Ulster Championship 2023

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Wee man

Well-Known Member
POINTMAN said:
I agree - so let's be honest
Any other keeper would be getting a lot more criticism for such an error- that goal cost us. But Ethan is getting off lightly because his other/overall play was good, including his scores. If we had another reliable keeper, we could benefit from Ethan around midfield- but Geezers poor management/lack of planning has left us where we are. Just another example of the "inches" that make the difference in the top teams.
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ah come on. Ethan has been outstanding under the high ball all year. He made one mistake, and even at that he was still was very unlucky for the ball to end up in the net.
And as for McGeeney, and I am not his biggest fan, but I think it took a mix of balls and vision to put Ethan in nets in the first place and IMO it was the right move.
 
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Armaghball

Well-Known Member
Wee man said:
ah come on. Ethan has been outstanding under the high ball all year. He made one mistake, and even at that he was still was very unlucky for the ball to end up in the net.
And as for McGeeney, and I am not his biggest fan, but I think it took a mix of balls and vision to put Ethan in nets in the first place and IMO it was the right move.
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I agree. I’d say he has one of the highest number of possessions of all our players and look at the scores he kicks and sets up. Positives far out weigh the negatives. Game that sticks out is Donegal in Clones last year, they were bombing high balls on our square in the late stages, Rafferty was immense.
 
Ard Mhacha 13

Ard Mhacha 13

Well-Known Member
pablo said:
I'm afraid thats my feeling as well.
I found this defeat really hard to take and probably still need a day or so to get over it before commenting, so I do apologise for the gloomy tone of this post. But I think Rufus expressed exactly why Sunday really hit me in the stomach. I am proud of the effort and passion given by the team and while we can debate the merits/debits of tactics on the day-by and large I do think management got it right. But we left that one behind, and it truly was a case of inches. I worry about the effect of another heartbreaker on the team. I think for the younger squad members, they will learn from this and become more and more battle hardened. But for the older servants-the cumulative effects of this following our recent relegation must take its toll. Maybe I underestimate the resilience of those guys-but they have been through a long, yo yo journey over the years and must wonder if the small margins will ever fall in their favour. It will be a considerable test of management to pick them off the floor for futher battle-but we do have the management to do that. I hope that Westmeath at home-while not to be underestimated, will be a good game to get things up and running but honestly, guys like Forker, Grugan and Campbell must have hearts like Lions to keep going.
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This, this, this, my thoughts exactly, it's as if you read my mind.
 
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thehighballinlow

Active Member
John said:
Why did we not put Murnin back on for extra time. No one is questioning this, why
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I disagree with this. Putting a man back on after been taking off is showing a massive lack of trust in your squad.

Armagh management talk about sqaud and depth of sqaud. We took grugan off round 45 min because he had run into the ground. We took him back on in the 70th min. Players like sheridan, higgins, crealy, mc conville, cumiskey (wasnt on at this stage) how must they feel?


As for murnin his strength is high ball into the square did we do that once? Remember a kick that he broke down and got blocked as he shot. In second half we kicked two into him on the D and mcavoy broke both away.
 
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thehighballinlow

Active Member
northarmaghgael said:
See Oisin oNeill still hanging around the squad on match days. Does anyone know when he’s expected to come back in again? Bar ballybofey last year I can’t mind the last time he played a game for either club or county.
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Such a stupid comment.

So what do you want to do when a player gets injured playing for armagh? drop him off the panel because he no use to the management?

Who looks after the injury, who sorts the opperation if need, who does he rehab to get him back. You want the player to cover these cost himself?

In my opinion if players get injured if its with a club or county they are entitled to the medical treatment.

Same woth grimley, rowland, burns, kelly all should be in round the sqaud until back to full fitness.
 
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Armaghball

Well-Known Member
thehighballinlow said:
Such a stupid comment.

So what do you want to do when a player gets injured playing for armagh? drop him off the panel because he no use to the management?

Who looks after the injury, who sorts the opperation if need, who does he rehab to get him back. You want the player to cover these cost himself?

In my opinion if players get injured if its with a club or county they are entitled to the medical treatment.

Same woth grimley, rowland, burns, kelly all should be in round the sqaud until back to full fitness.
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Think you’re replying to the wrong man there.

Any of those lads definitely get looked after when they get injured with the county they get whatever operation/treatment etc they need which is proper order.
 
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Naka

Active Member
thehighballinlow said:
I disagree with this. Putting a man back on after been taking off is showing a massive lack of trust in your squad.

Armagh management talk about sqaud and depth of sqaud. We took grugan off round 45 min because he had run into the ground. We took him back on in the 70th min. Players like sheridan, higgins, crealy, mc conville, cumiskey (wasnt on at this stage) how must they feel?


As for murnin his strength is high ball into the square did we do that once? Remember a kick that he broke down and got blocked as he shot. In second half we kicked two into him on the D and mcavoy broke both away.
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grugan wasa a left footed free taker so it was sensible to take him back on
 
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niall1980

Well-Known Member
Rufus T Firefly said:
It's a very good article and does indeed highlight the very fine lines at play here. I've been mulling over some of these fine lines in my head, and in discussions with others, since the match, although I still cannot bring myself to watch it. That said, I'm not so sure Cahir's conclusion - that Armagh are still in a good place - stands up.

I think he underestimates the crushing blow that Clones last Sunday was for Armagh. That match was the culmination of not just months of training, but I'd argue years of progression from Division 3 football, painful and fruitless Championship campaigns, to get a team that was ready to go toe-to-toe for a major honour. Across that progression, many of our great players of the modern age have been getting older and are now reaching veteran status. Will they get another opportunity like that on Sunday? Maybe; maybe not. I hope I'm wrong, but that felt like one wonderful opportunity that was let slip.

I feel Armagh needed that victory a lot more than Derry did and the defeat itself, and the nature of it, will have dealt a major blow to the team. If they can come back from this and progress to an All Ireland Quarter-final, then they will have performed brilliantly. However it will be a big challenge.
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while I agree wth you Rufus on a lot of this, we dont yet know if it will be a crushing blow. A missed opportunity and very disappointing but lets see how the lads react first
 
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Armamike

Active Member
niall1980 said:
while I agree wth you Rufus on a lot of this, we dont yet know if it will be a crushing blow. A missed opportunity and very disappointing but lets see how the lads react first
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It's a case of keeping belief in themselves and management have a big role to play now. I think that process started with McGeeney on Sunday who spoke to the media afterwards and tried to show some positiviity, If the players can get it into their heads that they're a good team and that they are thereabouts with any of the contenders, then they might still be ok this summer. They can use the crushing disappointment to drive them on.
 
PatMustard

PatMustard

Well-Known Member
thehighballinlow said:
I disagree with this. Putting a man back on after been taking off is showing a massive lack of trust in your squad.

Armagh management talk about sqaud and depth of sqaud. We took grugan off round 45 min because he had run into the ground. We took him back on in the 70th min. Players like sheridan, higgins, crealy, mc conville, cumiskey (wasnt on at this stage) how must they feel?


As for murnin his strength is high ball into the square did we do that once? Remember a kick that he broke down and got blocked as he shot. In second half we kicked two into him on the D and mcavoy broke both away.
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Yeah I have to agree. I know as the game progresses, things change, tactics need looked at etc. But yes it must be disheartening for players left on the bench.

I remember in Celtic Park 1996, we were being well beat by Derry. Martin McQuillan was substituted, then a few minutes later Martin Toye gets a goal. McQuillan came back on again. We still lost.

Anyway, I remember reading in Oisin’s book that he was a young and upcoming player, itching to get his chance. He said he was fuming when the Brian’s put McQuillan back on. Here was a young player eager to prove himself, fresh legs. Training all year, and this happens. Must read that bit again, but I believe McConville may have talked about packing in the county. Luckily he didn’t.

So, that’s how something like Grugan’s reintroduction can affect fringe players.
 
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FearArdMhacha

Member
I’m torn on the reintroduction of Grugan. On one hand it made sense to take him off as he was carrying a yellow and looked leggy in the first half. In other games we had often rotated forwards so they all had their rest up front when we were out of possession but against Derry that wasn’t as doable. Putting back on the free taker isn‘t a mad decision and it very nearly won us the match. He did so well to find the space, get the mark and then back himself. A free taker should eat that chance. Adding Murnin back into things and I would understand squad players having a problem.
Crealy was there and if he was fit to warm up then he was fit to be sent on in ET to eat the clock and compete for a high ball. Too many neglected to give Rafferty an option with 3 mins to kill. Some experienced and some not. Rafferty hit it out hard and hoped and it was down Glass‘ throat. If you don’t back yourself that’s what happens. If a player had made a run and given Rafferty more of an option yet still lost the ball I’d understand - the opponent was just better in that exchange - but too many weren’t exactly demanding the ball and that’s a big problem At that level. Cian McConville must be wondering what he did wrong. He’s been as good a forward as there is in the club championship for 3 years and when our forwards weren’t or aren’t performing I think he should get a chance.
 
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gazman317

Member
FearArdMhacha said:
I’m torn on the reintroduction of Grugan. On one hand it made sense to take him off as he was carrying a yellow and looked leggy in the first half. In other games we had often rotated forwards so they all had their rest up front when we were out of possession but against Derry that wasn’t as doable. Putting back on the free taker isn‘t a mad decision and it very nearly won us the match. He did so well to find the space, get the mark and then back himself. A free taker should eat that chance. Adding Murnin back into things and I would understand squad players having a problem.
Crealy was there and if he was fit to warm up then he was fit to be sent on in ET to eat the clock and compete for a high ball. Too many neglected to give Rafferty an option with 3 mins to kill. Some experienced and some not. Rafferty hit it out hard and hoped and it was down Glass‘ throat. If you don’t back yourself that’s what happens. If a player had made a run and given Rafferty more of an option yet still lost the ball I’d understand - the opponent was just better in that exchange - but too many weren’t exactly demanding the ball and that’s a big problem At that level. Cian McConville must be wondering what he did wrong. He’s been as good a forward as there is in the club championship for 3 years and when our forwards weren’t or aren’t performing I think he should get a chance.
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I definitely think he should have been given more chances to date this season, but I also understand not putting him on in the heat of an ulster final when he has little experience at county level, hopefully he can be given a bit of round robin exposure and then a full league next year and go from there
 
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Armaghball

Well-Known Member
gazman317 said:
I definitely think he should have been given more chances to date this season, but I also understand not putting him on in the heat of an ulster final when he has little experience at county level, hopefully he can be given a bit of round robin exposure and then a full league next year and go from there
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I agree with that but then young Conaty came on who would have far less experience than McConville. Found that a strange enough call to be honest
 
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Peter grimes

Well-Known Member
It has been mentioned that McGeeney did the post match media work. I think that was a telling and correct move.

Some think it’s odd or negligent on him for not doing media work. In general I couldn’t give a monkeys. But Sunday was different and I think he called that right.
 
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