How do you react...

[Armagh_paul]

If you were sat at home watching Armagh or one of your other sports teams lose in the last seconds of a game, how do you react?

Honest answers, it is for my research

 

[PatMustard]

It could be anything from a long tirade of colourful language, grabbing whatever’s nearby (newspaper, cushion, shoes, remote control) and bouncing it off the couch/wall/floor, to sticking a boot in the chair/wall/door.

I have to get out, usually to the garden. Or take a walk. I need to be left alone. Best not to come near me or talk to me for a while.

Then what makes it worse is people saying something like “ach sure it’s only football”...

“IT’S WHATTT????!!!!.... ARRRGHHHHH!!!”

Which is followed by “Why is your clothes all ripped and your skin green?”

 

[Ard Mhacha 13]

In my case don't talk to me, it's too raw & I definitely don't want to do an immediate post mortem on the match, let me wallow in my disappointment until I'm ready to have a discussion. I had a Mayo woman tap me on the shoulder yesterday as she was leaving to say "you played really well but I'm glad we won", she got no reply just a look, I know it was probably meant in a "nice" way but I just found it totally patronising & I don't want to hear c*ap like that when we've just been beaten

Put it this way I have our Ulster semi final against Monaghan from last year recorded & still haven't watched it, I also have The Irish News with the match report & it is yet to be read. I had stated that if we beat them in the league I would watch it but having only drawn I could maybe suffer a half.

I take supporting my teams very seriously as anyone who knows me is all too aware, it is never "only football" for me, it's much much more.

 

[pablo]

I find watching Armagh on tv far worse than being at an actual game.
If watching Armagh on TV, my personality changes completely. Our dog gets nervous. The cur is not used to seeing me roaring, shouting and pacing the room. I'm already at that stage during the national anthem.

Whatever the outcome, I immediately go afterwards for a run. It helps with working out all the nervous tension

I'm not so bad at an actual game. Or so I think. I let myself down one time after a league game vs Derry in Celtic Park, sometime around 2005 I think? We had lost. I was in a bad temper. All I could see around me were Derry wans, grunting in the same way that the products of a very shallow gene pool are prone to do when happy.
I spotted Joe Brolly a few rows back, grinning in that annoying way of his and crowing away to some Armagh lad who looked like he didn't want to hear anything from Joe. I don't know what came over me. I pointed at Brolly and shouted, 'Hi look, its that slabber from the TV-MARTY FECKING MORRISSEY' Place seemed to go quite. Brolly ignored me but did leave the Armagh lad alone

 

[Big Jim]

Simple enough, It's only sport. Back to real life straight away and thinking of how to make my next million!

Caveat - One thing for sure. None of them are worried about me!

 

[Whites]

Last five minutes I usually have to leave the room!

 

[PatMustard]

There are two defeats that really hurt, because they were games we lost so late.

One of them was the 2005 semi. It always hurts to lose in the last seconds, but the fact that it was an AI semi was doubly worse, and the fact it was themmuns made it 100 times worse.

The other one was the 1992 minor final. I don’t know why but that one seems to annoy me more that 2005. Maybe it was because I was an impressionable youngster (was only in my mid-40’s then). Also, Armagh football was in the doldrums for years, and this was the biggest thing to happen in my lifetime. The fact that I knew one of the lads on the team, and these lads were probably locals to most of us, and to see what they did, putting the county back on the map. 1992 was a great summer, those lads faces were plastered everywhere. We had it in our grasp, and it was so cruelly taken away.

I’m still not over it. Nor 2005.

 

[ragingbull]

I drown me sorrows then hit the bunk then wake up pretending it never happen

 

[ragingbull]

There are two defeats that really hurt, because they were games we lost so late.

One of them was the 2005 semi. It always hurts to lose in the last seconds, but the fact that it was an AI semi was doubly worse, and the fact it was themmuns made it 100 times worse.

The other one was the 1992 minor final. I don’t know why but that one seems to annoy me more that 2005. Maybe it was because I was an impressionable youngster (was only in my mid-40’s then). Also, Armagh football was in the doldrums for years, and this was the biggest thing to happen in my lifetime. The fact that I knew one of the lads on the team, and these lads were probably locals to most of us, and to see what they did, putting the county back on the map. 1992 was a great summer, those lads faces were plastered everywhere. We had it in our grasp, and it was so cruelly taken away.

I’m still not over it. Nor 2005.

 

[PatMustard]

View attachment 797

Which bit?

Sorry Bull. I’ll pay for your next therapy session

 

[pablo]

There are two defeats that really hurt, because they were games we lost so late.

One of them was the 2005 semi. It always hurts to lose in the last seconds, but the fact that it was an AI semi was doubly worse, and the fact it was themmuns made it 100 times worse.

The other one was the 1992 minor final. I don’t know why but that one seems to annoy me more that 2005. Maybe it was because I was an impressionable youngster (was only in my mid-40’s then). Also, Armagh football was in the doldrums for years, and this was the biggest thing to happen in my lifetime. The fact that I knew one of the lads on the team, and these lads were probably locals to most of us, and to see what they did, putting the county back on the map. 1992 was a great summer, those lads faces were plastered everywhere. We had it in our grasp, and it was so cruelly taken away.

I’m still not over it. Nor 2005.

As a young buck, the 1980 semi final traumatized me badly. One of our best Armagh teams, flew through Ulster and were looking good at half time against the Rossies. As discussed on a previous thread, the wheels came off as a result of an injury to Colm McKinstry compounded by a terrible positional change in taking Brian Hughes out of the full forward line. In the end a 7 point lead at the start of the second half was whittled down to a 6 point defeat. I was shattered-at that young age I couldn't quite process what happened in front of me that day and felt sick to the stomach.

That 1992 final-I was living in the states at the time. All through that summer, my Dad constantly kept me updated about that team and their progress. I remember him always been very enthused about 'young McGrane. Just through those phone calls, I could tell this team had ignited huge interest and excitement. I set out in the early hours of that morning trying to reach the Abbey Pub in Chicago in time to watch the game. Got delayed badly and got into the place just in time to see the Meath goal. The place was packed to the rafters with Donegal folk, and to be fair, a huge groan of disappointment went up from them all when Meath scored-they were genuinely gutted to see us lose. All I could think about was the disappointment there was back home. Mighty craic afterwards though when Donegal won-took bit of the edge off.

 

[JoeH]

When you're younger and playing sport watching / playing a game where you lose in last few mins is hard to take. It takes days to get over
As you get older and other life issues take hold watching a team lose you feel more for those playing than yourself.
As a supporter now it's still hard to take a loss like that but after a while it's just part of life. There's more to life.

Now if you asked how you feel when you win last minute or score a goal to hammer home superiority that's a whole different story.....

 

[PatMustard]

That 1992 final-I was living in the states at the time. All through that summer, my Dad constantly kept me updated about that team and their progress. I remember him always been very enthused about 'young McGrane. Just through those phone calls, I could tell this team had ignited huge interest and excitement. I set out in the early hours of that morning trying to reach the Abbey Pub in Chicago in time to watch the game. Got delayed badly and got into the place just in time to see the Meath goal. The place was packed to the rafters with Donegal folk, and to be fair, a huge groan of disappointment went up from them all when Meath scored-they were genuinely gutted to see us lose. All I could think about was the disappointment there was back home. Mighty craic afterwards though when Donegal won-took bit of the edge off.

I remember watching the Donegal match after our defeat in 92, and while I was supporting Donegal, I was just numb during the match.

I remember looking at the many Armagh flags (a lot were the old flags from 1977), particularly in the old Canal End, waving out Donegal onto the pitch and cheering them on. And I remember thinking, how does all the Armagh fans have the mental strength to wave them, after we were cruelly beaten just minutes before. I would have been on the steps of the old Canal End, lying sobbing in the foetal position, surrounded by half-eaten ham sandwiches and empty water bottles bouncing off my head. I still think that way even if I see footage of it now, nearly 30 years later.

Feck sake, who started this thread anyway? I need another therapy session. You may give me a lift when you’re going @ragingbull

 

[Androim]

I was in old Canal end that day too. It took me to near half-time of the senior game to get myself …literally and figuratively…off the floor that day, but Donegal winning got me turned around a little bit. I was with family, the father and mother of one of the players, and we were parked in the old college grounds across from Croke Park and in no hurry as we were going to a reception for the team that night. A few hours after everything was over a young guy went walking past us. He looked as if he was going to speak, but walked on a few steps and then turned around towards us and said “You got robbed”, and then went on. It was Michael Lyster!

 

[pablo]

I remember watching the Donegal match after our defeat in 92, and while I was supporting Donegal, I was just numb during the match.

I remember looking at the many Armagh flags (a lot were the old flags from 1977), particularly in the old Canal End, waving out Donegal onto the pitch and cheering them on. And I remember thinking, how does all the Armagh fans have the mental strength to wave them, after we were cruelly beaten just minutes before. I would have been on the steps of the old Canal End, lying sobbing in the foetal position, surrounded by half-eaten ham sandwiches and empty water bottles bouncing off my head. I still think that way even if I see footage of it now, nearly 30 years later.

Feck sake, who started this thread anyway? I need another therapy session. You may give me a lift when you’re going @ragingbull

Jeez Pat, that's a sad picture.
And the seagulls. Don't forget the seagulls. My memories of a bad day in the old Croke Park always included the bloody seagulls swooping on the Canal End and making a meal of the discarded ham sandwiches after the game
Armagh fans are brilliant. I'm biased of course but I do think we are the best. Without turning this into an anti-themmuns diatribe, their emergence in the 2000,s brought a toxicity that poisoned good will between Ulster teams and support of each other on their respective big days

 

[jpowell100]

Just go completely silent and don’t speak to anyone for at least an hour