It’s what it’s all about

The charade that is the McKenna Cup and National Football League is out of the way. Some eight months ago the die was cast which threw up, without a doubt, the tie of the 2009 championship opening matches in any of the Provinces. Defending All-Ireland champions Tyrone pitted against their main Ulster rivals defending Ulster champions Armagh. The dominant Ulster forces over the last decade, between them have won the last 10 Ulster championships, 7 to Armagh (1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008 and 3 to Tyrone (2001, 2003, 2007). Armagh managed one All-Ireland (2002) during that period whereas Tyrone annexed 3 (2003, 2005, 2008).

Last year Armagh picked up the consolation prize, the Ulster title, but could only look on as Tyrone captured the main prize. Times have changed so much for Armagh that an Ulster title has little or no standing with supporters. Tyrone winning three All-Ireland titles but only once when Ulster champions (2003) gives even less significance to Armagh’s magnificent 7. Any of the four Provincial titles can be sacrificed in pursuit of the one ultimate goal- Sam Maguire, which is what it is all about now for everyone involved in championship football with those counties yet to claim a Provincial title the exception to the rule.  Good luck bad luck, players going from hero to zero and vice versa, managers making the right/wrong calls, supporters facing highs and lows on a journey that will last about eighteen weeks in total. Nobody cares any more whether you win the big prize through the back door, the front door or steal it by coming down the chimney -that’s championship football and it’s what it’s all about.

It is hard to believe that the last championship meeting between these two great Ulster rivals was back on September 4- 2005 in the All-Ireland semi-final with Tyrone winning 1-13 to 1-12. That semi-final was the third meeting of the teams that year as they met in a drawn and replayed Ulster final. Such was the drawing power of the teams the Ulster final draw (Armagh 2-08 Tyrone 0-14) and replay win for Armagh 0-13 to 0-11 were played at Croke Park.

Since 2000 Armagh and Tyrone have met 6 times with the score lying at 3 each and two drawn encounters. As one can see from the results of these meeting there was very little between the teams on any of the occasions.

2005 All-Ireland SFC semi-final: Tyrone 1-13 Armagh 1-12

2005 Ulster SFC final: Tyrone 0-14 Armagh 2-8; Replay: Tyrone 0-11 Armagh 0-13

2003 All-Ireland SFC final: Tyrone 0-12 Armagh 0-9 

2002 Ulster SFC first round: Tyrone 1-12 Armagh 1-12; Replay: Tyrone 0-16 Armagh 2-13

2001 Ulster SFC first round: Tyrone 1-14 Armagh 1-9 

2000 Ulster SFC first round: Tyrone 0-8 Armagh 0-12

CHANGED TIMES FOR ARMAGH

When one looks through the two teams on duty that September day in 2005 (which are listed below) one can see how things have changed, especially from an Armagh point of view. Francie Bellew, Kieran McGeeney, Philip Loughran, Paul McGrane, Paddy McKeever, Oisin McConville, Tony McEntee, John McEntee and Andy McCann, nine of the players involved that day for Armagh, are not in the current 2009 panel. 

Outside of the huge loss of talent that is unavailable to Peter McDonnell, the sheer physical presence of what is missing is going to be very hard to replace.

On the other hand rival manager Mickey Harte is only minus the services of three substitutes used in that match: Peter Canavan, Chris Lawn and Shane Sweeney who have retired with the rest named in a 35 strong 2009 Tyrone championship panel. The All-Ireland semi-final teams were Armagh – P Hearty, F Bellew, C McKeever, A Mallon, A Kernan 0-2, K McGeeney 0-1, A O’Rourke, P Loughran, P McGrane, P McKeever, B Mallon 0-1, M O’Rourke, S McDonnell 1-3, R Clarke 0-1, O McConville 0-3. Subs: T McEntee for Loughran, J McEntee 0-1 for Mallon, E McNulty for McGeeney, A McCann for A O’Rourke.

Tyrone – P McConnell, R McMenamin 0-1, J McMahon, M McGee, D Harte, C Gormley, P Jordan, B Meenan, S Cavanagh 0-2, B Dooher, B McGuigan, E McGinley, R Mellon, S O’Neill 1-4, O Mulligan 0-3. Subs: P Canavan 0-2 for McGinley, C Holmes for Meenan, C Lawn for Jordan, S Sweeney 0-1 for Harte.

A current update on the Tyrone squad for the match sees the Red Hands hit with a spate of injuries. Team captain Brian Dooher is recovering from groin surgery and is not expected to make the starting 15 against Armagh. Former football of the year Stephen O’Neill who made such a dramatic return to the fold for last year’s All-Ireland final, was forced off injured in a club game on Saturday. O’Neill, was making his first appearance of the year for his club, Clann na nGael. He struck two goals before a recurrence of a knee problem forced him to retire early.

Tyrone’s preparations for the clash with Armagh have been further hit after Davy Harte, the All Star wing back, suffered an ankle injury in a club game.  Harte was forced off injured in the final minutes of Errigal Ciarán’s league win over Loughmacrory on Sunday, casting doubt over his availability for the May 31 showdown. Ryan Mellon has also emerged as a doubt after he failed to start for his club, Moy, in a league game against Galbally due to an ankle ligament injury. Tyrone manager Mickey Harte is confident that a dislocated finger will not prevent Enda McGinley lining out against Armagh.

ARMAGH HAVE TO CHANGE

While the injuries mount for the All-Ireland champions , Ulster holders Armagh will definitely be without the services of midfielder Charlie Vernon who broke his jaw in a recent challenge game with Dublin. Charlie was expected to be the partner to captain Paul McGrane for this match but the 2008 captain was forced through injury to announce his retirement a few weeks ago leaving manager McDonnell with serious problems in a key area.                            

Kieran Toner partnered Paul McGrane in the last championship outing a 1-14 to 0-12 loss to Wexford in the All-Ireland quarter final at Croke Park. McDonnell would appear to have a choice of partnering James Lavery or David McKenna with Toner at midfield. McKenna came on for Toner very late in the last championship match. Paul Courtney, who played alongside Vernon at midfield for Queens may be another option for this sector?

In his first year in charge Peter McDonnell surprised everyone by delivering the Anglo Celt Cup. The Mullaghbawn school principal brought a bit more directness to the Armagh style of play but did not tamper too much with the starting personnel. This time round Peter has been forced into change with three of the last starting championship team Francie Bellew, Paul McGrane and Charlie Vernon not available along with used substitute Paddy McKeever.

In a very surprising move last year McDonnell played veteran corner back Enda McNulty against Wexford but the Mullaghbawn man has featured little since. Andy Mallon has recovered from injury which ruled him out last year. Barry Shannon of Dromintee had a very good league campaign growing in confidence with every outing. Finnian Moriarty was corner back last year replaced late on in the Wexford match by Paul Kernan who must also come into the reckoning for a place. It is likely that Brendan Donaghy will replace Francie Bellew at full-back although Paul Kernan could be used to curb the power and speed of Sean Cavanagh and Donaghy deployed at centre back.

The last championship half-back line featured Aidan O’Rourke in the centre flanked by new team captain Ciaran McKeever and Aaron Kernan. Aidan is probably the one under pressure to retain his place as his lack of mobility in a central position, especially against a swift moving Tyrone, could be exposed. Excellent on the ball and a very good distributor may not be good enough qualities to see Aidan retained at centre back. Tony McClelland, McKeever and Donaghy offer alternatives.

In the forward line I feel that four of the six starting berths are spoken for and were manned by these players in last year’s championship. The dynamic duo of Ronan Clarke and Steven McDonnell will be restored to their full-forward berths after being used in varying positions during the league. With the Tyrone full back line perceived as their weakest link Armagh will go head to head with their two most potent attackers to try and inflict maximum damage. With inside forwards of the quality and caliber of Ronan and Steve to supply good ball is essential. They have proven over the years that given quality ball they will deliver but far too often in the course of a match they are left fending off scraps.

The other two starting forwards are ball fetchers and carriers Brian Mallon and Martin O’Rourke. The workrate of this pair can never be questioned but one has to wonder are they doing it far too often away from their opponent’s goals. Last year Armagh became a little more attack minded from defensive positions which helped greatly but against Wexford retreated into their negative shell. Armagh have always had trouble on the “forty” a lot of the time simply because the men played there were rarely in that position, doing their best work as half backs. Half-forwards should be an outlet for your half backs and a link with your inside forward line, Armagh half-forwards are a link with their half-backs and midfielders and miles away from their own full forward line.

 A lot of Armagh’s problems in the “40” stem from the fact that they cannot field the long booming kick-out from goalkeeper  Paul Hearty. Years ago a criticism of All-Ireland winning goalkeeper Benny Tierney was that he could not kick it far enough. Benny though could kick the ball to a man in an orange jersey more times than setting Armagh off on an offensive rather than defensive foot. There is little point booming the ball 70 yards into opposition hands where 50 into an Armagh man hands is far more beneficial. Possession in the modern game is key, as the short kick out of the All-Ireland champions bears testimony.

There are a number of contenders for the two remaining places in the forward line which were occupied by Charlie Vernon and Stephen Kernan against Wexford. Stephen Kernan’s championship scoring record with Armagh is quite good but he has a habit of shooting himself in the foot by undoing all his good work with some very wayward passes and losing key possession. Often a scapegoat at both county and club level Stephen has yet to deliver on his full potential. Tony Kernan, Stefan Forker, Kevin O’Rourke and Ryan Henderson, Paul Courtney are the others in search of a starting berth. Forker had a couple of good U-21 outings while O’Rourke and Henderson shone at times during the league and showed scoring ability. Courtney’s strength could see him lead the attack.

NO GREAT EXPECTANCY        

The big plus for Peter McDonnell and his charges going into this Ulster quarter final is that expectancy is not great. The pundits will all be going for a Tyrone win. McDonnell and his players have an easy ride going into this match in that only they know what they have to offer. The Orchard County has been forced by the retirements to come up with something different. Mickey Harte, so adept at outmaneuvering Armagh in the past now faces an unknown quantity with a depleted squad. Armagh can throw the cautious approach to the Wexford game out the window. By design rather than choice Armagh have a chance to change their style of play, their big physical presence has been greatly reduced. Tyrone have evolved over the decade to embrace the changes in the game and made changes in their game,  whereas Armagh did not.

One way or the other this eagerly awaited championship match heralds a new dawn for Armagh football. A lot of the iconic figures of the golden era will no longer be in action with the expectancy now falling on new but not inexperienced shoulders. Armagh is far from a spent force with as much to offer as anybody in the 2009 championship and a chance to beat the All-Ireland champions will certainly add to the incentive. In the early stages of last year’s championship Tyrone looked a spent force but improved with every outing. The All-Ireland final was the only match in last year’s championship in which Tyrone did not concede a goal. Progress to the next stage of Ulster for me will very much depend on how the respective full-back lines perform,possibly facing the might of a quintet of the best inside forwards in the game Steven McDonnell, Ronan Clarke, Stephen O Neill, Sean Cavanagh, Owen Mulligan. As my heading says “it’s what it’s all about” pitting yourself against the best to try and be the best. Armagh will not be lacking in anything for this match with extra-time to be played if it should end all square.

It is worth noting that the road to glory in 2002 started with a draw 1-12 apiece with Tyrone in Clones and a new team under Joe Kernan. There were 2 changes on the team which drew with Tyrone that first day and the one which beat Kerry in the final: Francie Bellew and Ronan Clarke were the additions. Who is to say that history wont repeat itself? Sunday will give an indication.