1992 All-Ireland winner Tony Boyle: ‘What more can you say about Murphy?’

Donegal great Tony Boyle was impressed by a Michael Murphy-led Donegal in their victory over a limp Armagh in Ballybofey last Sunday. 

The 1992 All-Ireland 1992 winning full-forward said there was no real fight in the Orchard County, something as rare as frost in summer.  Donegal won by 1-16 to 0-12 and were not flattered in the slightest-  and while Armagh had some arguable claims for a goal just after half-time, Boyle believes that Donegal would still have come out on top. 

Gallery: Donegal's win over Armagh - through the lens

Donegal overcame Armagh in their Ulster SFC clash on Sunday in Ballybofey

“Donegal controlled most of the game apart from 10 minutes after half-time,” the Dungloe clubman said. “The first half was even enough, and we probably should have been three or four more points ahead. “There seemed to be a bit of breeze, maybe if that goal had been allowed it might have been different, but really it was one of the easiest victories we had in a while.”

Armagh claimed when Rian O’Neill bundled the ball into the Donegal net in the first play of the second half, which would’ve brought the score level at 1-6 to 0-9, the goal was legitimate. 

“I was down that side, but my initial reaction was that Rian O’Neill made a mistake, and he should have flicked the ball and not to try and catch it,” Boyle said. “The minute he went to catch it he was always going to be giving the keeper and the defenders a chance to close in.

"If he flicked it to the net it could have stood and the referee was 30 to 40 yards away and if there is a scrap inside then he is always going to give the nod to the defence. Now, if that had been a goal it might have given the game a different complexion but I still believe that Donegal’s better footballers would come through. 

Like many, Boyle was expecting more from an Armagh team who had an impressive Allianz League Division 1 campaign, where they finished with seven points and had notable victories away to Dublin and at home to Tyrone.

“I could not believe it with the way Armagh played,” Boyle added. “They brought nothing to the occasion, and you thought they would at least have brought a bit of fight and a bit of aggression, but they did not seem to even have that. 

“They looked like a team that trained a lot earlier in the year but seem to have lost their edge. I am sure Kieran McGeeney is wondering today why they just did not turn up and they were being tipped as potential Ulster champions in some quarters. After that performance they are as far back as ever”. 

An interesting stat is that in eight championship seasons, McGeeney has led Armagh to just three victories in Ulster. So, did the battle to get their players off take from their focus? 

Twitter enjoyed Donegal's win over Armagh today - here's the best tweets

Declan Bonner's side were 1-16 to 0-12 winners against the Orchard County and the world of Twitter was watching on

“Possibly so, but I think the bottom line is when you look at the two teams, Donegal have by far the better footballers and the smarter footballers,” Boyle said. “That is what it came down to. 

“Armagh have big strong players, but they were not great on the ball and once Brendan McCole did such a good job marking Rian O’Neill they looked pretty bereft of ideas. 

“They did not have a Plan B and our players always seemed to make the right decision and what more can you say about Michael Murphy?

“Jason McGee, Ryan McHugh and Michael Langan played well but Murphy knows when to move and he did some great work up front and knows what to do and he gave a brilliant pass to Michael Langan near the end which could have been a goal. He controlled the game, and that game was over with about 15 minutes to go”. 

“And when we broke at pace there was always going to be an end product and when Armagh broke at pace they ran into corners and our defence were well on top” 

Donegal now face into an Ulster SFC against Cavan, who won the Anglo-Celt Cup as recently as two years ago, on Sunday week.

“I would say there are times when Declan Boner looks back at that Ulster final in 2020 when we were going for three-in-a-row and Donegal will certainly not take them lightly, “Boyle added. “Cavan have improved but I fully expect Donegal to come through and hopefully we will be looking forward to another Ulster final”.