Armagh v Kildare Thread

[meiko]

Yes, Dyas' injury is shoulder realted, so, hopefully, it won't be troublesome in the future. Clarke's injury seems a more worrying one.
Assuming Vernon and Swift are out what will we be expecting?

Hearty
Mallon Donaghy Duffy
Finn Mo McKeever Shannon

Lavery Toner

Feeney AK Mackin
TK McDonnell Henderson

Something like that?

probably not that far away corn , i,d switch duffy and shannon , also like to see a few tried out in the hf line , apart from chf every other position in the team,s seem,s to have been tinkered with but wing half forward and i am still not convinced about feeney/mackin ,no disrespect to the lad,s , surely there,s other,s on the panel worth a look at for these position,s,

[corn02]

Actually I expect PK in cb, and Duffy at hb.

[AFS]

If he's fit enough, I'd like to see Brian Mallon line out in the corner. Would be great to get him back to the form he showed in glimpses 4 or 5 years ago. Looked like he could've been the next Marsden back then, before he was exiled to the role of auxiliary defender.

[Bainisteoir]

If he's fit enough, I'd like to see Brian Mallon line out in the corner. Would be great to get him back to the form he showed in glimpses 4 or 5 years ago. Looked like he could've been the next Marsden back then, before he was exiled to the role of auxiliary defender.

I like the idea of Mallon at corner forward. He's an intelligent player that is better taking scores closer to the goalposts. Mallon, Clarke and McDonnell would scare the life out of any team in Ireland.

[ardmhachaabu]

Corn is McEvoy injured?

[Bainisteoir]

Armagh boss Paddy O'Rourke has been hit with a double blow ahead of this Sunday's NFL clash with Kildare as Ronan Clarke and Kevin Dyas both look set for a spell on the sidelines through injury.

Clarke, who made his return from an Achilles injury in the win against Laois last Saturday, suffered a relapse of the problem and means he could be ruled out of action for another month, which is a major concern for O'Rourke as he will want his full-forward to play as many games as he can between now and their Ulster SFC opener against Derry on May 16.

Wing-forward Dyas also faces a month out of action after injuring his shoulder in the win over Laois. Injuries plagued him during his time with AFL outfit Collingwood and O'Rourke will no doubt been keen to get him back fit to try and bolster his attack in time for the end of the Orchard County's league campaign.

"It's very disappointing for him (Dyas)," O'Rourke told the Irish Daily Mirror.

"He started well and has been going very well in training. He has damaged his AC joint in his shoulder and he's looking like being out for a few weeks anyway. But we're not as worried about it as Ronan's injury.

"We didn't think we were risking it by putting him back in at the weekend but in hindsight maybe we should have waited another week or two."

[Bainisteoir]

Sunday's match against Kildare takes us past the midway point of the league, and Armagh’s half-term report would read - B+, much improvement shown, but more positive strides needed.
Fans would be forgiven for thinking we were a tribe belonging to High King Úgaine Mor as our first four games have all been against Leinster opposition.
Two wins (Westmeath and Laois) and a defeat (Meath) is a decent return on the first three games, but as the campaign progresses, and the promotion picture develops, there is a sense of real disappointment that the side left Navan with no points on matchday one.
That defeat, in which one point should have been the minimum secured, could just be the reason why we remain in the second tier in 2011. A win today, however, and Division One football remains a possibility.
But collecting a win is easier said than done, with a couple of local lads aiming to plot our downfall.
Yes, the visit of Kildare will see Kieran McGeeney patrolling the away dugout. The fact that he has brought fellow 02 All-Ireland winner Aidan O’Rourke onto his management team has also heightened the link between the sides.
Anyone thinking that those two will have their intentions blighted by Armagh loyalty may as well go home now; both will be as focused on claiming the points as they would be if they were playing Down or Tyrone.
Of course, it’s not a new phenomenon for either. McGeeney was in charge last year when Peter McDonnell’s charges visited Newbridge in the League while O’Rourke has come up against his native county while managing Queen’s in the McKenna Cup.
Last year’s 1-12 to 1-10 victory in Kildare was a massive boost for the Armagh side in an enthralling encounter. Armagh battled hard throughout, especially in the middle sector, but still needed Philip McEvoy to save a penalty from Michael Conway in the last minute to secure the points.
That defeat ruined Kildare’s promotion hopes and they know that if they can reverse the result today, they will almost certainly end Armagh’s for the year.
The Lilywhites, like Armagh, have won two and lost one. Like Armagh, that defeat came on the opening day of the season (v Down). Like Armagh, they have improved in the weeks that followed.
McGeeney reckoned he was speaking French in the changing rooms before the Down match as nobody seemed to listen; but the message seems to have gotten across loud and clear since then and they seem to have found their je ne sais quoi.
Firstly, they travelled to Tipperary and decimated John Evans’ vastly underrated side. They then easily disposed of early season front-runners Donegal in ruthless fashion last time out. They managed 1-17 in both of those encounters - Tres Bien indeed.
Despite those two 20-point totals, Armagh have actually managed to score more in their opening three games, which speaks volumes of the new, expansive gameplan being employed by O’Rourke and his coaching staff.
Corner-backs and half-backs are now attacking at will. Half-forwards are staying on the ‘40. Aaron Kernan has been picked at centre-half-forward, and that experiment has worked a treat thus far.
Whether all out attack will be the right approach in the Championship remains to be seen. Indeed, in Navan and Portlaoise there were instances of defenders being left exposed.
But the new approach certainly has been warmly appreciated by the Orchard fans, and there is a growing belief that O’Rourke will get the blend of attack and defence spot on for the journey to Derry in the Ulster Championship.
Four points against Meath, Westmeath and Laois was an expected return. Kildare, quickly followed by a trip to Down, will provide the real acid tests.
Although the vibes have been, for the most part, positive, Sunday’s performance and, more importantly, result will give us a much better indication as to where the current crop are.
Thousands of fans or two ex-pats will be happy on Sunday night; a draw it is then to keep us all miserable.

[corn02]

Corn is McEvoy injured?

No, but I don't believe he has the 'keeper's jersey nailed down yet.

[corn02]

No team yet?

[corn02]

Team

McEvoy

Mallon Donaghy Duffy
P Kernan McKeever Finn Mo

Lavery Toner

Feeney Mackin A Kernan
Henderson McDonnell Forker