McGeeney admits Armagh were below average despite dramatic extra-time win over Tyrone
Kieran McGeeney admitted Armagh were far from their best despite a dramatic 1-17 to 1-16 extra-time win over Tyrone in their Ulster Senior Football Championship preliminary round clash at the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds. Orchard County needed every ounce of determination to get across the line against their old rivals, with Conor Turbitt grabbing the late deciding point after a tense and bruising encounter. Armagh were also forced to dig deep after Darragh McMullen was sent off for a second yellow card in the final minutes of normal time. Speaking afterwards, McGeeney was honest in his assessment of the performance and admitted it was one of Armagh’s poorest performances of the season.
“We weren’t great, to be honest I thought it was probably our worst performance of the year,” McGeeney told RTÉ.
Despite this, the Armagh manager was pleased with the resilience his side showed when the game was on the line, particularly after going down to 14 men during a significant period of extra time.
“Being treated this way is very difficult to bear.”
Armagh manager Kieran McGeeney was not happy as his team were recently forced to abandon plans for a training camp at Carton House due to Manchester United using the same venue. pic.twitter.com/JHepC8xgzA
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“In saying that, it would have been easier to put our heads down. We were down to 14 men for much of the game in extra time. The most important thing was the guys who dug really deep and you have to be proud of them in that regard. They didn’t play well and weren’t able to put together a game, especially against Tyrone. “It wasn’t our best performance, but it definitely showed a lot of character.
While Tyrone came into the Championship under pressure after a disappointing Allianz Football League Division Two campaign, McGeeney said he never expected anything other than fierce competition. Armagh and Tyrone have built up a fierce rivalry over the years, and McGeeney said he had warned beforehand that the tie would be decided by the narrowest of margins.
“I’ve never played against Tyrone without it going down to the wire. I was telling everyone this week it was going to be a one-point game, a two-point game. “I guess all the pundits know that, but we’re delighted to come out of it; showed real composure,” he added.
The result sends Armagh into the next stage of the Ulster Championship, but McGeeney will know there is plenty of room for improvement if his side are to make a serious impact over the coming weeks. For all the quality of the Armagh panel, it was a day where grit and courage mattered more than fluency. Against a Tyrone side that refused to go away, the All-Ireland champions had to fight for every score and every possession. Ultimately, Turbitt’s late intervention proved decisive, allowing Armagh to survive a major scare and keep their provincial ambitions alive.
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