Qualifier System 2013....

I would the rank the eight as follows.


1.Tyrone (the best of bunch will be fully focused after the last game)
2. Kildare (up and running again they love the back door route)
3. Derry (two good wins under their belts will fancy their chances against anyone)
4. Laois (off the back of two big wins reached the last eight last year)
5. Armagh (if paired with Cavan again i think they will win)
6. Cavan (have just beaten another div 3 team not many in round 3 they will beat)
7 Galway (will be hoping for Wexford at home as the rest will probably beat them)
8. Wexford (end of the road for them and can't see them repeating 2008)

People are starting to back Derry, this worries me somewhat!

Gaa_lover wrote:I would the rank the eight as follows.


1.Tyrone (the best of bunch will be fully focused after the last game)
2. Kildare (up and running again they love the back door route)
3. Derry (two good wins under their belts will fancy their chances against anyone)
4. Laois  (off the back of two big wins reached the last eight last year)
5. Armagh (if paired with Cavan again i think they will win)
6. Cavan (have just beaten another div 3 team not many in round 3 they will beat)
7 Galway  (will be hoping for Wexford at home as the rest will probably beat them)
8. Wexford (end of the road for them and can't see them repeating 2008)

I'd switch Armagh and Laois, simply because i think that Armagh have more heart in them. Outside of that, I'd pretty much concur.

From a Tyrone perspective, I'd welcome a home draw now. Of our last 9 championship matches, 7 have been away, and 2 at a neutral venue, so I think we're owed one at this stage! i wouldn't particularly fancy Derry, given the rivalry, and probably would pass on Kildare and Armagh also.

Laois at home would be nice - big enough tie to focus the minds, but a threat that we should be able to get past.

Having said that, this has Derry/Tyrone and Armagh/Cavan written all over it.

GAA-Fan wrote:Armagh's defence is still going to be torn to shreds once we go up against decent opposition. I will take these wins for now and worry about that later on.

Armagh deserve a lot of credit. They have responded to the stinging criticism that they received in a great manner, and Grimley's reputation as a motivator looks to be well-founded.

As focused and determined as Armagh were, however, the reverse must be said for the 2 sides that they beat. Wicklow scoring 2 points was a disgrace, and Leitrim too must have been very low on organisation/pride to concede 8 goals. Armagh are a fit, committed side, but they shouldn't be beating anyone by cricket scores.

I may have said this before on here, in my opinion I really do think that Armagh have the right unit of players on the team and Grimley is a good motivator, but I want to see what the team and management will be like when they have to make decisions under pressure.

Armagh shouldn't be racking up cricket scores for sure, they have scored 10-34 and conceded 0-12 (10f) in the last two games. I am quite surprised that in both matches they weren't happy just to win they just kept on attacking - never even seen that style with the old Armagh even though they had both games won after the first 10 minutes. On the plus side It is going to put a lot of confidence in to this team (very much needed) but it might be a bit too much confidence. I think Armagh are going to get Kildare in the next round even though I would like another crack at Cavan, I am very wary of the 'revenge' mentality. However that particular match up could drive the team on further.

GAA-Fan wrote:I may have said this before on here, in my opinion I really do think that Armagh have the right unit of players on the team...

GF, what exactly do you mean when you say that?  Right unit to make Q-finals?  Semis?  Win AI?  Win Ulster titles?  Be a division 1 team?

How much talent is there in that squad?

Thomas Clarke wrote:

GAA-Fan wrote:I may have said this before on here, in my opinion I really do think that Armagh have the right unit of players on the team...

GF, what exactly do you mean when you say that?  Right unit to make Q-finals?  Semis?  Win AI?  Win Ulster titles?  Be a division 1 team?

How much talent is there in that squad?

Under previous managements Peter McDonnell and Paddy O'Rourke the management selected players that would do the job in those positions, usually older players like Billy Joe, Mal Mackin who didn't really have a long term future with the squad. As you may remember TC, Grimley came in and told all the older players they are no longer needed so he could establish a team for the future. Grimley has very good knowledge of club football in Armagh and he knows which players are suited to the senior team, and I think he has done a very good job bringing in these new players. Look at Harold for example, this is his first season and already he is establishing himself in MF with Lavery. Furthermore, Grimley has established some healthy competition for places in the squad. I am still unsure about Grimley's tactical abilities, and I admit I was fuming at him after the Cavan game but he has restored some confidence back in the fans and the squad and hopefully he isn't as tactically naive again.

Now I don't think Armagh will be challenging much in the next 2-3 seasons but there seems to be some sort of a team emerging for the future and they are going to need time to mature. I am very well aware that Armagh have not beaten any of the bigger teams yet but the way they are going about their performances as of late have been encouraging. Also, they have won games inside the first ten minutes and beaten teams well, if this was the old Armagh team we would probably have struggled against Wicklow like we did a few years back.

GAA-Fan wrote:

Thomas Clarke wrote:

GAA-Fan wrote:I may have said this before on here, in my opinion I really do think that Armagh have the right unit of players on the team...

GF, what exactly do you mean when you say that?  Right unit to make Q-finals?  Semis?  Win AI?  Win Ulster titles?  Be a division 1 team?

How much talent is there in that squad?

Now I don't think Armagh will be challenging much in the next 2-3 seasons but there seems to be some sort of a team emerging for the future and they are going to need time to mature.

You see, I look at those 2 comments, GF, and I see a contradiction. You say they have the right unit of players, but then that they won't challenge for much for the next 2-3 years.

I'm not disagreeing that Armagh will be a reasonable side for the next few years - I'm interested to see how you currently rate them in terms of talent, and what you think reasonable expectations are for the rest of this summer?

I never thought Armagh were going to win anything this year and still don't. I didn't even think they would get to the Ulster Final.

Armagh are not going to win anything this year, that is a fact. What I mean by the right unit of players is that this looks like a team that can challenge in the future. Surely that is the only way it can be looked at, especially when Armagh have done f**k all in 5 years.

Now rating them on talent right now is a tricky question. They haven't met any of the middling/top teams and were beat by Cavan who are on there way up. Cavan had it very easy the last time they met, next time they wouldn't have the same amount of space afforded to them by Grimley's tactics. Not saying Armagh would beat them but it would be a lot closer than last time out.

Armagh are probably one of the lower ranked teams left in this years championship but are definitely capable of beating the likes of Derry, Meath, Monaghan, Cavan, Galway. Tyrone and Kildare I wouldn't fancy us against and anyone else would comfortably see Armagh out of the championship.

GAA-Fan wrote:

Armagh are probably one of the lower ranked teams left in this years championship but are definitely capable of beating the likes of Derry, Meath, Monaghan, Cavan, Galway. Tyrone and Kildare I wouldn't fancy us against and anyone else would comfortably see Armagh out of the championship.

I think that is very fair.

I'm not sure if Armagh will climb back to the very top of the hill over the next couple of years, but they have certainly found something that they can build on.

Thomas Clarke wrote:

Gaa_lover wrote:I would the rank the eight as follows.


1.Tyrone (the best of bunch will be fully focused after the last game)
2. Kildare (up and running again they love the back door route)
3. Derry (two good wins under their belts will fancy their chances against anyone)
4. Laois  (off the back of two big wins reached the last eight last year)
5. Armagh (if paired with Cavan again i think they will win)
6. Cavan (have just beaten another div 3 team not many in round 3 they will beat)
7 Galway  (will be hoping for Wexford at home as the rest will probably beat them)
8. Wexford (end of the road for them and can't see them repeating 2008)

I'd switch Armagh and Laois, simply because i think that Armagh have more heart in them.  Outside of that, I'd pretty much concur.  

I probably would also however the last few games Laois beat Armagh.

Laois and Armagh are very even but Laois would just edge it. They beat a weakened Armagh team in the league, likewise last year but they also had a nice run in the qualifiers last year.