NFL Build Up: Armagh Scouting Report

Local Derby

Bandit country informants everywhere

Instead of picking out danger men I’m going to look for holes in this seemingly untouchable Armagh side.

Mix and Match Halfback line

Mallon is a corner back, Finian Moriarty is a wingback not a natural centreback. and Shields is the only one in his natural position.
Like last year they started the game without Ciaran McKeever in the halfback line and we made it count.
We have a pretty strong and high performing Half forward line ourselves this year so it’s an area we should target and look to throughout.
Also looking that there size it is a possible kickout option also.
we’ll know tonight if McKeever is fit.

Cross Wires

They still rely heavily on Cross duo Tony Kernan and Jamie Clarke.
Tony Kernan can be quite narky when things don’t go his way….but he is a classy operator in open spaces aswell as a devastating free taker. He’ll punish us if allowed space.
So I’d be looking to a defender like Darren O’Hanlon to sit at home in the back line and just pick him up and stick with him for the duration, not worry about anything else but limiting Kernan’s influence and the function of the whole Armagh forward line will suffer as a result.

Jamie Clarke is struggling with injury recently but should be fit enough to start we all know how good he is, if he does play, he’ll be out on the half forward line too, in the playmaker role.

The Cross duo make the Armagh forward line and inside line tick especially the two Rafferty’s inside along with either Murnin or McVerry will take some watching!
We’ll look again to Pop to pick up Caolan Rafferty but hopefully someone like Crilly or anyone even to sit in front of him and the full backline to give them some protection.

bIg battle little Parallelogram

Charlie Vernon is a physical specimen but so is Conor Grimes…..Grimes is deceivingly pacy Vernon is not.
Conor if he gets space and the correct ball has has mobility and fleet of foot to cause manufactured full back Vernon some serious problems.

Let me know what you think both teams should be named tonight. More tomorrow!