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Armagh stroll to victory

Thursday, 19 January 2012

Armagh 1-18. St Mary's 0-10.

THIS was one of the easiest victories Armagh have had in any competition for a long time.
To be fair to Armagh they beat well the team that was put in front of them and in the manner they would have been expected to.
Given, however, the poor quality of the opposition St Mary's were not going to repeat the shock victory over Armagh in last season's competition.
Armagh were physically superior and had much higher skill levels than their opponents leaving the match overall a non-event and certainly not in any way competitive.
Play was loose throughout and there was no obvious pattern of play from either side.
There were some very good positives, nevertheless, to be taken from the game but in counter to that there were still things to fix as well as some of the new players needing to be seen more against stronger opposition to really assess their potential as future county players.
We knew John Kingham at midfield had presence but on Sunday he showed he could field with aplomb but his measured passing, long or short, and his control on the ball was the pleasing aspect of his game which suggests he is a county player in the future.
Brendan Donaghy, by his all round play was 'man of the match' while Anto Duffy excelled at half forward.
Aidan Forker was industrious and used the ball well as was Stefan Campbell but they have much work to do yet.
Ryan Rafferty was a 'will o' the wisp' and his goal was a superb individual goal.
His ability to hold and make runs marks him down as a county player but he does need to be much stronger and better physically conditioned.
He needs to vary his game more as he concentrates too much on running with the ball too often when laying a pass off would reap better returns for the team.
Defensively Armagh were tight in the first half became loose in the second when more experienced players were substituted.
Overall, their tackling was not of the standard required for Division One or championship.
Eleven players in total scored an excellent return of 1-18 and it certainly could have been more given the chances that Armagh created.
Given their first half dominance and allowing for five second half substitutions, St Mary's should not have been afforded seven second half points as the students were allowed too often to build six and seven man moves without a meaningful engaging tackle been delivered by Armagh.
Armagh made eight starting changes from last week's team including the introduction of regulars Brendan Donaghy, Paul Duffy, Finnian Moriarty, Ciaran McKeever and Colm Watters in the starting line-up.
With Charlie Vernon and Andy Mallon also retained it meant Armagh began with an experiences line-up and made a few rookies on board - Paddy O'Rourke was not going to be caught out two weeks running.
As a result, Armagh began their domination of the first half by racing into a 3-0 lead via Eugene McVerry, Colm Watters and Aidan Forker (free).
Two careless frees allowed St Mary's back in contention with goalkeeper Niall Morgan pointing one and Ronan Sexton the other after another Morgan free dropped short.
In the tenth minute came the goal which settled the game for Armagh.
Anto Duffy fielded a poor 'student' kickout to feed Ryan Rafferty.
A mazy solo run complete with an excellent 'dummy' past two defenders saw Ryan cooly stroke the ball under the keeper to the net.
Niall Morgan pointed another free on fifteen minutes but by the interval Armagh had assumed total control.
They hit seven scores without reply from five different players - Colm Watters, Aidan Forker (2), John Kingham (2), Stefan Campbell and Declan McKenna (a superb long range effort) to lead unassailably 1-11 to 0-3 at the interval.
The second half began with a loss of tempo in Armagh - understandable given their lead and Benny Herron added a point for St Mary's on 29 seconds of the restart.
Armagh were quick to respond with good points from McVerry and Aidan Forker (free).
Thomas Canavan, nephew of Peter added another for St Marys as Armagh sent on a trio of subs in Paul Carville, Mark Shields and Sean Moore.
AAll three contributed well on their watch but the students began to show more authority and certainly more penetrative and from then 'til the finish the game simply became loose exhibition stuff with points exchanged five times until the finish.
First, Thomas Canavan and Paul Carville traded, then Canavan again in a move straight through the middle of Armagh's defence to be answered by an excellent Paul Duffy overlap point after a dood move down the left.
Tackles were at a premiun as midfielder Niall Donnelly pounced on a loose ball before Pauric Gribben replied after a penetrating solo run by Charlie Vernon.
Young Derry minor, Emmet Bradley popped up with a long range score only for Pauric Gribben to negate its effect after a field-length move.
In the final moment, Emmet Bradley landed another long range effort leaving Paul Carville (free) to wind up te game after the lively Ryan Rafferty was fouled.
Armagh will be satisfied overall with their victory and their scoring but tomorrow night's game (Wednesday 18) at home to Monaghan will be a sterner test for whatever team Armagh field.
With the chance to qualify for the semi-final strong, Armagh need to put out as experienced a team as possible.
ARMAGH: N. Geoghegan; B. Donaghy; C. Vernon; D. McKenna (0-1); P. Duffy (0-1); A. Mallon (capt); F. Moriarty; C. McKeever; J. Kingham (0-2); A. Forker (0-5); C. Watters (0-2); A. Duffy; R. Rafferty (1-0); S. Campbell (0-1); E. McVerry (0-2).
SUBS: S. Moore; P.Carville (0-2); M. Shileds; P. Gribben (0-2); A. Conlon.

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