Monaghan vs Armagh

Definitely the pick of the games. Shame that one of these two have to go out at such an early stage in the championship. Its going to be very similiar to Armagh v Tyrone but experience will show through for Armagh hopefully. We should also have CV back and that would be a huge boost. Armagh's main downfall is their manager, they will use the wrong tactics in the first half but then change in the second half. We put in a decent enough performace against Tyrone but thats not us nowhere near our best.

This game will show where Armagh are at. If they win then the future is bright for Armagh. If we go out it is the end.

Huge blow for Monaghan as they will be missing Freeman and will really need to improve on their performance against Derry, if they dont they may well be in a huge heap of trouble. Its going to be a very tough and physical encounter especially when one of these teams will be playing again a week later.

Whoever wins this one, it will be a huge boost for them in the qualifiers.
Best of luck to both teams - but more so to Armagh

We've beaten Armagh without Tommy already this year, once more should be no bother!

Awful draw for us and it's a shame one of the two will be knocked out so early, but that's the nature of the qualifiers I suppose. A home draw for us means nothing now, Armagh are as used to Clones as we are. It will be an interesting battle and hopefully we can put up a big performance to get through. All on the day though. We've beat Armagh in the league the last two years but the last championship meeting was in 2006 when Armagh won after a replay. Alot has happened since then and it'll be interesting to see who comes out on top. Armagh will be going in as favourites.

I stole 2 fat frogs last night in bundoran and gave one to tommy freeman but he didn't want it. Neither did damien

mid-mon man wrote:We've beaten Armagh without Tommy already this year, once more should be no bother!

We never had the Cross players

Dont expect this one to be easy. I just cant wait to see how Armagh cope. Monaghan have been progressing a lot better than Armagh recently and if we can win this one we will know where we are.

Yeah the thing with first round qualifiers is that the response is key, if you aren't up for it you may go home. Now the Division 4 teams are back in the mix the likes of Donegal and Meath can ease back into it given the games they have(no disrespect to Carlow or Waterford), but in this match both teams are going to have to be fully up for it.

It's an interesting one though, it's true that the winner will gain great confidence after a good win, but it's a very tough game early on compared to some of the others. The qualifiers is a long road with alot of games in quick succession, and if they're all tough ones then it would be hard to keep it up week after week. Knowing the luck of both teams in the qualifiers the last few years, the winner will probably get either Kerry or Derry!

mid-mon man wrote:Yeah the thing with first round qualifiers is that the response is key, if you aren't up for it you may go home. Now the Division 4 teams are back in the mix the likes of Donegal and Meath can ease back into it given the games they have(no disrespect to Carlow or Waterford), but in this match both teams are going to have to be fully up for it.

It's an interesting one though, it's true that the winner will gain great confidence after a good win, but it's a very tough game early on compared to some of the others. The qualifiers is a long road with alot of games in quick succession, and if they're all tough ones then it would be hard to keep it up week after week. Knowing the luck of both teams in the qualifiers the last few years, the winner will probably get either Kerry or Derry!

After today, id be extremerly happy to get Derry. We owe them one as do Monaghan.
It will be a long road, but no matter who wins this one they will be featuring in the last 8 but can see them getting successive ulster teams. That would probarbly benefit Armagh more than Monaghan.

Aye we do owe them one alright, and were our paths to cross again I'd be confident enough to be honest, but nevertheless they're still one of the toughest teams going in that second round and IF we were to beat Armagh(big if), I'd rather an easier one after a tough one! We owe Kerry more than one but despite their problems I still wouldn't want a bit of them!

Less than two weeks til the first round now, that time will fly by. Banty and Marty may get the heads down pronto!

GAA-Fan wrote:

mid-mon man wrote:Yeah the thing with first round qualifiers is that the response is key, if you aren't up for it you may go home. Now the Division 4 teams are back in the mix the likes of Donegal and Meath can ease back into it given the games they have(no disrespect to Carlow or Waterford), but in this match both teams are going to have to be fully up for it.

It's an interesting one though, it's true that the winner will gain great confidence after a good win, but it's a very tough game early on compared to some of the others. The qualifiers is a long road with alot of games in quick succession, and if they're all tough ones then it would be hard to keep it up week after week. Knowing the luck of both teams in the qualifiers the last few years, the winner will probably get either Kerry or Derry!

After today, id be extremerly happy to get Derry. We owe them one as do Monaghan.
It will be a long road, but no matter who wins this one they will be featuring in the last 8 but can see them getting successive ulster teams. That would probarbly benefit Armagh more than Monaghan.

Hell hath no fury like a Derry team scorned....remember after Monaghan took the hand out of us in 07? Derry were in Croker in August and Big Joe was packing his bags after we beat use in Clones. So I wouldn't write us off just yet,I know we were **** today I'd say Antrim and Cavan could have taken that Derry team in the final. We still have a lot of players to come back. I'm not even confident about anything any more, all the hopes and aspirations from a couple of weeks ago have just crumbled. I hope we get a kind draw in the qualifiers and stay away from the Armagh/Monaghan winners.

Believe me, you have nothing to fear from Armagh at the moment. They arent what they once were and havent beaten any big teams lately. They came close to Tyrone but thats about it. Once again the threat will be McDonnell, Clarke, Mallon, Henderson and O'Rouke, the only confidence I take from that is that Tyrone had difficulties handling them in patches so Monaghan might really struggle with the forwards. Our backs arent to bad but not great. Midfield really suprised me, and with Vernon back they are only going to get stronger.

[quote="Bright-Oak I hope we get a kind draw in the qualifiers and stay away from the Armagh/Monaghan winners.[/quote]

Niamh love, 'tis away from the likes of spirited teams like Leitrim you should be hoping for...

No offence to you Niamh but today Derry were mediocre and Tyrone werent that great either. When Derry come up against a physical playing team Derry wont stand a chance.

Living in the past is never a good thing either.

GAA-Fan wrote:Armagh's main downfall is their manager, they will use the wrong tactics in the first half but then change in the second half.

Are you a fortune teller?

GAA-Fan wrote:No offence to you Niamh but today Derry were mediocre and Tyrone werent that great either. When Derry come up against a physical playing team Derry wont stand a chance.

Living in the past is never a good thing either.

Hmmm, and Armagh don't do that?

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:

GAA-Fan wrote:Armagh's main downfall is their manager, they will use the wrong tactics in the first half but then change in the second half.

Are you a fortune teller?

He has a history of making decisions too late. Armagh u21's vs Cork u21's a few years ago, we were getting hammered at half time 0-11 to 0-3 then we ended up losing the game by a sngle point. Last year against Wexford, instead of brining on Oisin he decided to bring on a half back. Its always the same with him.

GAA-Fan wrote:

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:

GAA-Fan wrote:Armagh's main downfall is their manager, they will use the wrong tactics in the first half but then change in the second half.

Are you a fortune teller?

He has a history of making decisions too late. Armagh u21's vs Cork u21's a few years ago, we were getting hammered at half time 0-11 to 0-3 then we ended up losing the game by a sngle point. Last year against Wexford, instead of brining on Oisin he decided to bring on a half back. Its always the same with him.

It can't always be the manager's fault. Blaming the manager is just another way of saying the players aren't good enough.

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:

GAA-Fan wrote:

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:

GAA-Fan wrote:Armagh's main downfall is their manager, they will use the wrong tactics in the first half but then change in the second half.

Are you a fortune teller?

He has a history of making decisions too late. Armagh u21's vs Cork u21's a few years ago, we were getting hammered at half time 0-11 to 0-3 then we ended up losing the game by a sngle point. Last year against Wexford, instead of brining on Oisin he decided to bring on a half back. Its always the same with him.

It can't always be the manager's fault. Blaming the manager is just another way of saying the players aren't good enough.

Nope, manager can be blamed. He has decent enough players at his disposal he just uses the wrong tactics time and time again.

Blaming the manager for your shortcomings will only lead to more shortcomings.

Its a pointless exercise.

Your blaming the manager for turning an eight point defecit into one, dosen't make sense.

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:Blaming the manager for your shortcomings will only lead to more shortcomings.

Its a pointless exercise.

Your blaming the manager for turning an eight point defecit into one, dosen't make sense.

If he had made the changes ealier they wouldnt have had to claw there way back into the game. Common sense really, and he is persistent with making decisions too late. The players obviously talented enough to take points in games so tatics is the only thins that has to be looked at.

GAA-Fan wrote:

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:Blaming the manager for your shortcomings will only lead to more shortcomings.

Its a pointless exercise.

Your blaming the manager for turning an eight point defecit into one, dosen't make sense.

If he had made the changes ealier they wouldnt have had to claw there way back into the game.

Would you not say the "changes" were a stroke of genius by the manager?

What are Armagh's right tactics anyway? Clarke and McDonnell, two man full-forward line and spray the ball to them I suppose? What is the manager doing wrong so?

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:

GAA-Fan wrote:

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:Blaming the manager for your shortcomings will only lead to more shortcomings.

Its a pointless exercise.

Your blaming the manager for turning an eight point defecit into one, dosen't make sense.

If he had made the changes ealier they wouldnt have had to claw there way back into the game.

Would you not say the "changes" were a stroke of genius by the manager?

What are Armagh's right tactics anyway? Clarke and McDonnell, two man full-forward line and spray the ball to them I suppose? What is the manager doing wrong so?

He makes these stroke of genius changes when his previos genius like tactics arent working. Its nice to see that he has ideas but from now on he has to make things happen from the go. As for the full forward line thats the only place Armagh are really strong so why not

I have decided that I am going to go to the Armagh match, if anyone can get me tickets (ill pay for them of course) it will be appreciated.

GAA-Fan wrote:No offence to you Niamh but today Derry were mediocre and Tyrone werent that great either. When Derry come up against a physical playing team Derry wont stand a chance.

Living in the past is never a good thing either.

I'm not living in the past, I am saying that it isn't impossible to regroup after a heavy defeat. No offence taken at all, I wouldn't call them mediocre I would call them piss poor, Tyrone were in 3rd gear going through the motions.

When Derry come up against a physical playing team Derry wont stand a chance.

Are you for real? Monaghan and Tyrone are two of the most physical teams in the country apart from maybe Cork and Armagh!

Bright-Oak wrote:

GAA-Fan wrote:No offence to you Niamh but today Derry were mediocre and Tyrone werent that great either. When Derry come up against a physical playing team Derry wont stand a chance.

Living in the past is never a good thing either.

I'm not living in the past, I am saying that it isn't impossible to regroup after a heavy defeat. No offence taken at all, I wouldn't call them mediocre I would call them piss poor, Tyrone were in 3rd gear going through the motions.

When Derry come up against a physical playing team Derry wont stand a chance.

Are you for real? Monaghan and Tyrone are two of the most physical teams in the country apart from maybe Cork and Armagh!

Well lets not get into the Derry and Monaghan debate, we all know what happened there.

Tyrone are a physical team and it was proven today that Derry could cope, I remember the commentator saying that Derry had only scored 1 point in the second half. I wouldnt even say Armagh are physical anymore apart from 5 or 6 players. However I did have Cork in mind when I said this, but then again most teams will find it difficult to match Cork physically.

Hopefully JP is fit(no reason why he won't be, but he's had trouble this year) and he'll be on Clarke, Dessie on McDonnell probably and McArdle on Henderson(he'll be in the other corner yeah?). Dessie has been our specialist man marker and is usually on the opposition danger corner-forward, but Strimmer is in great form and if Dessie's having trouble with Stevie I'd be very confident of McArdle's ability to do a job aswell. Still the selection question though if JP is fit, where do you put Vinny? I've said it before numerous times but he needs to start wing-back. He's too restricted in the full-back line and his driving runs forward spur us on no end. Even against Derry where he was full-back he drove forward on his own twice, winning frees in scorable positions.

We will need big performances from Finlay and Woods. Both will have to considerably step up their game from how they played against Derry, and will need to take on the responsibility up front fully in Tommy's absence. We'll also need improved performances from the younger lads like McManus, Donwey, Hanratty etc. but hopefully these fellas will thrive on the challenge and step up to the plate. I'm confident in our ability at the back, but it will be interesting to see how things are set up up front. And then of course, you've the issue in midfield where Eoin Lennon has been badly off form. I'm confident he'll now be much improved seeing as he's not travelling home from Liverpool every week which would drain you no end. And hopefully nothing more happens to Dick as, for all the bad press he's been getting and sh*t he was involved in with Doherty, he's had a great season so far and has been running midfield for us.

There's alot to consider but we've had a long time since the Derry game to regroup and look at things. I'm confident Banty, Marty and co. will have sussed things out and will have the team well set up for another crack at the qualifiers. It's a shitty draw but you have to play with the cards you're dealt!

GAA-Fan wrote:

Bright-Oak wrote:

GAA-Fan wrote:No offence to you Niamh but today Derry were mediocre and Tyrone werent that great either. When Derry come up against a physical playing team Derry wont stand a chance.

Living in the past is never a good thing either.

I'm not living in the past, I am saying that it isn't impossible to regroup after a heavy defeat. No offence taken at all, I wouldn't call them mediocre I would call them piss poor, Tyrone were in 3rd gear going through the motions.

When Derry come up against a physical playing team Derry wont stand a chance.

Are you for real? Monaghan and Tyrone are two of the most physical teams in the country apart from maybe Cork and Armagh!

Well lets not get into the Derry and Monaghan debate, we all know what happened there.

Tyrone are a physical team and it was proven today that Derry could cope, I remember the commentator saying that Derry had only scored 1 point in the second half. I wouldnt even say Armagh are physical anymore apart from 5 or 6 players. However I did have Cork in mind when I said this, but then again most teams will find it difficult to match Cork physically.

You are missing the point, Derry problem was they they had no scoring forwards when PB is tied up, our full back line held arguably their 3 most dangerous players to just 2 points, Diver and Hughes I would say won almost 50/50 ball in the middle of the park.

If you read my post on the analysis of todays game I don't have red tinted glasses on and I'm calling it how it was, our forwards were ****. Tyrone won the scoring battle, but the physical battle was evenly matched bar the forwards. Admin, your just seeing what you want to see.