TIME FOR ARMAGH TO DELIVER GOODS
FEW would have predicted a Donegal v Armagh Ulster final after the National League deciders just six weeks ago.
Derry seemed to be getting better after this golden generation finally got over the line in a national final. An opening home game against neighbours Donegal would be a good test but surely one they would pass.
However, Jim McGuinness, his backroom team and players didn’t plan to play the victim and produced the county’s best performance since 2014 to slay the mighty Oak in its own back yard.
Having thrown the championship wide open, they have now become the hunted. Though the victory over Tyrone was a less convincing one, nonetheless it was a very impressive performance, as it displayed a separate set of qualities.
Now a mere 11 months after a season to forget, Donegal find themselves back in an Ulster final.
Armagh, on the other hand, would have been most people’s choice to be one of the two contestants.
Relegation to Division 3 left Fermanagh, even with the game in Enniskillen, as huge underdogs and Armagh’s blistering start meant the game was over after 25 minutes.
HAMMERING
This victory set up a clash with Down and, given their performance in the Division 3 league final and last year’s hammering at the same stage, the Mourne men weren’t given much of a chance of causing an upset.
Armagh prevailed and returned to the decider for the second year in a row.
They will really fancy their chances today, and so do I. But I’ve been tipping this group for a couple of years to make the breakthrough and the more time passes, the more like Mayo they become.
I was really disappointed in Armagh’s performance against Down. It was full of fear. Down had to improve and couldn’t be as gung-ho as last year. So they needed to be cautious and hope they were still in the game with 15 minutes to go.
They executed their gameplan superbly and had Pat Havern been more accurate from frees, Armagh would have been out. I don’t understand this Armagh outfit.
They have real quality throughout their team, yet it seems every time an opportunity presents itself to announce themselves as genuine contenders, they blow it.
Galway (2022 All-Ireland quarter-final), Derry (2023 Ulster final) and Donegal (2024 Division 2 league final) were all there for the taking – they lost all three.
A repeat today and this group might never recover.
Rian and Oisín O’Neill, Rory Grugan, Andrew Murnin, Stefan Campbell, Oisín Conaty, Conor Turbitt, Jason Duffy and Aidan Nugent are all way above average.
If Armagh are to finally break Kieran McGeeney’s managerial duck, then this group must conquer their demons and not blink.
McGuinness has, like he did in 2011, totally transformed this Donegal squad. Physically, they look in great shape – but what he has done with their mindset is truly astonishing.
Lads who were retired or out of form have returned to the cause. Daire Ó Baoill, Ryan McHugh, Peadar Mogan, Michael Langan, Ciarán Thompson and Brendan McCole have all been immense, and Oisín Gallen is playing with all the maturity of a 30-year-old.
The fitness of goalkeeper Shaun Patton is crucial and will have a massive bearing on this game. If he’s match fit, Donegal will have one of the best kickers available again. If not, replacement Gavin Mulreany could have an uncomfortable afternoon.
Both teams have big, strong, athletic players and the battle for dominance between the two 45s will be fierce. The victor here will win the game. In the Division 2 league final, Donegal looked comfortable for much of the game.
They were tactically astute, displaying phenomenal energy levels which had Armagh hanging on. And yet that’s what Armagh do best. It looks like they want to get to the last quarter still in the game and then unleash a raw energy with physicality, athleticism and high levels of skilful kick-passing that almost sees them prevail.
My question for McGeeney and his players is why wait?
PRESSURE
McGuinness will have noted how an average Down team tore Armagh apart with a running game full of pace and cutting angles. Under pressure, Armagh’s discipline is questionable, which leads to the concession of free-kicks which will eventually cost them.
Donegal have a better running game than Down, have better players and are more ruthless. Still, Armagh enjoy being underdogs.
When questioned, they produced better performances. It is almost primal – as if someone is questioning their manhood.
I’d love to see Armagh go for it from the start, but I don’t think that will happen. Instead, they will hope to nullify McHugh, Mogan, Ó Baoill, Gallen and suffocate Donegal’s running game and then get into a ‘slugfest’ in the last 15 minutes and hope they can land a knockout punch.
While Armagh have a great chance, unfortunately for them, when push comes to shove, they’ll revert to type and continue to be involved in exciting championship games with huge regrets on a Monday morning.