Former Mayo County defender Colm Boyle has been talking to the Irish Mirror about Armargh's direct style of play. The 35-year-old says it is like a throwback to the team's golden era.
Here's what he had to say:
There's been a touch of back to the future about watching Armagh in recent weeks.
Some of their play has been a throwback to their greatest era under Joe Kernan, when they arrowed long, diagonal balls to Ronan Clarke, Steven McDonnell, Diarmaid Marsden and Oisin McConville, wreaking havoc for opposition defences. It’s something we don’t see enough of these days.
Some teams appear to be crippled with fear at the thought of a turnover from a so-called risky pass. Even Dublin’s last couple of All-Irelands were based on a more patient possession game.
So far in this year’s Championship they have played more direct and kicked the ball to their target men inside, with positive results.
On reflection, defending direct football was something that we probably practised less as the years went by with Mayo as so few teams attempted those raking passes on matchday.
Instead, our drills were more based on defending against slow and patient attacks, where one lapse could allow a runner to slip in behind your defence and do the damage.
Of the eight teams left, Kerry, Dublin and Armagh favour the direct kicking game.
Mayo have gone away from it in the last few seasons and gravitate towards the running game more but they certainly need to mix it up and be more direct against Kerry.
Galway have the potential to be more expansive in their play, especially in Croke Park, with strong ball winners in Damien Comer, Shane Walsh and Robert Finnerty.
The majority of defenders are not used to defending against direct football and, as a result, are not comfortable with it. It’s nearly alien to them.
They are more used to their man wandering out the field against packed defences or coming around on the loop and looking to get a shot away from there. Donegal’s full-back line, for example, looked completely fazed by Armagh’s directness, as Tyrone’s did the week before.
Kicking the ball long can be difficult from open play, especially against massed defences, but certain opportunities do open up and that’s when players need to be brave - there is risk but the reward is huge.
The key is hitting a team when they are most open, like at the throw-in as Armagh did last Sunday; after winning long kick-outs, especially when the opposition team have pressed up; and, of course, quick counter-attacks as defences are out of shape and scrambling.
Two key simple elements are required: good kick-passers and good ball-winners, two elements of the game that are probably under-coached.
Of all the venues in the country, Croke Park is the most sympathetic to this style of play and that’s where all the football is going to be played now. It’s almost like playing a different sport there due to the space and speed of the surface.
That’s why I would fear for Derry a little. Yes, they will be happy with the draw and I expect them to beat Clare, but their conservative style will make it very difficult for them to beat a top team there.
It’s more suited to tighter provincial grounds, but there’s nothing like playing in the big house to expose the shortcomings in your gameplan.
Last Saturday is conclusive evidence that Croke Park is not the place for qualifiers
The penny clearly hadn’t dropped for the fixture-makers before last Saturday, but surely it has now? Supporters voted with their feet, with a paltry 16,000 travelling to Croke Park with four counties involved.
It’s the smallest crowd I’ve seen there for Championship games, certainly where Mayo were involved. The lesson that these games have no place in Croke Park now has to be learned.
