McKenna Cup 2024

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POINTMAN

Well-Known Member
Interesting that Donegal, Derry and Cavan all featured a sprinkling of experienced heads, along with some debutante, so obviously McGuinness and Harte etc see it differently.

For me, playing all the U 20s was a waste of time and was disrespectful to supporters and the competition. Either have the balls to simply pull out of it, or play a half decent team and learn something about a few players.
 
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Ed Ricketts

Active Member
McKenna Cup is a nice wee earner for the Ulster Council at the beginning of the year. Nearly 4,000 giddy Donegal heads paid €12 each last night to cheer and welcome Jimmy back into the fold.

If Armagh had withdrawn from the competition they would quite likely have faced a fine from the provincial officials, disgruntled at losing out on that dough. I’d imagine that was fairly high up the list of reasons the fixture was fulfilled.

Good run out for all those involved. Thought Armagh looked alright at times, and I liked the strong inclination throughout the team to kick the ball forward. Lack of conditioning and experience went against them around the middle, which meant it was always difficult to win primary possession and to get any sort of foothold in the game. We’ll see some of those lads again down the line. Other might never pull on an orange jersey again, but I’m sure they’ll treasure the opportunity to have done so.
 
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Patrick-Armagh

Well-Known Member
I feel like there are fringe players in the squad who could have benefited from game time last night (Eoin Woods, Cian McConville, Justin Kieran etc). I know there's a challenge game against the Dubs, so unless every player who travels for that game gets a run out, then surely some players could have been used here. Just seems strange. I don't think it will affect us in the long term, but just purely from giving game time to players who haven't had a lot and so they feel like they are making progress, I thought we would have seen some more senior players in the team last night.
 
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Wide ball

Well-Known Member
I agree with alot of the messages here that Armagh should of gave fringe senior squad members a game last night, but obviously we have no inside knowledge to what's going on, it's good to see some of these younger players that iv never seen before, but I do think it's bad form for the manager who is on big money to not be somewhere on the sideline, maybe that game will help the 20s but maybe a thrashing like that might hurt, we will find out later in the year, I just feel more for anyone who travelled
 
Ard Mhacha 13

Ard Mhacha 13

Well-Known Member
OneofTwo said:
Someone has to play away and there generally is a 1 away game with a fair chance it is mid week. My overall point is the same. If you don't want to play in a competition then don't. There are fans who prebooked and made plans with their kids to take in that game including telling their young kids there were going. Did they deserve it?

Challenge game against Dublin on a Wednesday night won't have been a logistical dream either so don't buy the excuse of the travel to Donegal at all.
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Agreed 1 team does have to play away & if it was to be us against Donegal surely the logical thing would have been for us to play our match on the Sunday & Tyrone v Donegal on the Wednesday night? I would still think this more appropriate if the fixture had been reversed & Donegal were the travelling team. Ulster GAA showed a complete lack of consideration for Armagh supporters in fixing this match on a Wednesday night.

As for the Challenge game against Dublin, spectators weren't required to travel to that match so not sure what your point is with this comment.
 
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Armaghball

Well-Known Member
Was there anyone who would be overage for u20’s featured last night? Would Aaron O’Neill be u20 still?

I imagine now the rest of the panel got plenty of game time against Dublin and in other challenge games.

Personally if I was manager I’d have been giving fringe players and lads who were injured last year a game against Donegal even to add some experience and abit of physical strength because a bunch of kids were never going to have much hope against Langan and the rest of the Donegal lads. Not bothered at all either way though.
 
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Wide ball

Well-Known Member
Armaghball said:
Was there anyone who would be overage for u20’s featured last night? Would Aaron O’Neill be u20 still?

I imagine now the rest of the panel got plenty of game time against Dublin and in other challenge games.

Personally if I was manager I’d have been giving fringe players and lads who were injured last year a game against Donegal even to add some experience and abit of physical strength because a bunch of kids were never going to have much hope against Langan and the rest of the Donegal lads. Not bothered at all either way though.
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He would definitely be under 20 still, he is same age as Callum O'Neill they played schools together also played minor together and now under 20s together, they also played against each other in minor final their a few months ago
 
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