ON FEBRUARY 2 2003, I sat down in Croke Park to watch my first National League game for nearly 14 years as a member of the non-playing fraternity.
At that time, I was still involved somewhat in a very low-key coaching capacity with the Orchard county squad. I always semi-believed that ‘Big Grimbo’ and Joe kept me around more for the craic (because I am good craic... honestly) than my obvious prowess as a goalkeeping coach.
However, sitting in Croke Park that day, I felt little or no regret about my decision to walk away from the playing side of things and had reconciled myself a long time previously with the fact that it was the right decision.
For many players, the decision to hang up the boots and embrace a different life completely is a torturous one filled with questions and self-doubt. And yet I was totally at ease that this was the time to go - especially after we had achieved the ultimate prize the year before.
Deep down, I possibly believed that Armagh would struggle to replicate that magical season after all the celebrations. And I suppose I questioned whether we would have the motivation and the enthusiasm to reproduce all the necessary characteristics to go again.
Around 54,000 people turned up that day, with the majority of the country expecting a Dublin backlash from the semi-final the year previous. But what transpired was quite the opposite, with the Orchard county putting on a display that simply blew the Dubs out of the water.
It was a performance that superceded any other - even that of the previous year. Armagh were simply rampant that day and anyone in attendance would not have been foolish to surmise that we were in fact witnessing a team that would win their second All-Ireland crown easier, much easier, than their first.
Going home on the team bus that evening, I selfishly questioned my decision to retire for the one and only time as Armagh looked every bit as good or better without their wee portly netminder. And after only one game in the National League it even looked like success was inevitable in 2003.
That same day, Tyrone were defeated by Roscommon and, probably to many, seemed a good bit behind in their quest for a maiden title. And yet we Armagh folk don’t need any reminders as to who climbed the steps in Croke Park that year.
Armagh did go on to contest that final, but not as Ulster champions as Monaghan had beaten them by four points in the preliminary round in Ulster. In such light, my message is quite simple - I wouldn’t be getting too carried away with results in February as they are quickly forgotten come the summer.
The most noticeable fact about the first day of the National League was the high scoring given the testy weather conditions. I believe we witnessed the same thing last year and that this is solely down to the fact that managers have generally shunned that Championship paranoia where defence is viewed as key. They are seemingly quite happy to have players in orthodox positions who simply play with the responsibility for marking the man they are assigned to.
As mentioned earlier, results can be very misleading at this time of year. Yet there were still a few stand-out scorelines that might be worrying or pleasing, depending on which side of the result the respective teams ended up on at the final whistle.
Last Friday night, I was privileged to attend a massive gathering of GAA greats in the Carrickdale Hotel as over 500 people turned up to pay homage to Pete McGrath in a surprise ‘This is your Life’ event. Many of the greats from Down football were in attendance for what was a fine night of anecdotes about Wee Pete’s tremendous impact on the many teams he has managed and influenced.
What happened the following night in the Marshes as Down succumbed tamely to Donegal will not go down in the annals of the Mournemen’s rich tapestry and will have cemented many people’s assertions that the Red and Blacks will struggle in Division One.
Far be it for me as an Armagh man to show sympathy to Eamonn Burns as he would neither want it nor pay any heed to it, but I feel he has been dealt a somewhat cruel hand as, like many other Ulster teams, Down are not at the level of other Division One sides.
Yet the fact that they will be meeting top opposition every week will make it harder for him to gain any momentum or, more importantly, confidence as they head towards the summer, where they will come up against an improving Monaghan team.
It will never be said or admitted after Mayo’s insipid display against Cork at the weekend, but I’m sure a text was bounced between Noel Connelly and Pat Holmes – the two managers who were more or less removed from their post as Mayo bosses after losing in the All-Ireland semi-final replay to the eventual winners.
Because of last year’s vote of no confidence in the management duo, the players have put themselves under added pressure. While I am not writing them off as potential relegation candidates, their match against Dublin this weekend takes on even more pressure to reverse what was a brutal display with 11 of last year’s side in the team.
Tyrone struggled at home to put away stubborn Cavan resistance and will be tested even more severely against a Galway team that put Laois to the sword. Armagh will feel that they will have to get a result against the same opposition on Saturday night or they will enter a relegation battle rather than a promotion race.
Monaghan, meanwhile, got a decent start against Roscommon and you feel the Farneymen will have four points come Sunday evening at the expense of Down. Elsewhere, Fermanagh ran out of steam against Derry and will by no means be guaranteed two points against Meath.
Antrim did what they haven’t done for the last few seasons last week and started their campaign well by beating Carlow in the basement division. Hopefully they will continue that run against a more talented Wexford team.
Last week, I picked three away teams for a value bet and two of them came up trumps, so my picks this week are: Donegal, Tyrone, Leitrim (last time I got a bet up Leitrim won), and Kildare. That quad pays 5/1. Pleasant punting folks!
