Championship 2020

Up_the_town

New Member
Looking at the league you would have to fancy Keady. The only team to come close to them was Middletown and they beat them by 7 points. Keady and Middletown both had a few players missing. Although I expect a close encounter this weekend. I think if Keady keep their discipline they will win by 2-3 points. They seem to have a younger fitter team which I think was the difference when these 2 played in the football a few weeks ago.

Good to see 5 teams in the senior championship this year. This can only be a good thing for Armagh hurling and club hurling. It means more competitive matches and I think it will push each club on, making clubs stronger and Armagh hurling stronger. I'd still be in favour of a group type championship allowing each team to play each other once. Although I know this would be hard to do with some clubs having a lot of dual players and this would mean trying to squeeze more games into the season.
 

Beano8

New Member
Great to see more teams playing senior level.

I wouldnt be using the league form though to predict the winner as both these teams wouldnnt have played full strength. In my opinion I am going to give middletown the nod as I think experience is key and if they have the full team to select from can cause keady problems. Ultimately a big favourite going out at the first hurdle then meeting derrynoose in the semi final wont be easy.

Sean Treacys vs cuchulianns will be an interesting game I think
 

Up_the_town

New Member
I think it's the most open championship we've had for quite some time which will be good. Most teams will have to fancy their chances of winning the championship. Derrynoose could be dark horses for the championship and I do think the winner will come from this side of the draw.

Middletown won't be easy beat. They are a big strong team and will have experience on their side. They just looked slow when I watched them and Keady in the football a few weeks ago. Maybe they had players carrying knocks or maybe age just isn't on their side.

Keady have a lot of young good hurlers which I don't think will allow Middletown time on the ball. Winning the championship 2 years ago will stand to these players as well. They have the players to dominate the championship for the next few years.

Being a derby game and all that should make this a great game.

Goals wins games is the last thing I'll say.
 

Beano8

New Member
Yes I do agree with you. I feel this game will come down to the match ups. So interested to see who lines out on who Sunday
 

spiritof98

New Member
Took in the junior game today, very impressed by Killeavy if I’m honest. Really silky up front and put a determined st malachys to the sword. They will be a handful for any team this year. Niall Strain a clunker of a hurler.

expected keady to win the senior but that Middletown team is very experienced and have proven time and again they can produce it in the big day.

looking forward to the cuchulainns semi finals in junior and Senior,
 

Up_the_town

New Member
The match report is spot on. I think the best team won and it just looked like Middletown wanted it more.

The match didn't live up to expectations but I think that was more to do with the ref and not the standard of hurling. It was a free taking competition. Any tackle or clash of sticks he blew his whistle. You could see players on both teams getting very frustrated with the stop starting of the game. You could hear players on both teams shouting FFS Noel let it go.
I know its a derby game and all that but you have to let the game go. I'd say 70% of the frees that he blew weren't actually frees.

It had the potential to be a great game but unfortunately Noel made the game about him and not the 2 teams involved.
 

Joe Bloggs

New Member
It seems like most people were tipping keady for the win because of their youth and league form but I suppose you can't write off the defending champions based on league form. Mtown are experienced and have a lot of miles on the clock so they'd have probably rested a lot of men during the league. The game was very stop/start probably for the most part due to the referee being whistle happy as opposed to playing the advantage a bit more etc. Overall i think the best team won on the day. Will Middletown go all the way now?
 

spiritof98

New Member
The match report is spot on. I think the best team won and it just looked like Middletown wanted it more.

The match didn't live up to expectations but I think that was more to do with the ref and not the standard of hurling. It was a free taking competition. Any tackle or clash of sticks he blew his whistle. You could see players on both teams getting very frustrated with the stop starting of the game. You could hear players on both teams shouting FFS Noel let it go.
I know its a derby game and all that but you have to let the game go. I'd say 70% of the frees that he blew weren't actually frees.

It had the potential to be a great game but unfortunately Noel made the game about him and not the 2 teams involved.

I have been involved with hurling in armagh now 20 plus years and this has always been a problem. What frustrates most players is they see simple clashes of the hurl being blown up and then they watch a game on TV on a sunday and lads are hanging out of the back of each other. I remember one county semi final and the ref threw the ball in at 20 times. I always liked to see Sam McClatchy come because he let the thing go. yes things can get out of hand and any wild strokes need punished but so far the game is ref'd up here like a different sport.
 

Beano8

New Member
Yeah going to agree the other semi finals should be interesting what do we think here ?

No team should be wrote off due to league campaign as they are dress rehearsal for championship. Middletown just had that bit of experience. Seemed they dropped Paul Gaff back on keady puc outs which made it a battle on their half back line keady couldnt utilise the speed and space in full forward. Ref was poor that day in my opinion wasnt alot let go tbh. Regardless Middletown will take the win and face Derrynoose
 

Up_the_town

New Member
I totally agree. Teams in Armagh are playing at a different level than even 10 years ago. Hurling is faster and of a higher standard. I just don't think the standard of refs in Armagh have moved with the times.

Cuchulainn are playing in the Antrim league and the standard of referee is completely different
Keady have played in Intermediate Ulster and Senior Ulster and the referee is of a completely different standard
Middletown have been playing Intermediate Ulster, Senior Ulster, Intermediate All Ireland and again the difference of refereeing compared to Armagh refs is massive.
Lurgan & Derrynoose have also been playing in Ulster and I'm sure their players would have noticed a big difference in refereeeing.

Any time I have watched any of the above teams play in Ulster they seem to be lost at the pace of the game because it isn't stop start like it is in Armagh. They don't get frees as easy and before any of the above teams get up to the pace of the game, unfortunately its too late.
 

Up_the_town

New Member
Craobh Rua v Middletown = This should be a good game. Craobh Rua finished top of the league which will stand to them. Middletown have a good young team coming through. I'll take Middletown by a point.
Derrynoose v Middletown = Again this should be another good game. 2 big strong teams. I just hope the ref lets it go and we get to see a great game of hurling. Goals win games and going by the amount of chances Middletown had against Keady, I'll take them by 2 points.
Killeavy v Cuchulainn = Cuchulainn have a lot of young good players coming through. They should have enough to win this by a comfortable mragin.
Cuchulainn v Sean Treacy's = I think this will be a tight game for 30 mins or so. If Cuchulainn can keep Danny under wraps they could win this easy. They have good strength and depth in their team. I'll take Cuchulainn win by 8 points

Is any of the above games being covered by Armagh tv?
 

Big Jim

Well-Known Member
Craobh Rua v Middletown = This should be a good game. Craobh Rua finished top of the league which will stand to them. Middletown have a good young team coming through. I'll take Middletown by a point.
Derrynoose v Middletown = Again this should be another good game. 2 big strong teams. I just hope the ref lets it go and we get to see a great game of hurling. Goals win games and going by the amount of chances Middletown had against Keady, I'll take them by 2 points.
Killeavy v Cuchulainn = Cuchulainn have a lot of young good players coming through. They should have enough to win this by a comfortable mragin.
Cuchulainn v Sean Treacy's = I think this will be a tight game for 30 mins or so. If Cuchulainn can keep Danny under wraps they could win this easy. They have good strength and depth in their team. I'll take Cuchulainn win by 8 points

Is any of the above games being covered by Armagh tv?
It's unlikely that any of the Sunday games will be covered with them doing the Senior Football final live. Poor timing from fixtures on that one to be fair. I'll never give them any criticism as they do a thankless job really well, but they maybe dropped the ball on this one, so to speak!
 

Up_the_town

New Member
My predictions weren't up to much 2 out of 4 :eek:

Well done Craobh Rua. Well deserved winners. Both teams started slow but second half Craobh Rua came out flying. Used the wind very well and took a lot of excellent scores from distance. They will be hard to beat in the final if they can produce that quality of hurling again.

Second game was brilliant and probably one of the best games I've watched in the Armagh hurling champions for a number of years. It had a bit of everything in it. I think I need to first of all say well done to the referee who let the game flow and allowed for a brilliant game of hurling to develop. I don't think the score line reflected the game.
Middletown started of well and got an early goal. Derrynoose however came straight back at them with a goal and a number of frees and where unlucky to go in a point down at the break.

Derrynoose came out second half and took a lot of quality scores and got another great goal. Fox seemed to be running the show for Derrynoose and involved in every forward attack. Although that was about it from him and Derrynoose. With 6 points up with 20 minutes left and to lose by 10 is quite the turnaround. Credit to Middletown who didn't panic. Ryan Gaffney was brilliant and involved in most of Middletown attacks. I think he might of got 2 goals as well.

Credit to both teams. Was a joy to watch and unfortunately I think Armagh TV missed a trick in streaming this game. Would of been great for the 2 clubs involved, any neutrals and for Armagh hurling in general. Just glad I was able to watch it :)

I didn't make any games on the Sunday, hurling or football:( Any reports on them?
 

John Hogg

Member
Any predictions for the finals?

First one should be a good battle, Craobh Rua have had a strong league campaign and had a good win over Middletown Seconds in the semi, but Killeavy also had an impressive win over a fancied Cuchulainns side. This one could go down to the wire and I wouldn't rule out a draw.

Middletown and Cuchulainns also reached the senior final after two good semi final wins, Cuchulainns much too strong for Lurgan and were good value for their win, Middletown albeit after a scare from Derrynoose came good in the end, they will have to improve on that performance but fancy Middletown to get over the line by 2.
 
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