It makes Armaghâs win even better that they were able to deal so well with his loss at a key stage with 20 minutes left when Kildare were threatening to get a grip on the game.
McGeeney had them exceptionally well prepared mentally to deal so well with such a loss.
Hopefully itâs just a knock for Murnin and heâll be fit for next Saturday. He deserves to grace that sort of stage.
That was an immensely enjoyable double header to attend as a neutral. Great team and individual displays, outstanding scores, Cian OâNeill confirmed as a spoofer and @Nembo_Kid vindicated yet again.
Whatâs clear from the first 15 minutes against Dublin and from this evening is that Kildare havenât got their defensive system right yet against a potent attack which knows how to create space and has players making runs from deep.
They should be playing zonal but their man-marking instincts kick in and they ball watch.
Down showed strong signs of getting that defensive system right this year with a very mobile and adaptable sweeper system. It caused Armagh and Monaghan all sorts of problems and did again in the first halves of the games against Tyrone and Monaghan today.
They played the right way tactically this year and it has a lot of potential, but they are lagging behind in terms of conditioning and strength and couldnât carry it through to the second halves of the last two games against more experienced and physically stronger teams.
Jamie Clarke⌠OMG.
Thatâs a lovely brand of football Armagh are trying to play⌠They will need to be more clinical with passes as they coughed up possession quite a bit tonight but a very young and skilful team with a great attitude.
Itâs been a terrific championship and youâd expect there could be some cracking matches left.
Kerry vs Galway
Mayo vs Roscommon
Tyrone vs Armagh/Monaghan
Kerry vs Mayo*
Dublin vs Tyrone*
Mayo vs Tyrone
it has tbf. Galway Kerry could be close tomorrow and some great games are coming
Tyrone vs Armagh or Monaghan should definitely be the 2nd game next week. Obviously that wonât happen though.
Well done Armagh tonight but a bit of perspective, theyâve just won a last 12 game against a County who havenât won an All Ireland since 1928.
Monaghan with zero All Irelandâs have just won their first championship game in regulation time at Croke Park since 1930.
Dublin are the box office draw next Saturday and every time they play.
In that case why were Down playing in the curtain raiser tonight ?
Dublin are the All Ireland champions, chasing a 3 in row and are one of the greatest teams of all time. Dublin donât play in curtain raisers.
Backtrack
As @Sidney said earlier, this championship has been reminiscent of 2014 with a few changes l. I was at the double header that year at the same stage when Armagh won their match and Monaghan defeated Kildare after extra time. Armagh had superb support tonight and I spotted a lot of fenian princesses following the orchard county.
Backtrack alert
Why did you whatsapp our group asking for the score ?
We actually have done on a number of occasions before, such as twice in 2004 when our infamous defeat against Westmeath preceded a blockbuster Kildare-Wexford clash, and in the qualifier round of 12 when we played Roscommon before Tyrone absolutely mullered Leix.
Our Leinster quarter-final against Louth in 2003 served as the curtain-raiser to Westmeath v Meath - the game where Dessie Dolan fluffed a 20 metre free to win with the final kick.
If history of 2014 keeps repeating itself, omens for next Saturday are not good for tonightâs victors. Next day out in 2014 in the quarter finals, Monaghan lost to Dublin by 17 points and Armagh also exited.
I had to leave early due to a prior commitment, mate.
Many people will also remember the game 6 years ago today - Celtic v Inter Milan in the Aviva Stadium. I remember going to The 51 afterwards and watching an epic Donegal-Kildare clash.
I was out my mind the same night in lisdoonvarna. Kevin Cassidy scored a wonder point.
AhemâŚ