Kieran McGeeney blamed poor execution on Armagh’s part for their loss to Tyrone.
The Armagh manager says that his team missed three goals in the first twenty minutes of their All-Ireland senior football championship group stage loss to their neighbours and rivals.
Geezer also hit out at pundits who have criticised his side for being too cautious in their approach to games. Their ‘sole job,’ he says is ‘to create controversy.’
The Mullaghbawn club-man also defended his captain Rian O’Neill, who was sent off in the first half for kneeing Cormac Quinn. McGeeney also made a comment which suggested he feels teams aren’t getting the rub of the green when it comes to refereeing decision.
You can listen to his interview with Darren Frehill of RTE Sport below.
'We missed enough to win four games – @Armagh_GAA boss Kieran McGeeney reflects on the loss to Tyrone #rtegaa #sundaygame pic.twitter.com/6GoXUDArkW
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) June 4, 2023
“We missed enough to win four games,” began the 51-year-old.
“Three or four goals in the first half and free kicks off the post. Simple things.
“In fairness to the boys. They stuck to the task well in the second half but there are some things you can’t legislate for, like a goalkeeper handling the ball on the ground – then pushes it on. Referee doesn’t see it, what can you do?”
Armagh closed the gap on Tyrone to lose by two points for a finish, on a score-line of 0-13 to 0-11, despite having been down by four when O’Neill was sent off late in the first half.
“It should have been three goals in the first twenty minutes. Morgan’s first save was brilliant, but the other three were just bad execution.
“I haven’t seen it,” he said on O’Neill’s red card.
“I just talked to Rian, he said your man (Cormac Quinn) pulled him on the jersey down on top of him. That’s all I know about it.
“There was a lot of dangerous play out there. So if someone’s pulling you by the jersey…as I say I haven’t seen it but he says your man wouldn’t let go of his jersey.”
McGeeney then responded to criticism of his side’s approach to games.
“As you pointed out, we went at them in the first 15 minutes, created four goals – they still have to be taken.
“So I think we did go at them. The same way we went at Westmeath. But we’re just missing too much, in that regard, we’re creating chances, we’re cutting through teams, but we have to be able to finish.”
“Listening to people – they’re sort of saying ‘you’re not going forward,’ and yet like you’re missing four goals, but you’re not going forward.
“There’s pundits out there do you know, who’s sole job is to create controversy and you just have to take it on the chin and move on because if you don’t convert them, you can’t really say anything.
“The only thing that I suppose every team is looking for is fair play from refs and for the decisions to go your way, sometimes,” he concluded.
🟥 Red card for Rian O'Neill and now Armagh are facing uphill battle
Moments before Peter Harte hit post, the Armagh full-forward got involved in an altercation
📱 Updates – https://t.co/0IkWcYRAC5
📺 Watch live – https://t.co/AKAre5FHdN
📻 Listen live – https://t.co/2SRRKdgjzu pic.twitter.com/MRR4onzHS3— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) June 3, 2023
Related links:
- “Tyrone supporters were baying for blood” Ciaran Whelan recalls battle of Omagh
- Marc O Sé compares Kerry midfield to Man United’s treble winning strikers
- Tyrone manager Brian Dooher sheds light on Cathal McShane situation
