National League 2019
- Thread starter Muckser
- Start date
Which of Cork, Fermanagh and Tipp at home will we win? Possibly all 3 and that would give us 8 points (assuming we lose in Donegal) so promotion is possible - but unlikely.
Really disappointing and worrying end - we just can't see games out and when we're in the melting pot, the wobbles kick-in (Tyrone, Kildare, Clare). The Campbell substitution was not the right call in this game, we were toothless when he went off - he had just scored also? Hard work done, 8 point gap closed and we lose by 6? Scratching the head here!
Capable of winning all three. Equally capable of losing all three. At this stage I will settle for winning 2 and hope that, unlike last time, 6 points is enough to stay up
Who else is in this relegation scrap? Clare Tipp Cork and Kildare?
Reality check needed now with this team. No leaders That when game needs to be taken hold off can do it. Even going back to Roscommon in champ when the game was in melting pot we can’t put teams away. Penalty’s missed in that game and Tyrone. Grimley free v Tyrone and misses 2 in first half today when any scores were crucial. 5 point lead v Kildare. 4 v Clare. 1 behind with a gale and we concede 6 in a row. Total inability to not concede frees when one on one at the back. Even the last point before half time. Atrocious discipline. Throwing the ball into the stand. Zero chance of a score becomes a definite point. Brutal on the line. Why did Donaghy play all the Mc Kenna cup. He like glass. Off course he got injured and has now not played a minute in the league.
Charlie ? Hall very poor today Stayed on far too long. Connaire Mackin plays every single game. What does he do. Compare him to Meath number 5 today. Soupy off left zero inside presence for 20 mins. League table Doesn’t lie. We are 7th and that goal at end to put our points difference to minus 6 could be a total killer.
If we go to Division 3 again that’s county football finished in armagh for a long time.
Charlie ? Hall very poor today Stayed on far too long. Connaire Mackin plays every single game. What does he do. Compare him to Meath number 5 today. Soupy off left zero inside presence for 20 mins. League table Doesn’t lie. We are 7th and that goal at end to put our points difference to minus 6 could be a total killer.
If we go to Division 3 again that’s county football finished in armagh for a long time.
Yep. We haven't won in 4 competitive games so we're definitely in it. Are we good enough to get out of it? Yes. But let's call it as it is.
You
I think after the tipp game, and the other games in the division that round, we will have a much clearer picture of relegation contenders
gonna play devils advocate here. Some of those teams are only two points off the bottom but are in a relegation scrap. We are twonoff the top but not in a promotion scrap. Why’s that?
I think after the tipp game, and the other games in the division that round, we will have a much clearer picture of relegation contenders
Patrick-Armagh
Well-Known Member
Today was an extremely frustrating game to watch and was a case of what might have been. Not playing with the wind was a poor decision to make, as you have to take every advantage you get. There's no guarantee that the wind would keep up for the second half and you've exhausted yourself from the first half by playing into it. We ran out of steam at the end and this probably had a say in that. The wind did cause huge problems for both teams as they tried to run the ball into it, but Armagh were far guiltier of turning the ball over by doing it. Meath pushed up and pressed us and caused us to make a number of mistakes which led to more pressure and scores. Their first goal was awful defending from us. There was nothing on from the sideline kick and all they wanted to do was kicked it long to Newman, but then a huge amount of space was created right in front of Newman to run into, which the ball was kicked into and a few passes later they got their penalty. The two Grimley frees and the Stefan Campbell shot which dropped short when he was easier to score would have made a huge difference going into the second half.
We also gifted them a number of scores with sloppy hand passes that were intercepted and punished. That's basic stuff. Also Greg McCabe throwing the ball into the crowd, which ended up making a difficult free and easy one is just bad discipline that costs us dearly. The second half was better and we showed some real character and ability to get within one. We took over at midfield and in the half forwards and the crowd were on Meath's back. We just couldn't get that score to bring it level and then anything could have happened. Not having Clarke was a set back. Meath did just enough to contain our attack in the second half. Clarke's speed would have been a great asset for an out let ball in the first half and he'd definitely have won frees in the second half. We just didn't have enough fire power today, which shows how important it is to get Rafferty, O'Neill and Murnin back.
I don't think we should be too down about it all. We should be sitting on three or four points at this stage. We've played well enough overall so far to show that we can easily compete at this level. We have four games left, three at home and all against teams we are more than capable of beating. The break has come at the right time, to give players a bit of a rest, allow some other ones to get closer to fitness and enable the team to get ready for a big game against Tipperary.
We also gifted them a number of scores with sloppy hand passes that were intercepted and punished. That's basic stuff. Also Greg McCabe throwing the ball into the crowd, which ended up making a difficult free and easy one is just bad discipline that costs us dearly. The second half was better and we showed some real character and ability to get within one. We took over at midfield and in the half forwards and the crowd were on Meath's back. We just couldn't get that score to bring it level and then anything could have happened. Not having Clarke was a set back. Meath did just enough to contain our attack in the second half. Clarke's speed would have been a great asset for an out let ball in the first half and he'd definitely have won frees in the second half. We just didn't have enough fire power today, which shows how important it is to get Rafferty, O'Neill and Murnin back.
I don't think we should be too down about it all. We should be sitting on three or four points at this stage. We've played well enough overall so far to show that we can easily compete at this level. We have four games left, three at home and all against teams we are more than capable of beating. The break has come at the right time, to give players a bit of a rest, allow some other ones to get closer to fitness and enable the team to get ready for a big game against Tipperary.
Clare and Tipp winning are bad results for us. I can see both of them getting 6 points - we simply have to beat Tipp and Cork at least.
I fully agree with you. Fermanagh winning was also a bad result. Round 4 results will tell a lot. As has been said today was disappointing. We showed how good we can be and equally how bad we can be. Hopefully going forward it’s more of the good that we show
JoeH
Well-Known Member
Would it not always be the wise thing to play against the wind at the start of a game. Both teams same fitness etc.....
ragingbull
Well-Known Member
Couple of weeks ago I said I'd take finishing 3rd bottom in the division none of the teams in the division are good enough for 1st division football
As a captain in the past, I would always go with the wind away from home to take whatever advantage I could. That said, there was point in it with 15 mins to go so actually would have taken that before the game.
Anyone else feel that the game was crying out for Ross McQuillan running from deep in the last 10?? Thought Joe was a good introduction but would have replaced mini or Jemar at that stage (both worked very hard and looked leggy) rather than Campbell, with Ross on the other side. Jarly Og is a great lad but I do have a question mark at this level unfortunately.
ragingbull
Well-Known Member
Think it was more of poor management decisions breaking the momentum rather than the Meath player going down
I would never play against the wind in first half- use it when you are most fresh. It would be different if you had some sort of plan to play against the wind... ie run the ball and play McQuillan, mcelroy, etc... though I think it was clear that there was absolutely no plan... hoof it out field from kickouts, run with no support play, leave one on one inside the full back line... lots of players across the middle doing absolutely nothing.
Second half was better and we expended so much energy getting back into the game- players were wrecked when we got it back to one and rather than high press like they had done for 1st 15 in 2nd half... they sat back to get a breather. Too slow to make subs, some senior players were not at the races today, but even the subs that came on- didn’t really work.
I thought rian O’Neill was superb. I don’t understand why they didn’t leave him inside, instead favouring grugan inside late in 2nd half...
so annoyed that we play defenders in the forwards and forwards in defence- why do we not leave 4 up and go for it. It’s not as if we aren’t conceding plenty anyway. Armagh had little to no options in the first half and the usual culprits kicking the ball away and the Achilles heel of missing frees doesn’t help playing into a huge gale.
Plenty of work to do. I’m not sure if other results went for or against us this weekend... it’s all very tight in division 2.
Nope. We had pegged them back to one point. Were in the ascendency. Then that guy done what he did. Not criticising him. Wish we had that sort of gumption.
Exactly what management decisions do you mean anyway