Gavin McParland, Peter Carragher, Decky McKenna, Pearse Casey, Tony Donnelly and Paddy Morrison have all been called up to the Armagh squad this year. The first four were starting members of the All Ireland Minor winning side in 2009, McParland is the one with the most potential for me, Armagh could badly do with someone to take the burden off Clarke in the full forward line and I think he is the next best scoring forward in the county.
Not too many new defensive options in there but I wouldn’t be surprised to see McGeeney trying to remodel a few of them into defenders in the year ahead. Murnin, Casey, Carragher and McKenna all play midfield for their clubs but Carragher is probably the only natural midfielder out of them. We have plenty of midfield options as it is with the likes of Findon, Harold, Toner, Lavery and Rafferty.
Kyle Carragher has dropped off the panel as well as Paul McKeown - that now makes it 5 Cross players who have made themselves unavailable for Armagh over the past year. Think Rory Grugan is also off the panel this year as he is in university in Liverpool and unable to commit, Carragher and Grugan will be big losses as they both showed great signs of progression last year. I wouldn’t write off them joining up with the panel later on in the year but how viable that would be remains to be seen. Hardly ideal but it will allow McGeeney to look at other options.
I’m not sure if Enda is being mis-quoted here, but this is mental. If he is being honest then it’s revisionism coupled with deliousion and maybe a touch of bitterness.
It’s hard to know weather Tyrone or Kerry were better, probably Kerry mostly cos of consistency and and I think the 09 win elevated that team slightly, but both were ahead of Armagh.
Does Enda not think that most lads don’t wake up the next day after defeats with regrets or question marks? I think some of these Armagh lads think they were completely unique when they weren’t, they just realised what it took to be successful whereas many other counties already had that formula. They definitely had a big affect on the game, positively IMO, but I believe it’s over stated.
If that Kerry team was managed by someone as pragmatic and open minded as Fitzmaurice god knows what they would have done, maybe 5,6,7 in a row. Their arrogance about how the game “should” be played cost them at least 2 All Ireland’s
I’m not sure if Enda is being mis-quoted here, but this is mental. If he is being honest then it’s revisionism coupled with deliousion and maybe a touch of bitterness.
It’s hard to know weather Tyrone or Kerry were better, probably Kerry mostly cos of consistency and and I think the 09 win elevated that team slightly, but both were ahead of Armagh.
Does Enda not think that most lads don’t wake up the next day after defeats with regrets or question marks? I think some of these Armagh lads think they were completely unique when they weren’t, they just realised what it took to be successful whereas many other counties already had that formula. They definitely had a big affect on the game, positively IMO, but I believe it’s over stated.
If that Kerry team was managed by someone as pragmatic and open minded as Fitzmaurice god knows what they would have done, maybe 5,6,7 in a row. Their arrogance about how the game “should” be played cost them at least 2 All Ireland’s[/QUOTE]
If that Kerry side had to come through the minefield of the Ulster Championship every year who knows how little they would have won.
I’m not sure if Enda is being mis-quoted here, but this is mental. If he is being honest then it’s revisionism coupled with deliousion and maybe a touch of bitterness.
It’s hard to know weather Tyrone or Kerry were better, probably Kerry mostly cos of consistency and and I think the 09 win elevated that team slightly, but both were ahead of Armagh.
Does Enda not think that most lads don’t wake up the next day after defeats with regrets or question marks? I think some of these Armagh lads think they were completely unique when they weren’t, they just realised what it took to be successful whereas many other counties already had that formula. They definitely had a big affect on the game, positively IMO, but I believe it’s over stated.
If that Kerry team was managed by someone as pragmatic and open minded as Fitzmaurice god knows what they would have done, maybe 5,6,7 in a row. Their arrogance about how the game “should” be played cost them at least 2 All Ireland’s[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=“caoimhaoin, post: 1058747, member: 273”]Playing decent competitive games is a huge advantage in GAA as so little important games are played.
It’s Ulster, and Leinster, that always has had the advantage.[/QUOTE]
It’s a disadvantage having to play so many tough games a year, you have to expend a lot more both mentally and physically. Only an idiot would disagree. Tomas O’Se, one of Kerry’s greatest players, has said Kerry would have struggled to be as successful as they were had they to come through Ulster.
[QUOTE=“caoimhaoin, post: 1058609, member: 273”]
If that Kerry team was managed by someone as pragmatic and open minded as Fitzmaurice god knows what they would have done, maybe 5,6,7 in a row. Their arrogance about how the game “should” be played cost them at least 2 All Ireland’s[/QUOTE]
nonsense kev…You’d swear they were total football…Kerry got caught trying to run down the clock in 2011 against Dublin and used puke tactics against Cork in second half to win AI in '09…the times they didn’t win was simple - Tyrone were better!..
[QUOTE=“caoimhaoin, post: 1058747, member: 273”]Playing decent competitive games is a huge advantage in GAA as so little important games are played.
[/QUOTE]
Eh, not if you’re trying to maintain consistent year on year success it’s not, as Tyrone and every other Ulster team found.
Back to McNulty’s original point, the reason Tyrone and Kerry were the dominant teams was because they had a strength in depth, both sides could afford to leave some some quality players on the bench and bring them and turn the game. Armagh never had that luxury as they had a small pool of talent. McNulty is an absolute clown as well, Armagh had a great chance of winning one in 2004 only for a moment of madness from him and he also fucked up for the O’Sullivan goal which killed Armagh off in 2006 quarter final. Sports psychologists are by and large spoofers and McNulty is a prime example of that.
Armagh captain Ciaran McKeever could be on the move again.
The Orchard County player transferred from his home club Cullyhanna to Dublin outfit Parnells in July this year and played just two games for the Coolock outfit.
The Irish Independent reports that McKeever is seeking to switch his club allegiance once again by moving from Parnells to defeated Dublin finalists Oliver Plunkett’s.
Ya arguably. But it’s also arguable they won 09 that way because of the way they fucked away the year before from a good position.
But their lovely football in the early 2000’s cost them in 02 & 03 and again after 06/07.