Hughes
McCambridge
McKay
McGrane
C O’Neill/McElroy
Forker
McCabe
Crealey
Mackin
Grugan
R O’Neill
Soupy
O O’Neill
Murnin
Conaty
That’d be my team for championship. 6 forwards that can score.
That's a good team on paper and while there is scoring power, it just wouldn't have the legs. Can you imagine that half forward line, Oisin O'Neill or Murnin having to track the flying machines Derry have in defence all over the field? It would be a disaster. I was worried after the first game of the league when I saw McElroy and Conor O'Neill starting in attack, as it looked very negative and that game was awful. But as the league went on, O'Neill moved into the half back line (and really just had freedom to get forward) and was one of our best attacking players, while McElroy has been quietly excellent. He doesn't score much but he links everything together very well and gets through a lot of the donkey work that needs done. If that team started we wouldn't have much scoring threat to come off the bench, which all teams need.
Yesterday was a disappointing performance and one that has reminded us of our past failures. I'll take McGeeney at his word when he said there was a bug in the camp, which would go some way to explaining the lacklustre performance. But when you've seen it so often before, you do think that it's a mix of the management getting their tactics wrong and the players being mentally weak when it comes to getting over the line in big games.
Midfield is a concern. Mackin and Crealy have very good qualities that you need for the position. They cover lots of ground, have a bit of nastiness about them and never shy away from winning a dirty ball. But they don't rule the air like you want your midfield to do and they don't affect the game enough whether on the scoreboard or making telling contributions throughout the game. Niall Grimley is probably our best fielder, but hasn't played a minute of the league which just baffles me. McPartlan has been unreal for Clann na Gael and has had some promising moments for Armagh, but I'd slightly question his mobility and speed which is so crucial in that position.
Hopefully we'll see Ethan Raffery and James Morgan back in the squad for the Championship. I wouldn't be dropping Blaine Hughes as he's performed well in the league and Rafferty hasn't done anything to warrant getting his place back. Same for Morgan. But they would both be quality additions to have in the squad and bring on when necessary.
We are going to have to prepare correctly for Fermanagh because we know what way that game will go. They'll want to make it a dog fight and it won't be pretty. We'll have to be patient and make sure we take our chances. If we slowly chip away at the scoreboard, at some point the game will open up and we can start to attack with more freedom. We aren't going to win any plaudits from that game. On paper we should be beating them and if we do, people will say we should be beating a team at that level. If we struggle to beat them, people will criticise the team for getting the tactics wrong or underestimating Fermanagh. If the team go into that game, showing intent to attack and keep the scoreboard ticking over before hopefully pushing on, that's all they can do. A big two weeks ahead to get back on the road.