Armaghball
Well-Known Member
I’d say we’re fairly ok age wise. As long as we can add one or 2 new players every year to keep things fresh.
National Football League 2023
- Thread starter Big Jim
- Start date
Armagh_paul
Well-Known Member
There will be a wave of retirements coming with Murnin, Grugan, Campbell, Forker and Morgan in 2 years time.
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Armaghball
Well-Known Member
Life in them all yet. Just have to phase them out gradually and phase in the new lads.
All great servants to Armagh football and hopefully can all retire with an Ulster medal or 3
PatMustard
Well-Known Member
I’m going back a bit here, but Down were one point away from winning an All Ireland in 2010. Their last Ulster final appearance was in 2003, and hadn’t won one since 1994.
Yes, 2010 was a freak year results-wise, but Ulster final appearances/success can have little to no bearing on All Ireland success.
Bringyourboots
Well-Known Member
When the debates are being had across the country about AI contenders we will feature. Even if we are a top 8 not top 6 team. We are rightly in that debate given some of our performances over recent times and some of the teams in there will be interchangeable based on form at the time.
I completely agree that actually winning it is a whole different kettle of fish and in all probability beyond us at the moment unless all the stars aligned and consistency of high quality performances improve.
My point was we have to at least target, and in my view are capable of, an Ulster final appearance and be confident that we could win it? Using that as a platform to kick on from.
Is that not the least we would expect with this team? If not then where do we go from here?
I completely agree that actually winning it is a whole different kettle of fish and in all probability beyond us at the moment unless all the stars aligned and consistency of high quality performances improve.
My point was we have to at least target, and in my view are capable of, an Ulster final appearance and be confident that we could win it? Using that as a platform to kick on from.
Is that not the least we would expect with this team? If not then where do we go from here?
Might he in the minority but I think we are a pretty well established Division 1 team and our progress over the past couple of years has been clear to see.
So I would be very confident and would actually expect us to beat a team like Cavan. And would be confident of beating them quite handy
So I would be very confident and would actually expect us to beat a team like Cavan. And would be confident of beating them quite handy
We have about 2 years max with this current squad, murnin, Rowland, Morgan and Grugan all 32 with Campbell forker and paddy burns 30, rake of players 28 and under
We are established division 1 team but Cavan have beat us twice in Ulster. League is more important now but when we get to a final I will then Think we are on next level,
Armagh_paul
Well-Known Member
No disrespect to Antrim but I don't think they are going to offer much, they have only won one game so far this season. If we were to progress - Cavan are clearly not a division 3 side and would give a few teams in D2 a run for their money. We are not playing exciting stuff, we don't seem to be confident and are missing key players. They will be playing with a lot of confidence - that should not be underestimated.
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Cavan beat is twice but I think that was a lot early in the development. And from what I remember one year they took us to a replay and both times we should have won.
Just think the likes of Kerry, Mayo, Galway would all be confident of beating Cavan. So I don't see why we should treat it any different.
Not saying we go into the game thinking we have already won. But if we play to our full potential we should be expecting to beat them
William Of Orange
Well-Known Member
I think Kerry and Dublin are well ahead of the pack , and we would be in the bunch with Mayo , Galway , Tyrone , Derry I definitely think we are on a par with Galway and Derry .
However and it pains me to say this as we have had our differences before , your spot on about this group a number of key players are at the crossroads, and it’s now or never for the management this year , Donaghy will probably go and manage a team and I don’t think unless we win Ulster or get to a semi final of the All Ireland there will be much appetite for McGeeney to stay.
I wouldn’t get over excited yet about Mayo , going well but I think they look to be well ahead of teams in conditioning , they nearly collapsed against Roscommon last week as well , still couldn’t see them coming out on top in a tight match at the business end of the championship.
Ard Mhacha 13
Well-Known Member
Derry reached & won an Ulster final last year but were well beaten by Galway in the All Ireland semi final & to be honest looked out of their depth. We could have beaten Galway & were very unlucky to go out on penalties but by your logic Derry were All Ireland contenders last year but Armagh weren't?!?
Armaghball
Well-Known Member
Would be interested to see how Kerry/Dublin would do in championship football against ourselves/Derry/Tyrone.
Armaghball
Well-Known Member
Kerry and Dublin no doubt favourites but they aren’t a whole pile better than that next group of teams (Mayo, Galway, Derry, us, Tyrone if they get their act together). Certainly no team on the level of the 2010’s Dublin/Mayo teams
Am I alone in thinking that Kerry are not really much ahead of the pack? I know they won last year, but they have lost David Moran and if Clifford is marked really tightly (by someone like McCambridge?) or has an off day, they are certainly beatable.
Dublin have not found many new stars and their experienced players are a year older (still have Fenton, O'Callaghan and Kilkenny though!!), they are not at the level of a few years ago.
So I think the All Ireland is quite open this year. Add in Mayo, Galway, Derry, Tyrone, Armagh and Cork (outsiders) to the above 2 favourites and all will think they can go very far.
Obviously we need to get the right balance between tight defence and more attacking play - but we can compete with any team now. Can we beat them? We will need management and players to be on top of their games.
Dublin have not found many new stars and their experienced players are a year older (still have Fenton, O'Callaghan and Kilkenny though!!), they are not at the level of a few years ago.
So I think the All Ireland is quite open this year. Add in Mayo, Galway, Derry, Tyrone, Armagh and Cork (outsiders) to the above 2 favourites and all will think they can go very far.
Obviously we need to get the right balance between tight defence and more attacking play - but we can compete with any team now. Can we beat them? We will need management and players to be on top of their games.
Armaghbeyondthegrave
New Member
100% Armagh would have won the All Ireland if it weren’t for the stupid penalty carry on..
Armaghball
Well-Known Member
Must have missed where anyone said that. @Ard Mhacha 13 said we were contenders. We would have had a very good chance of beating Derry.
Would have been big underdogs in a final but Galway ( a team of similar ability to us) pushed Kerry close and may have won only for a dubious free late in the game remember! Anyway, water under the bridge now, we need to be winning Ulster and getting to a semi final this year!
ShiftYa
Well-Known Member
Agree, any team within the top 8 or 9 sides could beat any team above them on their day, whereas during the Dublin era you could only look to Mayo or Kerry to beat them.
But to win anything you have to be consistent and that is our biggest problem, many saying we should of beat Galway last year, we were 7 down on the stroke of the 71st minute, totally outplayed in the second half and somehow we rallied our way back to a draw, I’m sure that was Galway biggest focus going into Derry, not blowing a lead. Very similar to how the Mayo game went this year.
Maybe premature with this as we could have different plan for championship, but it looks at the moment we’re suffering from an identity crisis, what is our style of football? You can predict for the most part how most sides will approach a match, Derry will park the bus, Mayo will play their gung-ho style, they know what they are, we’re an expansive kicking team or an everyman behind the ball team. I don’t know and I’m not sure anyone does.
ragingbull
Well-Known Member
There was nothing unlucky about it
Peter grimes
Well-Known Member
Any team losing on penalties can claim to be unlucky. On that day we were lucky to get to penalties.
Derry made big strides last year and are still progressing.
We are in with the big boys now. There are probably 10 top teams and a fairly rapid fall off after that unless Cork or Kildare can do something. Doesn’t look likely for Kildare.
Any match against the other top 9 and you would be nervous. But not defeatist. We are always in with a chance. We have great depth and don’t think injuries have or would be our undoing. It’s about getting the prep and tactics right and delivering on the day.
We are unlikely to go the whole way so at some point we will face disappointment. Do learn. Don’t overreact. Build and move on.
But this isn’t the McKenna Cup. The league, Ulster and the AI series all have to be taken seriously. No point being picky
Derry made big strides last year and are still progressing.
We are in with the big boys now. There are probably 10 top teams and a fairly rapid fall off after that unless Cork or Kildare can do something. Doesn’t look likely for Kildare.
Any match against the other top 9 and you would be nervous. But not defeatist. We are always in with a chance. We have great depth and don’t think injuries have or would be our undoing. It’s about getting the prep and tactics right and delivering on the day.
We are unlikely to go the whole way so at some point we will face disappointment. Do learn. Don’t overreact. Build and move on.
But this isn’t the McKenna Cup. The league, Ulster and the AI series all have to be taken seriously. No point being picky