Avoiding prelims has helped to put Armagh in an unbelievable position
On the way back up the road from
Cavan
, there was some chatter on the team bus about topping the group and what it all meant.
We knew
it had secured us a place in the
All-Ireland
quarter-finals and by extension we had avoided the preliminary quarter-finals. In terms of the round-robin, it was a case of job done.
Mostly though, players were considering their own performances and what impact they had in the win over
Sligo
. Some were happy, others were not, the usual.
It was June 2023, the first year of a new round-robin format in the All-Ireland series. The
Sligo game at Breffni
took place in the middle of June. Just six weeks later
we got our hands on Sam Maguire
again.
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But on that same afternoon we beat Sligo, Mayo lost to Cork in their last group game at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick – a result that left them third in the table. Instead of having the benefit of two weeks to prepare for their next game, Mayo had to travel to Salthill the following Sunday to face Galway in a preliminary quarter-final.
I can't be sure what we did as a group on the day Mayo beat Galway in Pearse Stadium, but it's fair to say we didn't expend as much mental or physical energy that afternoon as our old rivals.
The following weekend Mayo arrived to Croke Park to play us in a quarter-final, Kevin McStay's side buoyed by the confidence of beating Galway. That momentum was evident early on and at half-time we led by only a single point. But after the break our freshness told and Mayo's three-week stint started to take its toll. At the final whistle we had won by 12.
The benefit of avoiding a preliminary quarter-final played out for all to see at Croke Park in that game.
In the two years of this format, the All-Ireland has been won by a team who topped their group and avoided the prelims – Dublin in 2023 and Armagh in 2024.
In 2023, Monaghan were the only one of the four preliminary quarter-finalists to advance to the last eight. Last year, only Galway progressed beyond the quarter-finals.
That's not to say there won't be a winner coming from the prelims this year but it's clear the challenge is significantly greater for those tasked with playing three knockout championship games in as many weeks.
Because of that, Armagh look to be in an unbelievable position right now. They are the only one of the 16 teams to have guaranteed a table-topping finish before the last round of games.
It means the reigning All-Ireland champions have the opportunity against Galway to give a lot of their squad players some championship minutes. It is a priceless luxury to have at this stage of the year.
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Armagh's responsibility next week is solely to themselves, it is not for them to worry about Galway or others; they should do what they consider is best for Armagh's chances of retaining the All-Ireland.
And, should they run their squad against Galway and give game time to squad players, that does not necessarily represent an easier afternoon for Pádraic Joyce's men.
On the contrary, it could actually make it an even trickier affair because those players who have been on the fringes of the Armagh starting team will view the Galway match as their big chance to make an impact.
For players who feel they might not be getting the opportunities they deserve, this will be their moment to show management what they can do. For Kieran McGeeney, it couldn't really be set up any better.
Armagh manager Kieran McGeeney with goalkeeper Ethan Rafferty last Sunday. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
Because if those players perform then they're putting pressure on the guys who have been starting all summer. That in turn challenges everybody to be better and allows nobody to get complacent.
I remember during the Super Eights era, there would have been times when we might have been through to the knockout stages with a game to spare, and so for the extended panel that last match would then become their biggest game of the season.
It was a shop window for players to try to force their way into the team for the latter stages of the championship, or at the very least to be one of the first subs introduced. Those matches when managers get to give players a roll of the dice are huge to ramp up the internal competition for places within panels.
I can't see Armagh going full hog with a stacked team against Galway next week because the risk-reward is not worth it; they've already built up a huge amount of momentum. They will surely view it instead as a perfect opportunity to use their squad.
So, for a game that might have no great overarching importance in terms of Armagh's direct progression in the competition, McGeeney can put a huge amount of internal importance on it by handing starting jerseys to players who have spent much of the season on the periphery.
Finishing top of the table is a prize we probably didn't fully appreciate in 2023. But after only two years of this format, it's clear there is a huge benefit to avoiding the preliminary quarter-finals.
It's not that three games in three weeks is too much physically for players – intercounty players are in such good shape that they can manage that load. But if somebody gets a muscular injury in that time frame they're going to be ruled out for crucial matches – which is another reason for Armagh not to risk any of their key players.
More than anything, it's the mental fatigue that becomes draining with such a demanding schedule. Getting up and going to work on the Monday and Tuesday while still having to look at the video analysis from the game you've just played.
Then you are asked to look at video clips for the next game because you are immediately trying to analyse your upcoming opponents. Individually, you are at home looking at video in relation to your position and guys you might be coming up against, or going through some team homework clips that have been given by management on your next opponent.
Then, pre- or post-training, you would be doing collective video work as well. That's a lot of information to take on board three weeks on the bounce.
Truth be told, your job has to be put on the back burner. You are essentially a full-time intercounty footballer in terms of preparing for games, recovering from games, nutrition, analysis, training – you simply don't have the time and energy to give 100 per cent to your job.
For teams playing next Saturday, they will probably have a group recovery session on the Sunday, gym on Monday, pitch session Tuesday, pitch session Thursday, then play again the following weekend. And you also have your video work on top of that.
So, a gap week between games is large; it just gives you a vital bit of breathing space ahead of the most crucial part of the season.
But while it might only be the third year of this format, it is also set to be the last as another new system will be in place next season.
Three teams advancing from each group feels wrong. Still, I would have liked them to retain this current format but with only two sides progressing to the knockout stages.
None of that matters right now, though.
The big prize on offer next weekend is the carrot of a direct pass to the All-Ireland quarter-finals.
For those teams who end up in the prelims, while they remain in the running for Sam Maguire they will be starting that particular race further back down the home straight than the four quarter-finalists.
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- RTÉ News
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The 42
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Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO Just as encouraging as that telling impact in the box was a piece of defending seven minutes before half-time that was the second element of the gameplan: stop Senegal's counter attacks. That was the second message repeated around camp all week, and when Habib Diarra looked as though he was about to break free down the left, McAteer's willingness to sprint back and nick possession drew applause around Aviva Stadium. Most pleased would have been Hallgrímsson and assistant John O'Shea as well as coach Paddy McCarthy. There were three more clear examples of Ireland players ensuring they followed the doctrine laid out. 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The 42
4 hours ago
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'This is a world class team and there were times when we made them look quite average'
HEIMIR HALLGRIMSSON PRAISED his Irish players as he saw further progress in a 1-1 friendly draw against Senegal in Dublin. Ireland led at half-time through Kasey McAteer's goal, but were denied a win by Ismalia Sarr's late equaliser. 'Our collective defence was good', said the Irish manager. 'We must recognise this is a world class team, unbeaten now in 21 games, 19 in the Fifa rankings. And there were times when we were defending without the ball we made them look quite average. We are happy they didn't create too many goalscoring chances. Caoimh made one or two good saves but apart from that he didn't need to do much, that is pleasing. 'We needed to start on this, working on a shape that is now looking quite good. There are still a few areas, we have talked about needing to do some movements quicker, within the structure. 'To be able to play against such a strong attacking team, with so much individual quality, and not concede a lot of goalscoring chances.' Advertisement Hallgrimsson pointed to the low levels of confidence among his players when he first took the job, but says now they are climbing. 'I think it is growing', said Hallgrimsson when asked about confidence levels. 'The decisions at this level need to be quick. You need to be quick deciding what to do and act quickly. If you are too late you are always punished at this level. What I said about defence, being in structure, closing spaces: these things need to happen quicker. 'Once we repeat these things again and again it just gets it ahead and we showed that against a really good side again. We limited their chances of creating things against us and, let's be honest, we are not one of the best teams in the world, and this is how we need to play against teams that will dominate possession. 'And we need to wait for our chances and take them when they come. So in this situation confidence is growing and it is a similar setup in September, playing the stronger team at home and then flying away to Luxembourg, like Hungary at home and then away to Armenia. So it is good preparation for September. So that is confidence for me, to be able to play good teams without possession and doing that for longer periods of time. But again, conceding goals from crosses too many times and in this case we were too passive in the cross. We didn't attack the ball when the cross came and it has happened before. That is a slight confidence thing.' Hallgrimsson meanwhile praised his goalscorer Kasey McAteer, who showed Ireland have further depth among their right-sided attackers by scoring on his full Irish debut. ''If you have watched Kasey he has got a run for Leicester at the end of the season so you can see his progress in his club and he brought that now into the national team', said Hallgrimsson. 'That is always the answer you would like to have when you try out new players. 'It was his first start for Ireland, so a really good first start for him. No, he is a confident player on the ball. He has speed, good dribbling technique and if we can isolate him one-on-one that is his strength. 'He is just a clever footballer with a good footballing brain. Knows where to pass the ball etc.' The Irish boss was sanguine too about the lack of VAR, which would likely have inspected and potentially disallowed the Senegal goal for an offside. Cheikh Sabaly stood in an offisde position occluding Kelleher's view of a shot which the Irish goalkeeper saved brilliantly before Ismalia Sarr forced the rebound over the line. 'VAR probably would have given it offside, but we knew VAR was not in house and we cannot complain. The referees did a really good job today, they had a really good flow to the game. I was really happy with the referees.'
