Armagh v Tyrone III

Flukey

Well I have my ticket secured. So who will win. It is an intriguing contest with so many things at stake, beyond the place in the final. It's all or nothing this time. No more second chances. A lot of other things make this one special too. The general rivalry of course, a place in the final, a chance to play Kerry and repeat their last victory over them and a chance to prove that they are worthy of greatness. This applies equally to both teams. There are so many things that match them up here, beyond the normal motivation of getting to the final.

Kerry want a chance to avenge the defeat they suffered in the 2003 semi-final to Tyrone or the 2002 final to Armagh. They've been training for this too. Mayo and Fermanagh denied them the opportunity last year, but they are going to repeat one or other of those confrontations. Whichever final we get it is going to be special, but first we have that titanic semi-final to enjoy. I still have a sneaking suspicion that Armagh can shade it.

kaimera

tyrone.

armagh have had luck getting out of Ulster and imo tyrone are due to beat them

Armagh had it very easy against us whereas the Dubs put it u to Tyrone twice so I feel they'll be the better prepared team.

Culchie

I'm going for Tyrone as well

Waylander

I think Armagh are a slightly better team then Tyrone, I think they will shade it.

cruiserweight

Yeah got my tickets can't wait to see Wexford versus Tipperary! Oh and I think Armagh will win!

CCOVICH

I think that if Tyrone can sustain their concentration and workrate for 70 minutes thay should win. However Armagh have proven on several occasions this year that you can't write them off. I have been impressed with Mickey Harte's decisiveness in recent games, i.e. very quick to make changes when needed. Tyrone were swamped at midfield at the weekend, and I think they will have to work very hard to deny Armagh the lions share of possession from kick outs etc. Thought O'Neill's role on Saturday was interesting, i.e. he was no longer the focal point of the Tyrone attack. Maybe they are trying to take some of the pressure off him and give Armagh something else to think about. The game will need a strong referee, anyone know who it's going to be?

Personally, I'd like to see a Kerry v. Tyrone final, the best two footballing teams in the country this year IMHO. I think Kerry are strong all over the field, while Tyrone have quiestion marks at fullback and midfield.

Lemlin

How much are tickets? Armagh to shade it.... hopefully.

netwhizkid

I predict another brusing encounter for both teams Armagh will suffer, them being the cleaner side unlike Tyrone who have the idea if they can injure whatever good player a team has early on. I think Armaghs experience will see the day as Tyrone will be beat out from Saturday dublin drubbing.

Flukey

Tickets are €40 Lemlin. I got mine online.


Tyrone play a nicer brand of football than Armagh do. I think this will be a bit less free flowing as the two teams tend to serve up games like that. They know each other intimately at this stage, so it will be hard for either team to surprise the other. Once either of them are playing opposition from outside of Ulster they seem to open up a bit more. They both really want it, but I think Armagh want it that bit more and are good at grinding out results. It will be close and a Tyrone win wouldn't surprise me.

Mercury_Tilt

This post has been deleted.

Lemlin

Tickets are €40 Lemlin. I got mine online.

What site can I get them at? Me and a few friends from Cavan are gonna go. Unfortunately, we're not used to buying Croke Park tickets

kaimera

ticketmaster

Flukey

Lemlin, you are actually better to go to the www.GAA.ie site and take the "Buy tickets online" link from there which will bring you direct to the part of Ticketmaster that deals with the matches. Hurry though, as there is a big demand.

CCOVICH

I'd say you would be better waiting until later in the week and buy the tickets at Croke Park. Avoid the 'handling charge' on Ticketmaster. I doubt this game will sell out, and the tickets that the GAA get/hold back are usually better than those available on Ticketmaster.

Culchie

CCOVICH wrote:

I'd say you would be better waiting until later in the week and buy the tickets at Croke Park. Avoid the 'handling charge' on Ticketmaster. I doubt this game will sell out, and the tickets that the GAA get/hold back are usually better than those available on Ticketmaster.

Very very good point, the tickets allocated to the internet are normally crap.

CCOVICH

Culchie wrote:

Very very good point, the tickets allocated to the internet are normally crap.

Yeah, tend to find that it's usually Canal End.

To be honest, with the capacity in Croker these days, unless Dublin are playing, or it's a final, I don't think that there will be much trouble getting tickets. I wouldn't be surprised if they are still selling them on the day of the game. I bought off Ticketmaster for the Ulster Final, got Upper Hogan (right in the corner), but there were still tickets available on the day. For the replay, well, you had your choice of seats no matter what ticket you had (I bought them at Croke Park). And somehow I don't think that there will be thousands watching the TM final this weekend.

Flukey

Culchie wrote:

Very very good point, the tickets allocated to the internet are normally crap.

I've bought a lot online this year and usually they are quite good. Of course there are not many bad seats in Croke Park now. I've got tickets for all around the ground over the course of the summer. They have them for the 3 main stands, Upper(when open) and lower decks, as well as Hill 16. It depends on the match and the demand.

The booking charge is €2.95 per ticket. You'd pay more than that for your bus fare in and out to Croke Park to get the tickets, if you were in Dublin. You will get them on most match days, with no fee. Still, it is worth it if you can secure a ticket early in the week, without having to leave your computer. I ordered mine on Monday and had it on Tuesday. When they go on sale at the ticket office in the Cusack, it is normally on Thursday and Friday, when people are at work or something so it is not always possible to get there. Barring a replay, this is the last chance to get one this way, so we'll have to do it the hard way for the finals.

Culchie

Hmmm, last year I got all my tickets on-line, and every time they were crap seats, so I can only speak for myself, so if that has improved that's good.

However last year the GAA would charge you a €2 fee (ticketmaster were not involved) if you bought 6 tickets, however Ticketmaster now charge per ticket, so this is a huge step backwards for buying tickets on-line.


best one ever, was about 4 years ago, when the interweb was only being invented for GAA when you bought on line there was no ticket, a bit like airplane tickets and instead you had print off paper receipt.

Went to Mayo/Roscommon match in Roscommon (after giving 12 photocopies to friends and family), and handed in my piece of paper to turnstile clerk who looked at me like I had 3 heads....he knew nothing about it. The rest of our gang just went to different turnstiles, so we all got in for the €15 or €20 whatever it cost.

However those days aqre behind me, no longer such a scallywag, guilt has been terrible ever since

Lemlin

I wouldn't let it get to you so much Culchie. I've seen lads over twenty years old swear they're under 16 to the clerks!

cruiserweight

Armagh have named their team for the game versus Tyrone on Sunday! Is John McEntee injured? I am suprised to see him dropped!

Kieran McGeeney has returned to the Armagh starting line-up for Sunday's Bank of Ireland All-Ireland SFC semi-final with Tyrone.

The Orchard County skipper was a late absentee from the side that beat Laois in the quarter-final, after manager Joe Kernan decided not to risk him due to a nerve problem in the player's hamstring.

But, after a week of speculation, Armagh fans will be delighted to see McGeeney as one of two changes to the side for the county's third championship clash with the Red Hand this year.

McGeeney's return is at the expense of corner back Enda McNulty. Ciaran McKeever drops back to left full bck, while Aidan O'Rourke, the man who deputised so well for McGeeney against Laois, stays in the starting fifteen, moving from McGeeney's position of number 6 to number 7.

The other change sees Paddy McKeever come in for John McEntee at number 11.

Oisin McConville and Steven McDonnell scored 1-5 and 1-4 respectively against Tyrone in the two Ulster final games, and Kernan will again look at them to unlock the tough Red Hand defence. Paul McGrane and Philip Loughran will face the challenge of shaking up the Tyrone midfield.

Armagh - P Hearty; A Mallon, F Bellew, C McKeever; A Kernan, K McGeeney, A O'Rourke; P Loughran, P McGrane; M O'Rourke, P McKeever, O McConville; S McDonnell, R Clarke, B Mallon.

CCOVICH

Just heard on Newstalk that the GAA will be selling tickets on Friday and Saturday from the ticket office at the back of the Cusack Stand. Available while stocks last.

stevemac

got tickets for laois v derry and laois v armagh off ticketmaster this year and both times i was on the 40 in the lower hogan

Lemlin

I wouldn't be very surprised if that Armagh team had changed considerably by Sunday. Never trust an Ulster manager!

stevemac

i think its too hard to call really. definatley not worth risking money on picking which one of the teams turn up.

I'd nearly say that tyrone should win because there a better footballing team. But armagh can play football if they want too, but as well who knows what type of a game its going to be. Not taking a dig at ulster here but it probable will be a tough physical game, which would be advantage armagh.

And while armagh won the last playing bad when tyrone should really have won. In the end armagh won playing badly (by there standards) and i'm sure armagh will have improved since then. fair enough the laois gave up easy enough. But from the ulster final i think Armagh have the biggest potential to improve and should put in a better performance, while tyrone have something to prove haveing lost.

So take your pick guys because i can't really decide who will win.

ps ::nearly say i'm 53/47 leaning towards armagh.

bug

Think Im goin.
Think I'll support Armagh. Since Ive been taunted over Dublin the last two matches

cruiserweight

Tyrone have named their team for the game on Sunday! Interesting to see mcMahon at full back, he did well when he moved there against Dublin!

Tyrone manager Mickey Harte has rung the changes ahead of Sunday's All-Ireland semi-final clash with Armagh.

Harte has selected both a new full-back and a new midfield pairing for the Croke Park encounter.

Joe McMahon moves from midfield to full-back with Brian Meenan coming into the engineroom for his first start of the campaign.

Sean Cavanagh reverts to midfield from wing-forward in a direct swap with Enda McGinley, who has recovered from an ankle injury.

The talismanic Peter Canavan has recovered from a stomach bug must be content with a place on the bench.

Despite the positional switches, there is just one change in personnel, with Chris Lawn giving way to McMahon.

Tyrone: P McConnell; R McMenamin, J McMahon, M McGee, D Harte, C Gormley, P Jordan; B Meenan, S Cavanagh; B Dooher, B McGuigan, E McGinley, R Mellon; S O'Neill, O Mulligan.

digiman

Going as a neutral, woud rather see Tyrone win, but I just hope that whatever team wins can win the all ireland.
Got 2 tickets for the Lower Cusack right at the centre of the field, the lad that sold them to me said that I was pure lucky as they were only after coming on the system. Is there any hassle getting the €25 back if you are a student? Does there be a long queue for this or any hassle like that?

Flukey

Just get in early and you'll avoid any queues. The first match is at 1:30, between Tipperary and Wexford for the Tommy Murphy Cup. That should be good too. So get in early and you'll get sorted. A bit pointless having a ticket if you are only going to go for half of the show.

Mercury_Tilt

This post has been deleted.

seabee

Great game (from a neutral point of view), Canavan showed great bottle to take that free at the end. It must be an awful feeling for Amagh to loose in that way beacuse they had so many chances to win the game.

KnowItAll

If Armagh had Tyrone's forwards they'd be some team! Kerry'll win the all Ireland.

Lemlin

I think everyone's faith in Ulster football was restored yesterday. That was the game of the year without a doubt. Such a pity Armagh had to lose.

They'll be plenty of talking points though. I wasn't sure it was a penalty (due to O'Rouke, I think it was, being fouled by Mulligan), and I don't think Paddy Russell handled the game well at all. It was a cracker though.

redspider

It was a good game, a close encounter, and could have gone either way. After the McDonnell goal I thought it was going to be Armagh's year. In a way, I think they deserve it, although they only have themselves to blame for last year. Canavan kept his cool when he came on this time and scored some vital points. O'Neill was also sharper. Mulligan was also sharp. I hope now that Tyrone go on to win it and beat Kerry, who have yet to get past an Ulster team in the last 4 years, if you include this one.

It was interesting to see all the pre-match build-up and analysis of tactics, etc. The tactics are getting a lot more complex. With 14 outfield players and a big pitch, there are numerous permutations and options. But traditional 3-3-2-3-3 tactics have been gone for a long time. The teams of Kerry and Dublin in the 70's did away with that, played two up front and sometimes one and the players from midfield, half forwards, half-backs, etc were milling around all over the pitch. The much criticised hand-passing game was exploited by Kerry and Dublin that that era. I think what has changed is the analysis of the game, although Tyrone and Armagh have mastered the defending on the half-back line in swarms. Mind you, Armagh failed to do that yesterday for the Kavanagh point near the end where he raced through from the centre of the park. I'd say Kernan was particularly dissapointed with that one as it was a route one point.

I think those that are being negative about this game are going overboard. Sure, there were some wides, but there two teams were doing some stalwart defending. The attention of opponents when a player is shooting is a huge factor on whether you get your shot off cleanly or not. Also, the range you attempt it at. Having said that, Armagh did miss a few scoreable ones though.

Overall, a great ad for GAA Football, not only Ulster football.

redspider

omahony99

redspider wrote:

I hope now that Tyrone go on to win it and beat Kerry, who have yet to get past an Ulster team in the last 4 years, if you include this one.

Kerry have beaten 2 Ulster teams in the C'ship in the last 4 years.

weemcd

Sickening defeat for me.

Came away bitter after such a tense match, ive never felt as elated at a game after Armagh's late goal only for the game to end in defeat.

Sour grapes and all that, many ive spoken too say tyrone shouldn't have gotten the penalty and that the full extra time wasn't played. Anyone have any comments to ad to that?

Kerry ftw.

omahony99

I agree. It took a good few seconds for the free-kick to be taken which meant the ref should have allowed at least another 30 seconds of play.