Steven McDonnell Armagh v Donegal Ulster Final preview

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We spoke to former Armagh captain Steven McDonnell this afternoon, and he says that having the experience of winning the Sam Maguire last year will stand to the Orchard County in tomorrow’s Ulster Final.

Transcript

00:01Stevie, third Ulster final in a row now for Armagh. Obviously a big day.

00:04Haven't got over the line the last two years. Do you think that's going to change tomorrow?

00:07Well I'm hoping that it will. Certainly it'll be a very tight close encounter with a very good Donegal team.

00:14They are winning Ulster champions and I suppose being all-Iran champions in Armagh,

00:18that gives them an incentive to try to get over the line.

00:21They've been very close the last few years going to penalties and unfortunately just went against them.

00:26You know, last year with Hellas that there's not much between these two teams

00:30and I don't think it'll be any different this weekend.

00:32Yeah, and probably Armagh seemed to have a bad habit, didn't they, of losing penalty shootouts.

00:36But they might have got over that. They beat Kerry, beat Galway last year and then beat Theron last week.

00:40Do you see that maybe a bit of confidence starting to grow in them?

00:42Absolutely. They're definitely playing with the calmness and composure that winning all-Iran brings to the table.

00:47And I suppose, you know, in the damn moments of any game, when the game's in the melting pot,

00:52you know, having that experience of getting over the final, getting over the final hurdily last year

00:57in the All-Iran final would definitely add to it.

00:59And maybe to see it as an opportunity not to let the game go through extra time

01:04and go to penalties and maybe kick on and go for the win.

01:07And that's exactly what they're doing against, throwing the last day out.

01:10You know, we weren't happy or content with the game being a draw on the day in the moments.

01:14They wanted to go for the win and that's exactly what we want to see as supporters come this weekend.

01:19Yeah, the strength and depth year-on-year just seems to be getting stronger.

01:23There's a new couple of faces in this year, Callum O'Neill and Tomas McCormick.

01:26They seem to be really impressing and that's only a good thing for them, isn't it?

01:29Absolutely. And young Garibut Mullen as well.

01:31You know, Tomas McCormick has really, really impressed me throughout the National League campaign

01:36and his first couple of championship games.

01:38And Callum O'Neill in the last two games has been exceptionally good.

01:41Dominating midfield and not only doing that but getting up and putting balls over the bar as well.

01:47And that's what we want from a midfielder in the modern game.

01:50And, you know, the strength and depth is only getting better and better for Armagh

01:53and hopefully we can continue in that trend.

01:55Yeah, and they've obviously won in Sam O'Neill last year

01:57but there's still a huge hunger, isn't there, when an Anglo sell for this group?

02:00Absolutely, I think that's one of the objectives of this team from the offset,

02:04particularly at the start of the year.

02:05You know, they won the All-Ire and I share without winning the Ulster title.

02:09So, they'll want to get back there having lost two Ulster finals in the last couple of years.

02:13They'll want to get back and redeem themselves and make amends for that.

02:16Yeah, and then last one for me, what's your verdict?

02:18I'm going to go to Armagh Abbey 3 or 4.

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