Ulster Championship 2024

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Hoops

Active Member
MrMaguire2002 said:
10 games in (in both league and championship) I'm happy with how things have gone for Blaine.

Good under a high ball, good shot stopper and a good trajectory on his kickout. Evidence of all of these in his games played to date.
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10 games against mediocre enough opposition who didn’t really pressure our kickout most of the time, not many saves needed and he did do well a few times under high balls. There’s been nothing ground breaking to make him undroppable, especially compared to the impact some goalkeepers can have in a game. If he were capable of hitting long range frees it might change that opinion.

Rafferty isn’t a bad shot stopper, has saved a few penalties, and is grand on kickouts, then adds a completely different dimension to our attack. If he could keep calm under high balls there’d be no question about him being the better goalkeeper.
 
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MrMaguire2002

Well-Known Member
Hoops said:
10 games against mediocre enough opposition who didn’t really pressure our kickout most of the time, not many saves needed and he did do well a few times under high balls. There’s been nothing ground breaking to make him undroppable, especially compared to the impact some goalkeepers can have in a game. If he were capable of hitting long range frees it might change that opinion.

Rafferty isn’t a bad shot stopper, has saved a few penalties, and is grand on kickouts, then adds a completely different dimension to our attack. If he could keep calm under high balls there’d be no question about him being the better goalkeeper.
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Ethan does add another dimension to our attack. Cannot disagree.

However, the 10 games against mediocre opposition? 2 of them were against Sunday's opposition so that argument doesn't stand up.

Added to that he saved an Oisin Gallen penalty against Donegal.

Has had two good experiences against Sunday's opposition. So the level of opposition doesn't come into it whatsoever.
 
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H

Hoops

Active Member
MrMaguire2002 said:
Ethan does add another dimension to our attack. Cannot disagree.

However, the 10 games against mediocre opposition? 2 of them were against Sunday's opposition so that argument doesn't stand up.

Added to that he saved an Oisin Gallen penalty against Donegal.

Has had two good experiences against Sunday's opposition. So the level of opposition doesn't come into it whatsoever.
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It feels a bit narrow minded to put much weight on the two Donegal games. They will play at a completely different level with different tactics and, to point out the obvious, we didn’t win either of them.
 
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MrMaguire2002

Well-Known Member
Hoops said:
It feels a bit narrow minded to put much weight on the two Donegal games. They will play at a completely different level with different tactics and, to point out the obvious, we didn’t win either of them.
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Calling it narrow minded to put emphasis on playing twice against the very team we play on Sunday, and then pointing out 'the obvious' that we didn't win either game. Was Blaine pivotal to not winning?

I'll let you decide which of those two is more 'narrow minded'. Can you see my point?
 
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niall1980

Well-Known Member
MrMaguire2002 said:
Ethan does add another dimension to our attack. Cannot disagree.

However, the 10 games against mediocre opposition? 2 of them were against Sunday's opposition so that argument doesn't stand up.

Added to that he saved an Oisin Gallen penalty against Donegal.

Has had two good experiences against Sunday's opposition. So the level of opposition doesn't come into it whatsoever.
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when you add in the fact that Ethan has had no games against any opposition it makes the argument to start him even dafter
 
ShiftYa

ShiftYa

Well-Known Member
Armaghball said:
Wouldnt mind seeing Ethan get 5 mins out the field as an option but thats it tbh. Doubt his sharpness is where it needs to be
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Would be total madness, 10 other players on the bench but a man with no minutes this season and hasn’t played outfield in years is the answer to our problems?

How we going to get more scores out of our forwards is the question we should be focusing on not this sideshow around Ethan.

I’d like to see O. O’Neill and Shane McPartlan thrown into the FF line to target their smaller defenders.
 
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Hoops

Active Member
MrMaguire2002 said:
Calling it narrow minded to put emphasis on playing twice against the very team we play on Sunday, and then pointing out 'the obvious' that we didn't win either game. Was Blaine pivotal to not winning?

I'll let you decide which of those two is more 'narrow minded'. Can you see my point?
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It feels narrow minded to opine that someone should keep their position just because they played games earlier that season when their replacement was injured. The point re not winning those games is that something about our approach needs to change generally, and that change could be adding rafferty to the mix, not singling out Blaine for those results.

Arguments about their qualities or how we haven’t seen Ethan yet this season are fair enough, I just don’t think games against mostly Tailteann level opposition and poor versions of the some of the teams now in Sam should carry too much weight.
 
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Patrick-Armagh

Well-Known Member
If anyone has or knows of any spare tickets for Sunday, could you send me a message. Hens teeth which made from gold dust and all that!

As for Sunday itself, we just have to win. No matter what it takes, just get over the line. We have the players, we have the experience, we have the fitness and the legs. I'm not sure what other people think of him, but I can't stand McGuinness. I never have. There's something about him that is just off. I know his players swear by him, but he seems to have a hold over people whereby they are afraid to speak up against him. The whole Kevin Cassidy and Declan Bogue scenario is outrageous and shows a vindictive side to him that gets glossed over with the speal he comes out with. I'd love us to beat him on Sunday and stick it to him. It's not going to be a great spectacle I imagine, but it's going to be intriguing to watch. Seeing the team named and already having a defender named in the half forward line shows that we are going to be cautious.
 
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Revenge

Member
I think there's a flaw in the way Donegal set up they are strong down the middle because they allow teams the space on the wings and their end line, if we can get the ball to their end line and put it across in front of their goals then I think we can cause a bit of chaos in and around the square. There could be goals for the taking if executed right, we had a bit of joy with this in the league final but no end product.
 
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Armaghball

Well-Known Member
ShiftYa said:
Would be total madness, 10 other players on the bench but a man with no minutes this season and hasn’t played outfield in years is the answer to our problems?

How we going to get more scores out of our forwards is the question we should be focusing on not this sideshow around Ethan.

I’d like to see O. O’Neill and Shane McPartlan thrown into the FF line to target their smaller defenders.
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Better in the air and at long range shooting than the vast majority of our players which is all I’m thinking there.
 
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Smallball

Active Member
I think the suggestion of starting ethan this sunday is ridiculous. To take a settled keeper out of a settled defence in a final would be madness imo. I would think there will be both #16 keeper and outfield jersey for Sunday and i wouldn't rule out seeing ethan introduced late on.
Also think soupy will be kept for an impact off the bench, either nugent or duffy to replace him and track mchugh.
Would like to see oisin o neill in the mix from the start as well but more hopeful than expectant on that one.
Definitely fit to win this if the players have enough confidence to back themselves. Roll on Sunday.
 
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Armaghball

Well-Known Member
Smallball said:
I think the suggestion of starting ethan this sunday is ridiculous. To take a settled keeper out of a settled defence in a final would be madness imo. I would think there will be both #16 keeper and outfield jersey for Sunday and i wouldn't rule out seeing ethan introduced late on.
Also think soupy will be kept for an impact off the bench, either nugent or duffy to replace him and track mchugh.
Would like to see oisin o neill in the mix from the start as well but more hopeful than expectant on that one.
Definitely fit to win this if the players have enough confidence to back themselves. Roll on Sunday.
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Yeah agree, I maintain if we ever want to get amongst the top teams we need the 2 O’Neills at their best. Greg looks to be getting the job of McHugh, tbh Jemar has done that role very well in the past.
 
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Armaghball

Well-Known Member
Peter grimes said:
Match day nerves this morning. God knows what tomorrow will be like.

Duffy for Soupy might be an option. The players on Mogan and McHugh will put a shift in and probably not finish the game.
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McHugh was still pelting up the field at the end of extra time last week so wouldn’t count on that.

Soupy be a great man to bring in is right
 
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