreak havoc on the Monaghan defence. Here is to hoping though!

North Korea and Monaghan have a lot in common!

Seems there a bit of a bull'n'cow in the Monaghan dressing room before a ball is kicked ... Not the way to prepare ...be interesting to see how they start ...

Stevie Mac

Superbly worked goal from the Farney, polished finish by Freaman. MqCuaid with a Paraic Joyce like ball inside to create the chance. Good open game of football so far. Armagh look much a better team in the early stages but that goal is a lifeline for MMMs shower.

Stevie Mc in awesome form. Good game so far. Some great tackling by Armagh.

Very entertaining. Armagh in real trouble. Down a man, cleaned out in the middle and four points behind. Stevie Mc can't do it if he gets no ball. They have it all to do.

Half time here in Casement, alot happier than I was on the opening 10 minutes. Good open game of football, take that Ulster-bashers.

Still worried about McDonnell as he's leading our boys a merry dance inside but we dealt with him alot better in the last 15 minutes, need to keep on top at midfield and get Tommy and Mansy into the game more.

Sludden is a joke with the cards though.