MAYBE YOU CAN read too much into these things, but in eleven outings in the Ulster championship, Malachy O’Rourke had only been on the losing side once as manager – that coming in 2019 in his final season in charge of Monaghan.
That Tyrone took Armagh to the very last play of extra-time here came as a surprise to many, all the same.
The backdrop of an uninspiring league campaign and the low hum of unrest around the camp coloured much of the pre-match discourse.
But not to Armagh manager Kieran McGeeney.
“I’ve been watching football for almost 40 years now,” he said.
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“I’ve yet to see Tyrone put out a bad team. A bit like Kerry last year, you always have to be careful who’s writing the stories. Not that I’m holding anything against you boys, heaven forbid.”
And he had more of where that came from!
“It’s very difficult. You know, shite sells so it’s not really going to change,” the Armagh boss said with a straight face.
“I’m not being facetious. You’re not going to get much sale pitch out of ‘it’s going to be an even game, two well-matched teams.’ If you look at the history, there’s always going to be nip and tuck. People like headlines. That’s it.
“People like to listen to headlines. It’s human psychology. Bad news sells better than good news. Still, write it off and everybody will eat it up.”
There are days when Armagh have played brilliantly and been undone by one slip. This was not one of these days, They hit 14 wides here, and even at that Tyrone hit the last two, one of which should have been tapped over the bar instead of Eoin McElholm going for broke with a goal attempt.
And still Armagh remain in the Ulster championship, away off now to face Fermanagh in Brewster Park which should, you’d imagine, be a day when they can breathe more easily.
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“I’m all for playing shit and winning,” said McGeeney.
“I have to hand it again, it’s very easy to go out and when things are going against you and a man down, when you talk about players like Mattie Donnelly, Michael McKernan, Kilpatrick, Morgan, McElholm, you’re not on about average players. You’re on about very good players.
“For the fellas to be able to dig deep and Gareth Murphy winning that type of ball at the end there…
“I wouldn’t say it’s your life but when the whole game rests on it, it shows a lot of character. Yes, I believe there’s much more in them. We didn’t use our pace today, the game was slowed down and we let that happen. A win is a win. I’d rather win them than lose them.”
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'I'm all for playing sh*t and winning' - Armagh boss Kieran McGeeney
MAYBE YOU CAN read too much into these things, but in eleven outings in the Ulster championship, Malachy O’Rourke had only been on the losing side once as manager – that coming in 2019 in his final season in charge of Monaghan.
That Tyrone took Armagh to the very last play of extra-time here came as a surprise to many, all the same.
The backdrop of an uninspiring league campaign and the low hum of unrest around the camp coloured much of the pre-match discourse.
But not to Armagh manager Kieran McGeeney.
“I’ve been watching football for almost 40 years now,” he said.
“I’ve yet to see Tyrone put out a bad team. A bit like Kerry last year, you always have to be careful who’s writing the stories. Not that I’m holding anything against you boys, heaven forbid.”
And he had more of where that came from!
“It’s very difficult. You know, shite sells so it’s not really going to change,” the Armagh boss said with a straight face.
“I’m not being facetious. You’re not going to get much sale pitch out of ‘it’s going to be an even game, two well-matched teams.’ If you look at the history, there’s always going to be nip and tuck. People like headlines. That’s it.
“People like to listen to headlines. It’s human psychology. Bad news sells better than good news. Still, write it off and everybody will eat it up.”
There are days when Armagh have played brilliantly and been undone by one slip. This was not one of these days, They hit 14 wides here, and even at that Tyrone hit the last two, one of which should have been tapped over the bar instead of Eoin McElholm going for broke with a goal attempt.
And still Armagh remain in the Ulster championship, away off now to face Fermanagh in Brewster Park which should, you’d imagine, be a day when they can breathe more easily.
“I’m all for playing shit and winning,” said McGeeney.
“I have to hand it again, it’s very easy to go out and when things are going against you and a man down, when you talk about players like Mattie Donnelly, Michael McKernan, Kilpatrick, Morgan, McElholm, you’re not on about average players. You’re on about very good players.
“For the fellas to be able to dig deep and Gareth Murphy winning that type of ball at the end there…
“I wouldn’t say it’s your life but when the whole game rests on it, it shows a lot of character. Yes, I believe there’s much more in them. We didn’t use our pace today, the game was slowed down and we let that happen. A win is a win. I’d rather win them than lose them.”
*****
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