Knockout element won’t alter Armagh’s mindset says O’Hagan ahead of Monaghan semi-final

By Shaun Casey

WHILE it’s all about knockout now in the Ulster u-20 Championship, Armagh boss Barry O’Hagan says his side have treated all their outings like it’s their last.

The Orchard County topped the group with three wins from three, seeing off rivals Down and Tyrone either side of a landslide triumph over Cavan.

That gave them a week off, while Monaghan, Wednesday’s semi-final opponents at the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds, came through the scenic route and had to overcome Cavan at the quarter-final stage last week.

“We’re all looking forward to it,” said O’Hagan, now in his fifth season in charge of the Armagh youths. “They’ve been out week on week but thankfully we got a break because it is tough physically and mentally on the lads.

“Thankfully they performed really well throughout the championship. They’ve probably lifted their performance levels. The first game against Down, we had a very good first half but we were shaky enough in the second half.

“We got much better against Cavan and even though the game was closer against Tyrone, I think we raised the performance levels again so the lads are moving well.

“They’re fully aware that was the group stages and the championship started really last Wednesday night with the knockout games, so they know we’re going to have to raise it a few levels again against a very good Monaghan team.”

Armagh haven’t tasted much success at this age group down through the years and haven’t reached the u-20 provincial final since 2009. They haven’t actually got their hands on the trophy since 2007.

There’s been plenty of tough days in those intervening 19 years and O’Hagan has experienced a lot himself since taking charge. That past hurt means they won’t be taking anything for granted against the Farney County.

“We beat Cavan two years ago and I think it was Armagh’s first win at this level in seven years,” he added. “I don’t think we can really approach it differently, we approached every game as a knockout championship game.

“Our target was to top the group and if you don’t win your games then you don’t top the group. We were treating them all like knockout. The Down game was a local derby so it didn’t feel like a group game – the Tyrone game was the same.

“I don’t think there’s going to be a big shift but we know we’re going to have to raise our performance levels. This Monaghan team got to Ulster and All-Ireland Minor finals and lost both to Derry.

“Our lads at that age group, weren’t as successful. I think their one result was a draw against Antrim but we’re a much different team now, and we’ve been backboned by the great group that Aidan O’Rourke brought through at minor level a couple of years ago.

“We won’t be getting ahead of ourselves, we’re fully focused on Monaghan and we know the challenges they are going to bring on Wednesday evening.”