Junior Championship 2021
- Thread starter ShiftYa
- Start date
Little John
Member
Disappointed with mullabracks championship this year . With lads like young Ben rice in the team I would have expected them to push belleek abit further.
Armaghball
Well-Known Member
They took some hammering, but Newtown took one nearly as bad against Belleek last year and turned themselves around, could have beat Derrynoose on Friday and won the junior b league. Hope for mullaghbrack yet!
Eireogatron
Well-Known Member
Belleek have been blessed with their championship draws this past 2 years.
Armaghball
Well-Known Member
They really have. More or less 2 byes to the final both years, no disrespect to any other teams but thats the way it is.
Still the best two teams should be in the final! Belleek are always a good championship team!
ShiftYa
Well-Known Member
Double edged sword that, having played tight games in the run-up to a final is a huge advantage Tyrone are testament to that after their win this year.
Eireogatron
Well-Known Member
Maybe, maybe not. You could as easily say that Dublin's recent easy Leinster runs and Kerrys historical byes straight to the AI semi finals served them well. I'd much prefer a handy run to a final every year tbh.
Don't get me wrong, I don't begrudge Belleeks and if they won this year they would thoroughly deserve it but they've had 2 virtual byes to the final with all due respect to the other teams and more power to them if they can use that to their advantage!
Armaghball
Well-Known Member
I’m sure they’d rather at least one decent championship match before the final but anyone that beats that very strong Cross team as I’m sure you know (or Derrynoose) deserves to win a championship.
Who knows, Dorsey might have closed the gap from last year.
Eireogatron
Well-Known Member
As I said, if Belleek win this year then they will thoroughly deserve it. Championship football is as much about the luck of the draw as anything else and if they can take advantage of their draw then absolutely fair play to them. I don't begrudge them that at all.
My point is that they have essentially had a bye to the final in the past 2 years and I don't mean any disrespect to the team's they've faced but the results speak for themselves. I envisage a 10 point margin in the semi final this year and that is purely based on what I've seen of both sides.
At the start of the season, if you gave every manager the choice of a very comfortable route to the final versus a route whereby you could get knocked out in each game I guarantee you they would choose the former, it's human nature.
If Belleeks win, it will be thoroughly deserved but to say they haven't had an advantage to get to the final twice is quite simply not true. That's the beauty of sport, if you're presented an advantage you take it and make the most of it.
I wish each team remaining all the very best of luck, and to come through the games with no injuries etc.
Eireogatron
Well-Known Member
O'Neill gone for Belleeks, game changer for Dorsey potentially!
Armaghball
Well-Known Member
If Belleek win this one they’ll have had that test before a final that they didn’t get last year! Seems a very close game!
Armaghball
Well-Known Member
Not that clear cut is it?
ragingbull
Well-Known Member
having ex Crossmaglen senior player's helps
Yes - not fair on small junior clubs.
OK to allow such "2nds" teams to play in leagues so as to provide lads with football but should not be allowed to play in the junior championship.
How is it not fair? Cross II is essentially a second club. If they fulfil the criteria for junior football they have every right to be there. If anything it highlights how poor football at this level is in Armagh.
Extra competition ????
Ask a player from a small junior club what he thinks of players with All Ireland or Ulster club medals winning a Junior championship instead of them.
ShiftYa
Well-Known Member
At least wait until the finals played before declaring them winners.
These are all players that are at least 2 years removed from senior championship football and if they win won’t be in the junior next year. Cullyhanna IIs were very competitive for many years in the junior and them folding was a loss to junior football.