2019 season review – Armagh Club players vox pop

John McCullagh

Carrickcruppen

What was your biggest frustration playing club football this year?

Living in Dublin and trekking back to north Armagh for mid-week fixtures.

What club story in your county caught your eye this year?

Pearse Ogs’ late season run to secure promotion from Division 1B.

What would you like to see changed in Armagh next year?

I’d scrap Sunday league matches and switch them to Friday night or Saturday evening fixtures.

What was the best club game you watched in Armagh this year, excluding your own?

Grange against Shane O’Neill’s the Intermediate Championship final.

Conor Hoey

Dromintee

What was your biggest frustration playing club football this year?

To be honest there weren’t too many frustrations this year. If I had to go with one it would maybe be that some championship games were played at unusual times, for example a few of the group and knockout matches were on a Monday night. You are used to playing on a Friday night or Sunday afternoon, so it just meant the usual schedule had to be changed and had an impact on most lads who are either working or studying in Belfast and Dublin.

What club story in your county caught your eye this year?

Granemore went on a very good run in the Senior Championship and reached the semi-final. They were operating in Senior B this year so probably wouldn’t have been tipped to get as far. They gathered good momentum in the group stage and carried that through, almost reaching the final.

What would you like to see changed in Armagh next year?

I’m probably contradicting my last answer but personally I’m not a big fan of the group stage structure in championship football. It can lead to dead-rubber matches as some teams can qualify with a game to spare. It also drags the competition out a bit as there’s a lot of games to run off before proper knock-out football begins.

What was the best club game you watched in Armagh this year, excluding your own?

The intermediate final between Shane’s and Grange. There was some good quality scores throughout the game but the drama in the last five to 10 minutes made it a great watch and it could have went either way. Cathal McKenna, who kicked the winner, would be a cousin of mine so I can claim to have taught him how to strike a ball in our nanny’s years ago!

David O’Hagan

Grange

What was your biggest frustration playing club football this year?

The uncertainty around the availability of county players for club league games. I think we need to introduce starred games in Armagh – that would allow clubs to plan with or without accordingly.

What club story in your county caught your eye this year?

Well apart from our own, the neighbours Collegeland came good when they needed to. A bit like ourselves, they seemed to have an average league campaign but championship football is what everyone remembers. It was good to see some of the local clubs doing well and I’m sure the Auction Rooms Bar in the Moy would second that thought too!

What would you like to see changed in Armagh next year?

I’m liking the current set-up and I believe the league and championship have become a lot more competitive. I’d probably like more collaboration between the men’s and ladies’ fixtures committees. A couple of times this year we had league games on the same day and at the same time as our ladies. This hurts small communities like the Grange. Having double-header games would bring a great buzz around the club.

What was the best club game you watched in Armagh this year, excluding your own?

Ballymacnab and Granemore in the championship semi final. Two parish rivals who showed great heart in brutal weather conditions, a game with plenty of hard hits and both giving their all – it was a great watch. I’m sure they are looking forward to next year’s league encounters.