Armagh's physical strength should secure final berth

Tomorrow's second All-Ireland semi-final between Armagh and Donegal comes as a welcome release from a week of hysteria when there seemed to be more emphasis on tactics and systems of play than on Tyrone's achievement of returning to the All-Ireland final after an eight-year absence

The teams change for this week but the tactics will probably remain the same except that on this occasion both teams will be playing to a similar game plan.

One thing is reasonably predictable. I doubt if either Donegal or Armagh will match the intensity that Tyrone reached in the first 20 minutes of last Sunday's game. Armagh, while they have greater physical presence than any team left in the competition, are more measured and calculating in their counter-attacks.

They can afford to do this because of their greater strength and ball-winning ability of forwards like Steven McDonnell, Ronan Clarke, and Oisín McConville.

Similarly, Donegal have two target men inside with Adrian Sweeney and Brendan Devenney. Sweeney, in particular, is invaluable to them because he can win ball no matter how it comes in, high, low, or into space. So while many people will be expecting a similar type game to last Sunday there may be some essential differences. Kerry had no out-and-out ball winners in their full-forward line apart from when Johnny Crowley came on.

Tomorrow, five of the six full forwards are ball winners as well of course as being excellent footballers. Brian Roper is the exception and he does a valuable job as a roaming corner forward, who acts as linkman from deeper and creates space inside.

So I presume that there will be a lot of long deliveries from Donegal to try and win possession inside before any cover gets back. This of course can be difficult as Kieran McGeeney sits in front of the Armagh full-back line and Tony McEntee, despite the number 15 on his jersey, plays at centre back.

John Gildea does a similar job for Donegal, who effectively play with two centre backs, Gildea and Barry Monaghan. The question for Donegal is whether their corner back will follow Tony McEntee out the field and act as a shield in front of McDonnell and Marsden.

To get away from the tactical battle for a while, both teams go into this game with a high degree of confidence. Armagh have been fully rehabilitated after their first round loss to Monaghan and Donegal also are on a five-game unbeaten run since the disaster against Fermanagh in the Ulster championship. There is nothing like championship wins to send confidence and mental strength sky high.

The teamwork and unity of purpose grows and the team ethic completely replaces individual play. Individual players give superb performances but it is always part of the game plan that has been fine-tuned and perfected with the winning of each game.

This will be particularly true of Armagh who are now coming to the end of two amazing seasons of success, which saw Joe Kernan and his backroom team breathe life into a team that had gone so close to ultimate success in previous years but had always been pipped at the post. They are now in pole position to go for the elusive two in a row, but will that inspire them or put extra pressure on them?

Donegal have already achieved a lot more than even their most optimistic supporters could have hoped for in springtime. Relegated from Division One of the league after losing six of the seven games it looked bleak when Fermanagh tore them apart in the Ulster championship.

Brian McEniff deserves great credit for turning the ship around and getting them into serious contention for the All-Ireland title. They go into tomorrow's game with very little pressure as Armagh are favourites to advance.

That, of course, can be a two-edged sword. When the game comes to the crunch somewhere in the second half tomorrow, Donegal will have to ask themselves if they are happy with a semi-final appearance or do they want to go for the jugular? Initial analyses after Donegal defeated Galway tended towards suggesting Armagh would have an easy passage into the All-Ireland but this gives scant regard to Donegal, who were asked serious questions by the Connacht champions and came up with all the right answers, both in the drawn game and replay.

It must also be remembered that when tomorrow's teams last met in the 2002 Ulster final there was very little between the sides. Also in that game Tony Blake gifted Armagh a soft goal in the first few minutes.

However, on closer analysis I feel that Armagh's physical strength all around the pitch, but particularly in the midfield area with Paul McGrane and Philip Loughran and the McEntees, will win more ball than Donegal who use John Gildea as an extra defender and bring out Paul McGonigle to help Stephen McDermott in the middle of the field.

This extra possession in the middle third of the field could be the platform from which Armagh extend their winning run. Also the deep-rooted self-belief that comes with winning All-Irelands is still alive and well in Armagh as was evidenced when the crunch came against Laois.

The bar has been moved up another notch for Donegal and while they have performed brilliantly up until now this may be a bridge too far. Armagh should get the chance to defend their title on September 28th.