SITTING down on Saturday night to watch Armagh take on Laois, one thing stood out to me before the game - the lack of a real star name in the Orchard line-up.
There was little on the Armagh teamsheet that would frighten the likes of Donegal, Monaghan or Tyrone. A strong all-round team is absolutely vital, but you still need a few elite players to be successful.
It’s in the forward line that this is really important and Armagh lack firepower up front. The loss of Jamie Clarke stands out even more in these circumstances, even if his absence is overplayed a bit. Clarke is without doubt one of the most talented forwards in Ulster, but he hasn’t produced the displays at county level that his ability demands.
What Kieran McGeeney will miss most is the attention that Clarke receives from the opposition defence. Armagh’s opponents tended to focus on nullifying his threat which created more space for his team-mates.
With that threat gone, Armagh need a forward to develop into the talisman up front. On the evidence to date they don’t have an obvious heir to take up the mantle. Against Laois, Stefan Campbell was excellent in dragging his side back into the game, while young Micheal McKenna looks an exciting prospect. However, the top teams will feel they have good enough man markers to ensure their impact is not a match-winning one.
The issues that were evident in attack last year were still apparent last weekend. Apart from a 15-minute spell in the second half, the build-up play was slow and players were regularly turned over carrying the ball into the tackle.
Much work is needed to engrain an attacking game-plan in the players’ minds as they lack cohesion and direction going forward. The successful Armagh team of the 2000s had a very simple and clear strategy with early crossfield kick passes to the inside forwards. When you came up against them you knew what they would do, but it still proved extremely difficult to counter.
It is unfair though to compare the current Armagh team to a team that included greats like current manager McGeeney, Paul McGrane, Oisin McConville and Steven McDonnell. Those players usually only come along once in a generation and the same level of talent does not exist in the current squad.
Armagh already face an uphill battle to avoid relegation, having lost to two of the weaker teams in Division Two. At present, Donegal and Monaghan are the two proven teams in the province, with last year’s performances meaning Tyrone have realistic ambitions of lifting the Anglo-Celt Cup in July. To me, Derry and Down are next in line with Armagh behind all these teams.
In the remainder of the league, they need to develop a clear tactical plan and the players must be able to implement it in the heat of Championship battle. In last year’s defeat to Donegal, there wasn’t a clear game-plan evident for the onlooker. I would suggest that this was partly down to the players not being able to fulfil the plan.
It’s certainly not impossible for Armagh to turn around their season. They were relegated from Division Two in 2014 before reaching an All-Ireland quarter-final. The introduction of the Crossmaglen players will obviously improve the options for McGeeney as well. The draw for the Ulster Championship gives them an opportunity to reach a provincial final. A first round game against Cavan is one they will feel confident of winning and then they would have the opportunity to upset either Derry or Tyrone.
I wouldn’t exactly be hoping to see success coming to Armagh football, but I will certainly be supporting Crossmaglen in their quest to reach yet another All-Ireland final when they take on Castlebar Mitchel’s on Saturday.
I’ve always been a huge admirer of teams in any sport that are able to sustain success over a period of time. Most people want to see a dominant team beaten, but I’ve always felt drawn to great sides. The likes of Kilkenny in hurling and Barcelona in soccer stand out as they are continually at the top of their sport. Crossmaglen are in that elite company when it comes to teams that have a certain aura about them.
I think part of my admiration comes from the fact that the Tyrone teams I played on were unable to win All-Irelands back-to-back. The talent, desire, motivation and ruthlessness required in a team environment to sustain such success is rarely found.
For the game itself, midfield will prove crucial in deciding the outcome. Barry Moran’s midfield dominance in the Connacht final was key as Castlebar beat defending All-Ireland champions Corofin. Crossmaglen don’t have anyone who can compete with Moran when it comes to pure catching ability.
So it’s likely Paul Hearty will keep his kicks away from Moran, while Cross may try to crowd the midfield area on Castlebar’s restarts to make the contests a more physical battle. Jamie Clarke should return to the Cross starting team having only made a substitute appearance in the Ulster final win over Scotstown. It’s likely Mayo senior player Tom Cunniffe will be given the job of tracking Clarke.
The real strength of the Cross team, though, is the depth of talent they have within their ranks. They maybe don’t have the abundance of star names that they had during the 2000s, but the overall strength in depth within the squad is just as impressive.
Tony Kernan is the player that makes the Ulster champions tick. His role in the Ulster final was highlighted by his scoring tally of 1-6, but that only tells half the story of his overall influence on the game.
Kernan, like so many of his team-mates, looks for the long kick pass at every opportunity and he is the link between defence and attack, along with his brother Aaron. Hopefully, Crossmaglen can add another chapter to their unbelievable history this weekend.
