National Football League 2024
- Thread starter Big Jim
- Start date
Armaghball
Well-Known Member
Don’t like using the word bottle but if you want to put it like that- Grugan missing that free yesterday is the definition of it. Rian and Turbo missed handy ones as well
Can blame management for a lot of what went wrong yesterday but that was on the players. They go over and the narrative is totally different.
Patrick-Armagh
Well-Known Member
That's a good team on paper and while there is scoring power, it just wouldn't have the legs. Can you imagine that half forward line, Oisin O'Neill or Murnin having to track the flying machines Derry have in defence all over the field? It would be a disaster. I was worried after the first game of the league when I saw McElroy and Conor O'Neill starting in attack, as it looked very negative and that game was awful. But as the league went on, O'Neill moved into the half back line (and really just had freedom to get forward) and was one of our best attacking players, while McElroy has been quietly excellent. He doesn't score much but he links everything together very well and gets through a lot of the donkey work that needs done. If that team started we wouldn't have much scoring threat to come off the bench, which all teams need.
Yesterday was a disappointing performance and one that has reminded us of our past failures. I'll take McGeeney at his word when he said there was a bug in the camp, which would go some way to explaining the lacklustre performance. But when you've seen it so often before, you do think that it's a mix of the management getting their tactics wrong and the players being mentally weak when it comes to getting over the line in big games.
Midfield is a concern. Mackin and Crealy have very good qualities that you need for the position. They cover lots of ground, have a bit of nastiness about them and never shy away from winning a dirty ball. But they don't rule the air like you want your midfield to do and they don't affect the game enough whether on the scoreboard or making telling contributions throughout the game. Niall Grimley is probably our best fielder, but hasn't played a minute of the league which just baffles me. McPartlan has been unreal for Clann na Gael and has had some promising moments for Armagh, but I'd slightly question his mobility and speed which is so crucial in that position.
Hopefully we'll see Ethan Raffery and James Morgan back in the squad for the Championship. I wouldn't be dropping Blaine Hughes as he's performed well in the league and Rafferty hasn't done anything to warrant getting his place back. Same for Morgan. But they would both be quality additions to have in the squad and bring on when necessary.
We are going to have to prepare correctly for Fermanagh because we know what way that game will go. They'll want to make it a dog fight and it won't be pretty. We'll have to be patient and make sure we take our chances. If we slowly chip away at the scoreboard, at some point the game will open up and we can start to attack with more freedom. We aren't going to win any plaudits from that game. On paper we should be beating them and if we do, people will say we should be beating a team at that level. If we struggle to beat them, people will criticise the team for getting the tactics wrong or underestimating Fermanagh. If the team go into that game, showing intent to attack and keep the scoreboard ticking over before hopefully pushing on, that's all they can do. A big two weeks ahead to get back on the road.
Stats supposedly
Patrick-Armagh
Well-Known Member
I saw Callum Cumiskey in the pavilion at half time at the Cork game. Haven't seen Niall Rowland since the McKenna Cup I think. Is he injured or not on the team anymore?
I noticed yesterday that Turbo didn't take a free towards the end of the game and left it for Rian. This typifies the lack of confidence we can have in front goal - he should have been all over that chance and nailing it. Rian stepped up cold and missed. We seem to hit nose bleed territory around the 20 yard line in these big games - same against Monaghan last year.
I don't know what that says about us. Very frustrating to see us always going back into our shell when we take the lead at crucial stages.
Turbo missed a similar one previously. May have been on his mind
MrMaguire2002
Well-Known Member
Disagree that he was better in the Ulster final last year than the Galway game the year before? I suggest you watch them back. By his own admission he hadn't a great game in that Galway game, and he did against Derry. He was huge for us in that Ulster final.
Source of his own admission? Like I said, he hasn’t been up to it in the last 2 years. Even if he had a ‘better game’ in the ulster final, one performance is not enough for a player of his caliber.
martin
Member
Alternative team based off players that didn't start the League two final.
Ethan Rafferty
James Morgan
Barry McCambridge
Ciaran Higgins
Callum Cumiskey
Connaire Mackin/Niall Rowland
Conor O'Neil
Oisin O'Neil
Shane McPartlan/Niall Grimley
Stefan Campbell/Jemar Hall
Tiernan Kelly
Jason Duffy/Ciaron O'Hanlon
Jamie Clarke/Ross McQuillan
Rian O'Neil
Aiden Nugent
Armagh have some super players to come back or who are not getting a look in
Ethan Rafferty
James Morgan
Barry McCambridge
Ciaran Higgins
Callum Cumiskey
Connaire Mackin/Niall Rowland
Conor O'Neil
Oisin O'Neil
Shane McPartlan/Niall Grimley
Stefan Campbell/Jemar Hall
Tiernan Kelly
Jason Duffy/Ciaron O'Hanlon
Jamie Clarke/Ross McQuillan
Rian O'Neil
Aiden Nugent
Armagh have some super players to come back or who are not getting a look in
martin
Member
Niall Grimley is a class act, great high fielder. But I fear his Armagh career is going to fade out similar to other midfielders, e.g. Aaron Findon/Stephen Sheridan. After being a regular he will now be around the panel for a number of years before retiring
ArmaghMartin
Active Member
Coaching role for Sheridan. Been playing soccer all year for Bessbrook.
Yeah definitely - the Cliffords of this world miss one then smash the next few over.
Armaghball
Well-Known Member
Either way hes not at the level he’s capable of, although thought he was better yesterday.
Also be a lot better if he got decent service. Was making runs and showing at full forward and we didn't kick it in enough
Armaghball
Well-Known Member
You forget Stevie McDonnell
Donegal will beat Derry. People getting carried away with the Derry v Dublin game saying it was a different level. Won’t be much in the championship between Derry & Donegal. I fancy the forgotten county myself.
Good april fools.............
Say what you want about Clarke, however he wouldn't of missed a free kick inside 30-35m.......You forget Stevie McDonnell