2020 McKenna cup

Throwball

Well-Known Member
Unlike some here I wouldn't panic too much. Tyrone added 4 players to their squad this year going by reports. Armagh. In Brady, O'Neill, Mcconville and Turbitt Armagh had 4 players who made their first county starts in this McKenna Cup. Tyrone targeted the kick outs of a rookie keeper. He and the team will improve in this area. However for me it looked like Tyrone played with a greater intensity. True or not it looked like they wanted to win more.

For me positives over the 2 games where Turbitt and O'Neill in defense. Negatives are that a few players seem behind in fitness. Kickout strategy needs more work.

Finally, can someone explain the mark to me ...oh and...when does getting your jersey pulled off you back become a foul for overcarrying . You got to love Barry Cassidy !!!
 

The Big Easy

Active Member
Unlike some here I wouldn't panic too much. Tyrone added 4 players to their squad this year going by reports. Armagh. In Brady, O'Neill, Mcconville and Turbitt Armagh had 4 players who made their first county starts in this McKenna Cup. Tyrone targeted the kick outs of a rookie keeper. He and the team will improve in this area. However for me it looked like Tyrone played with a greater intensity. True or not it looked like they wanted to win more.

For me positives over the 2 games where Turbitt and O'Neill in defense. Negatives are that a few players seem behind in fitness. Kickout strategy needs more work.

Finally, can someone explain the mark to me ...oh and...when does getting your jersey pulled off you back become a foul for overcarrying . You got to love Barry Cassidy !!!
I haven’t read a post yet that suggested anyone was panicking at all!

Many strange decisions by Cassidy. Not only the soupy one where his shirt was clearly pulled, but Grugan taking out after playing the ball (clear black card) and then forker shooting almost immediately but no recall for the free.

we had the chances. McCabe (I think) had a good goal chance in the first half and missed a very easy point in the second half. I don’t think Tyrone had too many wides at all. Maybe a few in the first half but had they any wides in the second?

liked the way we fought to the end. Some positives against a hateful shower of so and so’s
 

Ard Mhacha 13

Well-Known Member
Unlike some here I wouldn't panic too much. Tyrone added 4 players to their squad this year going by reports. Armagh. In Brady, O'Neill, Mcconville and Turbitt Armagh had 4 players who made their first county starts in this McKenna Cup. Tyrone targeted the kick outs of a rookie keeper. He and the team will improve in this area. However for me it looked like Tyrone played with a greater intensity. True or not it looked like they wanted to win more.

For me positives over the 2 games where Turbitt and O'Neill in defense. Negatives are that a few players seem behind in fitness. Kickout strategy needs more work.

Finally, can someone explain the mark to me ...oh and...when does getting your jersey pulled off you back become a foul for overcarrying . You got to love Barry Cassidy !!!

Not forgetting that the steps rule has obviously been ditched, or maybe that's only been applied to when "that lot" have the ball!
 

Bert

Active Member
Rian is a special talent and dangerous inside. So why does he play around the middle? I don’t get it? He done the same v Mayo last year. Got a goal early doors, full back was booked and he drifted out the field in that game too. Does he just play where he wants? If he stays inside the damage he could do is nuts.

The Sheridan experiment at Full Back was a disaster.

Was probably just too high profile of a match to throw the new keeper into that game. Tyrone sensed a weakness and pushed up.

Grimley struggled while McCabe hardly put a tackle in.

But that lad Turbitt can play ball. Serious player that lad.

Perhaps if someone kicked the ball inside rian would stay at full forward
 

Bert

Active Member
This match was very similar to the donegal match in the McKenna cup last year. We have loads of good footballers, none of them seem to know what they are doing and the vast majority of them are playing too deep / out of position.

I couldn't care less about the McKenna cup but I would be taking no confidence from this performance for the season ahead.
 

Armagh_paul

Well-Known Member
8 points down at one point. We either build up a healthy lead or we end up trailing by too much to win. Seems to happen quite a lot regardless of the competition.

However it is McKenna cup and we have racked up some huge scores but seem to concede a lot to.
 

Jamie's Coffee

Active Member
Tyrone looked a far fitter quicker and physically bigger outfit that us. Some of them are very strong (Frank Burns going full UFC on McCabe in first half) their support play / running game was very good and cut through our defence with too much ease.
On the defence though I would agree that probably only forker will retain that position come latter league into Championship. We have I feel a serious issue with our keepers though. I've been concerned about Blaine for the last couple of seasons and heard good things about the lad who started tonight but it seems that particular issue is far from solved. 3-15 is great scoring but 3-18 is waaay to much to concede.
Would have liked another game in McKenna cup but it is what it is. The league will tell a tale....heres hoping.
 

Jamie's Coffee

Active Member
Also does anyone know what the story is with Jamie? Still in London? Will he travel for league/championship?
And is Andrew Murnin fit????
 

niall1980

Well-Known Member
This match was very similar to the donegal match in the McKenna cup last year. We have loads of good footballers, none of them seem to know what they are doing and the vast majority of them are playing too deep / out of position.

I couldn't care less about the McKenna cup but I would be taking no confidence from this performance for the season ahead.
Didn’t take long at all did it
 

niall1980

Well-Known Member
Unlike some here I wouldn't panic too much. Tyrone added 4 players to their squad this year going by reports. Armagh. In Brady, O'Neill, Mcconville and Turbitt Armagh had 4 players who made their first county starts in this McKenna Cup. Tyrone targeted the kick outs of a rookie keeper. He and the team will improve in this area. However for me it looked like Tyrone played with a greater intensity. True or not it looked like they wanted to win more.

For me positives over the 2 games where Turbitt and O'Neill in defense. Negatives are that a few players seem behind in fitness. Kickout strategy needs more work.

Finally, can someone explain the mark to me ...oh and...when does getting your jersey pulled off you back become a foul for overcarrying . You got to love Barry Cassidy !!!
I was annoyed at that last night too but Turbo didn’t call for it straight away so I don’t know if that contributed. And in fairness the ref missed one for them when their player did call for it. He gave us w free for overcarrying and we went up the pitch and scored. Soupy getting called for steps was ridiculous tho
 

Muckser

Well-Known Member
I was annoyed at that last night too but Turbo didn’t call for it straight away so I don’t know if that contributed. And in fairness the ref missed one for them when their player did call for it. He gave us w free for overcarrying and we went up the pitch and scored. Soupy getting called for steps was ridiculous tho
Tyrone players called a mark.from a free which ismt allowed. Our one the ball was hit from inside the 45 to turbo so we was not able to call the mark
He stopped and walked to hit the mark so rightly called on steps bit ref was playing advantage at the time.

On another note fair play to grugan no honeymoon
 

CEMan

Member
Overall I thought Tyrone were the better team and the final scoreline flattered a little, although carrying the fight right to the end was good to see.

I thought beforehand that direct running would cause problems and it did. Cut open too many times, then adding in some very silly fouls + some nervous goalkeeping ( a little bit of grace should be allowed to the keeper, to be fair, for inexperience) didn't help matters.

I'm not convinced on the showings so far (or the past few years to be honest) that there are too many signs of significant progression around improving defensively.

On the plus side however - Rian O'Neill once again showed he is going to be a very special inter-county player, possibly this generations Mic Murphy (if only he would play closer to goal, where he could wreak havoc) and for the second game in a row, my own club man Turbo had an excellent game - he's certainly not looking out of place on the big stage.

Early doors as yet tho and as we've seen in the past - the McKenna cup has zero relevance with regard to the League or Championship other than finding new players.

Tighten at the back and there will be plenty to look forward to. I'd say there are very few teams in Ulster or elsewhere that would fancy playing Armagh come the business end of the season.
 

armaghtimmy

Well-Known Member
Also does anyone know what the story is with Jamie? Still in London? Will he travel for league/championship?
And is Andrew Murnin fit????

Jamie never was based in London, just traveled over and home again on the same day for games with the occasional long weekend through in £££
 
Never nice losing to "them-uns", but tonight was a case of what ifs...
Keeper, tough first game. Hard to blame him for joe mcelroys mistake. Had a few good kickouts. Young lad's debut so hopefully he gets another shot.

Defence - Well that experiment of Bug in FB didn't last long. Hell were they thinking? Cant think of anyone worth praising tbh. McCabe wanted to get the tyrone lad's shirt on his back, 2 killeavy lads were poor and taken for a merry dance by their men. Shields didn't do much after he got taken out in the first half. McElroy at fault for their 2nd goal and rightfully taken off.

MF - Oisin is wasted in MF. He should be further forward kicking points. No use tracking his man back all the way to our FB line, then chasing forward again. Kicked a few good scores. Grimley was quiet enough.

Forwards - Rian & Turbitt... Wow, these 2 lads are the future of Armagh football up front. Rian is like a young Michael Murphy, but like Oisin, why oh why does geezer insist on playing him around MF. We've enough men for there. Get him up top and let him stay there!! Nugent very quiet, Campbell done well I thought. Scored a few good points and Tyrone didn't like to see him running at them. Duffy had a poor enough night, but deserves another chance.

Subs - Grugan showed his class last night. After a few poor games last year was great to see. Took a great point with his goal sheer class. JOB wasn't really on long enough, but we still refused to kick the ball into him!

AOB - Cassidy had a few weird calls. The mark needs to be thrown in the bin. And yes I still hate Tyrone.
 

Peter grimes

Well-Known Member
Positives. Rian consolidating his reputation at this level. Turbit forging his reputation. Oisin all the talent in the world. Possibly not in the correct position.

Negatives. Kick outs and defending against the runner. Is it not possible to get on top of these longstanding issues?
 

Big Jim

Well-Known Member
A fun evening out and I tend to agree with the posts above about the performance. Strange January evening in that it wasn't particularly cold so added to the occasion. Best laugh of the night though was the attendance figure 5125? I always thought the main stand held between 5k and 6k. It was crammed and must have been at least another 1.5k around the ground. Must be near tax time.

I agree too that the ref wasn't the worst. Barry Cassidy is a strange one alright. You feel he's completely against you and then suddenly you get a penalty and wonder what it's for - taking it all the same. What a super strike and well taken set piece. There were absolutely some strange decisions, but let's be fair, both ways.

Them'uns have some really shitty and vile supporters (I won't mention the ones we have....ooooops). Best was possibly the one behind us describing us as (and I clean this up for the kids) "trashy bastards following a forth tier team with headless management and thugs from cleaners to county board. Can't even respect Ulster's finest and Ulster champions!" Oh how we laughed. Totally devastated to see him get "clipped" after the game. We really are thugs :p

On the fields our thuggery continues. Imagine having the gall to actually try and score against the Ulster Champions. They really don't like it when a weak team put it up to them. Imagine the best in Ulster and one of the top two in the country only being able to beat a fourth tier team by 3 points!

We really do have some superb talent on show in spurts. It's certainly not the time to get anxious nor ahead of ourselves. Look at who wasn't playing last night or only had a cameo and the league looks achievable. That game is now over and it's only two short weeks until the serious build up to championship begins. For the first time in quite a few years our selectors will be thinking who to leave on the bench. We're not the force we were in 1999 - 2008 ish and I doubt (if I'm honest) we ever will be again, but my flat belief continues. It's 15 v fifteen on any given [sun]day so at least we have nothing to fear. I'd genuinely be in the camp of preferring to win against "the best" in the championship than right now. If I remember correctly, they gave us a hammering in McKenna a few years years back which we avenged a little later in the qualifiers.

Anyway, great lads in the squad and a few trips with family and friends is what this is about. Real life is where we worry. This is only fantasy. Roll on 25th January and Cavan in Armagh. Looking forward to the parade...............if only!
 
Top