Looking forward to another great day's championship action with the final round of the hurling qualifiers and the Ulster football final replay.
The hurling season has stuttered along so far but last weekend was really the start of us getting down to serious business.
Cork shocked, I know it's a strong word given that they have one of the top two sides in the country for the last six season, all of us with the quality of their performance last weekend against Galway and their sheer guts and determination in the second half against the wind with a man down.
They defeated the Tribesmen in a game where we saw one of the great individual performances by a teenage Joe Canning.
When you see a young man put in a game like that you just have wonder how good he can be.
If he keeps his feet on the ground and remains injury free, which will be difficult given that he puts his body on the line to create space, he has the potential to become an all-time great.
However, the Cork half back line of Gardiner, Curran and O hAilpin looked like men on a mission and with Joe Deane on fire up front Cork looked irresistible.
Clare on the other hand have also a lot to prove after a fairly poor performance in the Munster final and they should at least not be as dependent on one player to do the damage for them as were Galway.
In the end I think Cork will edge it just because they take their scores easier than Clare but if the Banner can find the Cork net the way they breached the Waterford and Limerick defences early in the season then it could be quite a contest.
I fancy Waterford to overcome Wexford despite their over reliance on Eoin Kelly to beat Offaly last week.
I still think there is a big game in Waterford and it's now die dog or shite the licence.
Wexford are a poor side, their league form and their efforts in Leinster tell us that.
The gap between the rest in Leinster, Cats apart, and Munster isn't as big as some suggest, but the Decies know this is the last throw of the dice and I would expect some of them to begin to perform as they can.
I wouldn't even dream of calling Ulster. Prevailing wisdom that Fermanagh had their chance and that they will be eaten up by Armagh in the replay isn't going to happen.
Fermanagh are much too fit and physically strong to roll over for anyone. They know they had the game by the throat for the last 25 minutes and they will take great heart from that but they must do something about the free taking.
Armagh are methodical, clever and slick in full flight but McGrane is no longer a 70 minute player, he tired last week and the team suffered.
They are a little too pedestrian at times in the build-up and it was a tactical error bringing in Oisin McConville left the field.
The old Armagh disease of the two Brians era of not pushing on when they had a big lead cost them dearly and unless they address the issue of pace in their side they will be found out by better sides than Fermanagh no matter what Curran and McDonnell can conjure up.
I think we are in for another great battle as winning is everything in this one as the losers will find it very tough lifting themselves for the qualifers.
Showing posts with label Armagh. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Armagh. Show all posts
Sunday, 27 July 2008
Monday, 30 June 2008
Orchardmen still on course
While the Leinster game had me on the edge of my seat as Westmeath battled until the last six or seven minutes in search of a shock result I thoroughly enjoyed the big game in Ulster for much different reasons.
The Ulster championship remains the only show in town in the early part of the season.
It's still the only place where teams play with anything like the intensity needed to win an All Ireland.
While Cork and Kerry, Mayo and Galway coast to provincial finals and the Dubs can still produce enough bluster to get through Leinster you still have to work for your corn in the North.
This year was touted as the one where we would see an end to the domination of mainly Armagh, but also Tyrone, in Ulster.
This was based on the belief that Monaghan were coming, Derry were the finished article and that the north's big two were on the slide.
Monaghan's great form of last year is now only a fading memory after a first round exit at the hands of Fermanagh.
Derry's over reliance on Paddy Bradley was laid bare last week, again by Fermanagh, and while Down did dethrone last year's champions Tyrone after a replay Armagh have quietly got on with the business of reaching another Ulster final.
Their quarter final performance against Cavan was solid and they moved up a gear yesterday to see off Down despite playing with 14 men for more than 30 minutes of the second half.
The Armagh performance was a little Jeckell and Hyde at times.
There were passages of play which was as good as anything in the country this year, good movement, accurate passing and top drawer finishing.
Clarke and McDonnell are a handful and young Stephen Kernan has obviously modelled his game on that of Oisin McConville.
Charlie Vernon has added a little power to the half forward line and he can get better.
McGrane and Toner are a good combination in the middle while the defence remains fairly mean with Andy Mallon's pace and Francie Bellew's uncompromising marking a big plus.
Peter McDonnell seems to have achieved what many of us thought was beyond Armagh and that was to almost seamlessly move from the great side of the early days of the decade to another team which has retained some of that wealth of experience and blended it with some exciting new talent.
The Kernans, all three of them, Finian Moriarty, Vernon and Toner have brought something to a team which looked two seasons ago to be on the way out.
I do have a couple of reservations about Armagh yet however.
They play a very controlled game, no running about like headless chickens, holding on to possession, but it is a bit predictable and a bit one paced.
They don't have anyone like Marsden or even Oisin McConville who can produce that little burst of explosive pace which leaves even top class defenders floundering.
Paddy McKeever and Martin O'Rourke will struggle a little at half forward when they meet better quality opposition, they don't have the legs to seriously hurt the top sides.
McGrane is still a magnificent player, capable of great fielding and passing and in the early stages of a game he can still make the surging runs forward.
As the game goes on however, you see less of that part of his game and at times yesterday I thought that Armagh could have been doing with someone in the middle capable of giving them something extra in the last 15 minutes.
Aidan O'Rourke has played well at centre half and is great moving forward, I think his defensive qualities will be tested much more robustly however, starting with the powerful running of the Fermanagh forwards.
McDonnell and Clarke had a great day at the office yesterday with Clarke in particular in brilliant form.
They enjoyed loads of possession and some good ball into the danger areas.
I just wonder do Armagh have enough variation if route one isn't going their way.
However, despite the retirements of some of their best players no one will want to meet them if they do progress to the All-Ireland quarter finals as they remain one of the best teams in the country.
The Ulster championship remains the only show in town in the early part of the season.
It's still the only place where teams play with anything like the intensity needed to win an All Ireland.
While Cork and Kerry, Mayo and Galway coast to provincial finals and the Dubs can still produce enough bluster to get through Leinster you still have to work for your corn in the North.
This year was touted as the one where we would see an end to the domination of mainly Armagh, but also Tyrone, in Ulster.
This was based on the belief that Monaghan were coming, Derry were the finished article and that the north's big two were on the slide.
Monaghan's great form of last year is now only a fading memory after a first round exit at the hands of Fermanagh.
Derry's over reliance on Paddy Bradley was laid bare last week, again by Fermanagh, and while Down did dethrone last year's champions Tyrone after a replay Armagh have quietly got on with the business of reaching another Ulster final.
Their quarter final performance against Cavan was solid and they moved up a gear yesterday to see off Down despite playing with 14 men for more than 30 minutes of the second half.
The Armagh performance was a little Jeckell and Hyde at times.
There were passages of play which was as good as anything in the country this year, good movement, accurate passing and top drawer finishing.
Clarke and McDonnell are a handful and young Stephen Kernan has obviously modelled his game on that of Oisin McConville.
Charlie Vernon has added a little power to the half forward line and he can get better.
McGrane and Toner are a good combination in the middle while the defence remains fairly mean with Andy Mallon's pace and Francie Bellew's uncompromising marking a big plus.
Peter McDonnell seems to have achieved what many of us thought was beyond Armagh and that was to almost seamlessly move from the great side of the early days of the decade to another team which has retained some of that wealth of experience and blended it with some exciting new talent.
The Kernans, all three of them, Finian Moriarty, Vernon and Toner have brought something to a team which looked two seasons ago to be on the way out.
I do have a couple of reservations about Armagh yet however.
They play a very controlled game, no running about like headless chickens, holding on to possession, but it is a bit predictable and a bit one paced.
They don't have anyone like Marsden or even Oisin McConville who can produce that little burst of explosive pace which leaves even top class defenders floundering.
Paddy McKeever and Martin O'Rourke will struggle a little at half forward when they meet better quality opposition, they don't have the legs to seriously hurt the top sides.
McGrane is still a magnificent player, capable of great fielding and passing and in the early stages of a game he can still make the surging runs forward.
As the game goes on however, you see less of that part of his game and at times yesterday I thought that Armagh could have been doing with someone in the middle capable of giving them something extra in the last 15 minutes.
Aidan O'Rourke has played well at centre half and is great moving forward, I think his defensive qualities will be tested much more robustly however, starting with the powerful running of the Fermanagh forwards.
McDonnell and Clarke had a great day at the office yesterday with Clarke in particular in brilliant form.
They enjoyed loads of possession and some good ball into the danger areas.
I just wonder do Armagh have enough variation if route one isn't going their way.
However, despite the retirements of some of their best players no one will want to meet them if they do progress to the All-Ireland quarter finals as they remain one of the best teams in the country.
Sunday, 15 June 2008
Armagh impress in first outing
Armagh looked as formidable if not quite as clinical as ever in their first outing in the Ulster championship today when they disposed of Cavan a lot easier than the score line of 0-17 to 0-13 suggests.
Armagh still play to their strengths, they make it hard to break them down and they hold possession in their no nonsense no panic style and in Clarke and McDonnell they have two class acts up front.
They should have had at least three goals today with Stevie McDonnell, Clarke and Stephen Kernan all guilty of misses one to one with the 'keeper.
The Orchard men snuffed out Cavan at every turn.
The Breffni men never really looked like getting back into the game bar a short spell right after half time when Armagh missed a few chances to finish the game off and Cavan closed the gap to two.
The defence looked better for Francie Bellew and Andy Mallon's return and John Toner looks like a good partner for the ever reliable Paul McGrane in the middle.
Stephen Kernan adds a bit of class to the forward line and Charlie Vernon looks to be a very powerful footballer.
If Armagh can keep McDonnell and Clarke fit they are always going to be a threat.
They will now face a resurgent Down in the Ulster semi final in what will be a much-anticipated game.
For Cavan, I can't see them lift themselves for the qualifiers, their shortcomings were cruelly exposed today and with the calibre of opposition already in the draw it's hard to see them going much further.
They were much too predictable.
They battle hard but Armagh starved Seanie Johnston of possession and even though he still managed a credible haul of points Armagh dominated midfield and made Cavan work hard for everything they got.
Cavan will be a banana skin for anyone they meet but only that.
The challenge to Armagh is now to improve, if they can do that they will be in the mix in the latter part of the season.
Armagh still play to their strengths, they make it hard to break them down and they hold possession in their no nonsense no panic style and in Clarke and McDonnell they have two class acts up front.
They should have had at least three goals today with Stevie McDonnell, Clarke and Stephen Kernan all guilty of misses one to one with the 'keeper.
The Orchard men snuffed out Cavan at every turn.
The Breffni men never really looked like getting back into the game bar a short spell right after half time when Armagh missed a few chances to finish the game off and Cavan closed the gap to two.
The defence looked better for Francie Bellew and Andy Mallon's return and John Toner looks like a good partner for the ever reliable Paul McGrane in the middle.
Stephen Kernan adds a bit of class to the forward line and Charlie Vernon looks to be a very powerful footballer.
If Armagh can keep McDonnell and Clarke fit they are always going to be a threat.
They will now face a resurgent Down in the Ulster semi final in what will be a much-anticipated game.
For Cavan, I can't see them lift themselves for the qualifiers, their shortcomings were cruelly exposed today and with the calibre of opposition already in the draw it's hard to see them going much further.
They were much too predictable.
They battle hard but Armagh starved Seanie Johnston of possession and even though he still managed a credible haul of points Armagh dominated midfield and made Cavan work hard for everything they got.
Cavan will be a banana skin for anyone they meet but only that.
The challenge to Armagh is now to improve, if they can do that they will be in the mix in the latter part of the season.
Friday, 16 May 2008
Intensity and focus gone mad!
Sometimes you have to wonder do managers and players lose the plot in their pursuit of the All Ireland.
Kildare's Under 21s played in an All-Ireland final against Kerry recently the first time Kildare had been there for long many a day.
A great day out for the county and you'd have thought that the county seniors would have been there to roar on what should be the backbone of the county side for years to come.
Not so. Instead the senior watched the game on TV from their training camp in Cork where they were for a challenge game for the weekend.
Apparently the senior side had been warned about the 'risks' associated with a four-hour round trip by bus!
Is it just me or is this madness?
Surely to God the seniors would have got something out of watching the young players many of whom must come from their own home clubs?
It doesn't happen every day after all.
It's one thing to be focussed on the next big game, against the giants of Wicklow no less, but this sort of stuff smacks of madness.
It is sounds typical of the set-up in Armagh in the early part of the decade.
However, that was already a very good Armagh team which needed to believe they could win after blowing it in 1999 and 2000.
The type of focus and intensity encouraged by Joe Kernan helped get them into the winner's enclosure in 2002 but for all the focus and the intensity Armagh never made it back again.
I remember reading a piece Micky Harte wrote in his book Knocking on Heaven's Door contrasting his laid back approach to Armagh's intensity and he simply said he knew which set of players he would rather spend the night with.
I fully understand the pursuit of excellence but I reckon it needs to be pursued on the training ground and the bottom line should always be that a player's love of kicking the round white object remains the focus of all good things in training and that you can do the mental intensity thing until you're blue in the face but that nothing compares to a sheer enjoyment of the game.
Someday when their younger colleagues make the breakthrough the Kildare players will realise that a four hour bus trip might not have been the biggest difficulty they ever faced to see their county in an All-Ireland final.
Kildare's Under 21s played in an All-Ireland final against Kerry recently the first time Kildare had been there for long many a day.
A great day out for the county and you'd have thought that the county seniors would have been there to roar on what should be the backbone of the county side for years to come.
Not so. Instead the senior watched the game on TV from their training camp in Cork where they were for a challenge game for the weekend.
Apparently the senior side had been warned about the 'risks' associated with a four-hour round trip by bus!
Is it just me or is this madness?
Surely to God the seniors would have got something out of watching the young players many of whom must come from their own home clubs?
It doesn't happen every day after all.
It's one thing to be focussed on the next big game, against the giants of Wicklow no less, but this sort of stuff smacks of madness.
It is sounds typical of the set-up in Armagh in the early part of the decade.
However, that was already a very good Armagh team which needed to believe they could win after blowing it in 1999 and 2000.
The type of focus and intensity encouraged by Joe Kernan helped get them into the winner's enclosure in 2002 but for all the focus and the intensity Armagh never made it back again.
I remember reading a piece Micky Harte wrote in his book Knocking on Heaven's Door contrasting his laid back approach to Armagh's intensity and he simply said he knew which set of players he would rather spend the night with.
I fully understand the pursuit of excellence but I reckon it needs to be pursued on the training ground and the bottom line should always be that a player's love of kicking the round white object remains the focus of all good things in training and that you can do the mental intensity thing until you're blue in the face but that nothing compares to a sheer enjoyment of the game.
Someday when their younger colleagues make the breakthrough the Kildare players will realise that a four hour bus trip might not have been the biggest difficulty they ever faced to see their county in an All-Ireland final.
Saturday, 19 April 2008
Wishful thinking by McDonnell
Armagh forward Stevie McDonnell has sounded a warning today about anyone writing off Tyrone in the provincial championship saying that Mickey Harte's men like Armagh have improved as the championship has gone on.
Tyrone and Armagh have literally carved Ulster up between them since 1999, with Armagh way out ahead with six titles to Tyrone's three.
However, the Red Hands have fared slightly better in the All Ireland with two wins to Armagh's one and one of the Tyrone victories came at Armagh's expense in the first ever all Ulster final in 2003.
However, neither side are the force they were early in the decade, Tyrone devastated by the loss of Cormac McAnallen and an injury list that would do an episode of Casualty justice.
Armagh on the other hand have lost some of their greatest players, McGeeney and Marsden in particular, to retirement and some of their most experienced players are the wrong side of 30, and in the modern game that's a problem.
Both counties have worked hard with young players, Tyrone because they've had to and Armagh have had a good set of Under 21s come through.
However, they are not yet the genuine article and I think that McDonnell is being over optimistic about the two sides' fortunes.
No one will look forward to playing them, and if they go out of Ulster who would want them in the play-offs, but I think this season we will see new kings in Ulster.
Derry and Monaghan are ahead of the province's big two at the moment and Donegal could also be a threat if they can turn over Derry who may be too confident after the easy league win over Brian McIver's side.
Ulster is notoriously difficult to navigate but the big question for me is, is there a side in the province capable of beating Kerry. I don't think so on the evidence so far this year but that's the beauty about championship anything can happen.
I'd love Tyrone and Armagh to mount a credible challenge again, it would be good for football in the province, but I believe it's wishful thinking.
Tyrone and Armagh have literally carved Ulster up between them since 1999, with Armagh way out ahead with six titles to Tyrone's three.
However, the Red Hands have fared slightly better in the All Ireland with two wins to Armagh's one and one of the Tyrone victories came at Armagh's expense in the first ever all Ulster final in 2003.
However, neither side are the force they were early in the decade, Tyrone devastated by the loss of Cormac McAnallen and an injury list that would do an episode of Casualty justice.
Armagh on the other hand have lost some of their greatest players, McGeeney and Marsden in particular, to retirement and some of their most experienced players are the wrong side of 30, and in the modern game that's a problem.
Both counties have worked hard with young players, Tyrone because they've had to and Armagh have had a good set of Under 21s come through.
However, they are not yet the genuine article and I think that McDonnell is being over optimistic about the two sides' fortunes.
No one will look forward to playing them, and if they go out of Ulster who would want them in the play-offs, but I think this season we will see new kings in Ulster.
Derry and Monaghan are ahead of the province's big two at the moment and Donegal could also be a threat if they can turn over Derry who may be too confident after the easy league win over Brian McIver's side.
Ulster is notoriously difficult to navigate but the big question for me is, is there a side in the province capable of beating Kerry. I don't think so on the evidence so far this year but that's the beauty about championship anything can happen.
I'd love Tyrone and Armagh to mount a credible challenge again, it would be good for football in the province, but I believe it's wishful thinking.
Friday, 18 April 2008
Bellew a throw back to another era
Big Francie Bellew is back for Armagh this Sunday with his first start for the Orchard County since damaging his cruciate ligament last year.
Bellew has been one of Armagh's key defenders since Joe Kernan brought him into the Armagh team in their winning season of 2002 as a corner back.
Since then Francie has been an absolute rock at the heart of the defence.
He has been badly missed since his injury and new manager Peter McDonnell will be hoping he can get one more good year from the veteran defender.
The only player in recent seasons to clean Francie out was Kerry’s Ciaran Donaghy in 2006 when Francie slipped close to goal.
However, I think that contest changed when Francie got a fairly innocuous yellow card just before half time at a period when Donaghy looked totally frustrated by the Crossmaglen man’s tight marking.
Bellew is a no-nonsense defender, almost a throw back to another age.
You’ll not see him galloping forward knocking points over the opposition’s crossbar but he takes the marking job so seriously that I wonder does he follow his man into the opposition changing room at the interval.
Hope the big man can complete his comeback, he hasn’t many more seasons left in him at the top, hope he gets to enjoy it!
Bellew has been one of Armagh's key defenders since Joe Kernan brought him into the Armagh team in their winning season of 2002 as a corner back.
Since then Francie has been an absolute rock at the heart of the defence.
He has been badly missed since his injury and new manager Peter McDonnell will be hoping he can get one more good year from the veteran defender.
The only player in recent seasons to clean Francie out was Kerry’s Ciaran Donaghy in 2006 when Francie slipped close to goal.
However, I think that contest changed when Francie got a fairly innocuous yellow card just before half time at a period when Donaghy looked totally frustrated by the Crossmaglen man’s tight marking.
Bellew is a no-nonsense defender, almost a throw back to another age.
You’ll not see him galloping forward knocking points over the opposition’s crossbar but he takes the marking job so seriously that I wonder does he follow his man into the opposition changing room at the interval.
Hope the big man can complete his comeback, he hasn’t many more seasons left in him at the top, hope he gets to enjoy it!
Friday, 11 April 2008
Francie back for Armagh but will it go ahead?
With all the talk that up to 10,000 fans will turn up in Crossmaglen this weekend for the Armagh Dublin game the question already must be will it go ahead?
We have had snow and hailstones in the North already today and God only knows what the weekend’s weather has in store for us.
Let’s hope if there is gong to be any cancellation this weekend that the fans get some sort of early notice.
There is no charge for this week’s game given that over 1,500 fans had already paid in the last day before the ref called off the game.
The fact that 10,000 are now expected reminds me a wee bit of all the people who claimed to be in the GPO in Easter 1916.
Although only around 2,000 rebels in total were involved in that attempt to overthrow British rule half a million people in Ireland have claimed direct descent from people who were there.
You wouldn’t half know that we are getting close to the championship with Armagh manager Peter McDonnell ready to give another long-term casualty Francie Bellew a start.
Francie is a great defender and Armagh could be doing with his services right now.
The good thing for Francie is that he won’t have to worry about getting too fit cos after all as Pat Spillane famously said at half time of the Armagh Kerry All-Ireland final of 2002, which the Orchard county went on to win, ‘my granny is faster than Francie Bellew’.
We have had snow and hailstones in the North already today and God only knows what the weekend’s weather has in store for us.
Let’s hope if there is gong to be any cancellation this weekend that the fans get some sort of early notice.
There is no charge for this week’s game given that over 1,500 fans had already paid in the last day before the ref called off the game.
The fact that 10,000 are now expected reminds me a wee bit of all the people who claimed to be in the GPO in Easter 1916.
Although only around 2,000 rebels in total were involved in that attempt to overthrow British rule half a million people in Ireland have claimed direct descent from people who were there.
You wouldn’t half know that we are getting close to the championship with Armagh manager Peter McDonnell ready to give another long-term casualty Francie Bellew a start.
Francie is a great defender and Armagh could be doing with his services right now.
The good thing for Francie is that he won’t have to worry about getting too fit cos after all as Pat Spillane famously said at half time of the Armagh Kerry All-Ireland final of 2002, which the Orchard county went on to win, ‘my granny is faster than Francie Bellew’.
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