Ulster Championship 2019 First Up It's Down 19th May

Big Jim

Well-Known Member
And so we move on to the next big game. Our championship opener against the old rivals, Down, down in the dark down, under Marshes down the road outside Newry Town down along the canal.That place would get you down with the smell from the treatment plant next door or is that the smell of the Down changing room, down behind the goals and down below their clubhouse?
 

PatMustard

Well-Known Member
And so we move on to the next big game. Our championship opener against the old rivals, Down, down in the dark down, under Marshes down the road outside Newry Town down along the canal.That place would get you down with the smell from the treatment plant next door or is that the smell of the Down changing room, down behind the goals and down below their clubhouse?

Who are we playing again? :D

In 2017 we narrowly missed out on promotion to 2, and Down stayed up in 2. Now it’s roles reversed.

It’s 50/50. I think it will come down to who is up for it, and who gets it together on the day.
 

PatMustard

Well-Known Member
Btw @Calm1 , I see you have refused to recognise Lizzie Windsor’s granting of Newry’s City status.

Quite friggin’ right you are!
 

The Big Easy

Active Member
Who are we playing again? :D

In 2017 we narrowly missed out on promotion to 2, and Down stayed up in 2. Now it’s roles reversed.

It’s 50/50. I think it will come down to who is up for it, and who gets it together on the day.
If we cannot get up for a championship game we’ve no hope. Both teams will be well up for it ffs.
 

Armaghball

Well-Known Member
1.Hughes
2.Morgan
3. McKay
4. Hughes
5.Shields
6. Donaghy
7.Forker
8.Grimley
9. Sheridan
10.Hall
11. Grugan
12. Rafferty
13. Clarke
14. Rian
15. Soupy

Still think that’s our strongest team at the minute, although arguments to be made for Burns/Vernon in midfield ahead of Sheridan and the other Burns/Kennedy both close to starting. Down the line I’d like to see Oisin O’Neill finding a place in that team although not sure who he would replace, possibly coming in for Sheridan in midfield. Murnin is a cert to start as well when fit although obviously not against Down as he hasn’t played any league football. Another option for the Down game as other have said is Shields pushing forward to mark Mooney and Burns/Kennedy coming in for Hall, who would be very unlucky to miss out.

Strong first team and plenty of good options on the bench.
 

niall1980

Well-Known Member
1.Hughes
2.Morgan
3. McKay
4. Hughes
5.Shields
6. Donaghy
7.Forker
8.Grimley
9. Sheridan
10.Hall
11. Grugan
12. Rafferty
13. Clarke
14. Rian
15. Soupy

Still think that’s our strongest team at the minute, although arguments to be made for Burns/Vernon in midfield ahead of Sheridan and the other Burns/Kennedy both close to starting. Down the line I’d like to see Oisin O’Neill finding a place in that team although not sure who he would replace, possibly coming in for Sheridan in midfield. Murnin is a cert to start as well when fit although obviously not against Down as he hasn’t played any league football. Another option for the Down game as other have said is Shields pushing forward to mark Mooney and Burns/Kennedy coming in for Hall, who would be very unlucky to miss out.

Strong first team and plenty of good options on the bench.
I agree with this team. Maybe burns for Sheridan. Regarding Murnin who does he come in for? I don’t see Rian or Jamie missing out, and not should they, do it would have to be soupy.
 

Armaghball

Well-Known Member
I agree with this team. Maybe burns for Sheridan. Regarding Murnin who does he come in for? I don’t see Rian or Jamie missing out, and not should they, do it would have to be soupy.
Very tough call and hopefully we have all those lads flying fit this summer it would be a nice headache for management to have. The good thing is that most of the forwards I’ve mentioned are equally comfortable inside or playing further out the field.
 

Patrick-Armagh

Well-Known Member
1.Hughes
2.Morgan
3. McKay
4. Hughes
5.Shields
6. Donaghy
7.Forker
8.Grimley
9. Sheridan
10.Hall
11. Grugan
12. Rafferty
13. Clarke
14. Rian
15. Soupy

Still think that’s our strongest team at the minute, although arguments to be made for Burns/Vernon in midfield ahead of Sheridan and the other Burns/Kennedy both close to starting. Down the line I’d like to see Oisin O’Neill finding a place in that team although not sure who he would replace, possibly coming in for Sheridan in midfield. Murnin is a cert to start as well when fit although obviously not against Down as he hasn’t played any league football. Another option for the Down game as other have said is Shields pushing forward to mark Mooney and Burns/Kennedy coming in for Hall, who would be very unlucky to miss out.

Strong first team and plenty of good options on the bench.

I think that at the moment that is our strongest team. Murnin at full forward would be a cert if he were fit and while he might be ready for the Down game, I just don't see him starting having played no games in the McKenna Cup or League. The question would then be which player would you drop from the forward line. One from Campbell, Rafferty and Hall would be most vulnerable. But I don't think it will happen. I've seen a few people questioning Sheridan's inclusion. I think that he's one of those players that you don't rate until he's not there. I think he get's through a massive amount in a game, doing a lot of the donkey work which can go unnoticed. He's able to get around the field and I don't see many of our other midfielders being as mobile. Vernon would be the player who would displace him if any, as he's consistent and rarely lets us down. Of course there are other options too, like Rafferty or Oisin O'Neill, but like Murnin, I don't see how O'Neill could be ready to play Championship football, having not kicked a ball all season, even if he's technically 'fit'.
 

Big Jim

Well-Known Member
I think that at the moment that is our strongest team. Murnin at full forward would be a cert if he were fit and while he might be ready for the Down game, I just don't see him starting having played no games in the McKenna Cup or League. The question would then be which player would you drop from the forward line. One from Campbell, Rafferty and Hall would be most vulnerable. But I don't think it will happen. I've seen a few people questioning Sheridan's inclusion. I think that he's one of those players that you don't rate until he's not there. I think he get's through a massive amount in a game, doing a lot of the donkey work which can go unnoticed. He's able to get around the field and I don't see many of our other midfielders being as mobile. Vernon would be the player who would displace him if any, as he's consistent and rarely lets us down. Of course there are other options too, like Rafferty or Oisin O'Neill, but like Murnin, I don't see how O'Neill could be ready to play Championship football, having not kicked a ball all season, even if he's technically 'fit'.
Agreed! Fit and match fit are different completely
 

huggy2002

Active Member
By John Campbell

March 28 2019




Oisin O'Neill found himself cast in the role of onlooker as Armagh charted their path through Division Two of the Allianz League.

A hip injury ensured that the tall, lean Crossmaglen Rangers ace played no part in the competition but he has revealed that he is hoping to be in contention for a place for the Ulster Championship campaign.

Having made his debut with the county senior team in 2017, O'Neill had cemented his place in the side until his injury.

But instead of fulfilling a role within the side he has found himself monitoring the progress of younger brother Rian, who has been very much to the fore in Kieran McGeeney's line-up of late, most recently against Cork at the weekend.

"Yes, Rian has been doing very well and I can't wait to get back in there alongside him," said O'Neill. "It's very frustrating when you are unable to play. You are kicking every ball while you are sitting there in the stand. Hopefully I will be back for the Championship in which Armagh will meet Down in Newry at the quarter-final stage.

"This is a massive match for both counties who missed out on promotion and will now want to make an impact in the Ulster and All-Ireland Championships."

The O'Neill brothers have come up through the highly successful Armagh Academy, another phase of which was formally launched last weekend. Already a number of exciting young players have come through the Academy and St Mary's University College student Oisin cannot speak highly enough of the effort being put in by those who oversee it.

"Ultimately there is only so far you can go with your club at under-age level whereas if you are involved with your school and your county this really exposes you to different styles of play and bigger challenges," pointed out O'Neill.

"You come up against a different standard of opposition and this means that if you are competing against better players it's going to bring you on further.

"My brother Rian and I have been lucky enough to have benefited from our involvement in the Armagh Academy in that it helped to further develop whatever level of talent we might have had. This brought us to another level in our careers and it's just great now to be involved at senior inter-county level because it gets no better than that."

Manager McGeeney could be faced with interesting selection posers ahead of the Ulster Championship.

As well as Oisin O'Neill, absentees from the starting line-up against Cork at the weekend included Mark Shields, Jamie Clarke, James Morgan, Gregory McCabe, Shane Ryan and Rian O'Neill.

Ryan was not included in the 26-strong match day squad which has already led to speculation in relation to his future with the county.

Clarke, Morgan and Rian O'Neill were introduced and all played significant roles in the closing stages but could not prevent their side going down to a one-point defeat (3-9 to 1-14).

It is understood that Shields and McCabe have been troubled by injuries lately but on the credit side Ben Crealey is back in the squad, although it is still unclear whether or not Andrew Murnin will be available for the Championship.

Meanwhile, midfield ace Niall Grimley was among the young sports volunteers who took centre stage at the recent GoldMark Awards Ceremony in Belfast.

The event, which was jointly organised by Ulster GAA, the Irish FA Foundation and Ulster Rugby, highlighted the huge volunteering effort across the three sports among young people aged 14-24.

Belfast Telegraph

Correct me if im wrong but was it not an ankle Injury that has kept Oisin O Neil out for this long, and who is " shane Ryan" is this an Armagh player i dont know about, wouldnt be surprised if this Interview was just concocted to be honest.!!!
 
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