sport
Share icon

Share

Armagh boss lays into five-star resort after Man United presence ruins training camp

Published 21:43 12 Apr 2026 BST

Updated 21:43 12 Apr 2026 BST

SportsJOE
Armagh boss lays into five-star resort after Man United presence ruins training camp

Homesport

He was not a happy man.

We reported a couple of weeks ago on the controversy surrounding the Armagh footballer's planned training camp at Carton House in Kildare.

The 2024 All-Ireland winners rocked up to the five-star resort only to find out that pitches were lined out for football rather than Gaelic football, due to Manchester United using the facilities for a training camp over a week later.

The management at Carton House refused to change the pitch markings or let Armagh change it themselves, and thus the team cancelled their stay and left the same day.

Speaking about the incident after today's Ulster SFC win over Tyrone, manager Kieran McGeeney slammed Carton House and their behaviour.

He said: "We're very disappointed. What people would regard as a five-star resort, treating us with the contempt that they.

"They lied to us, lied to us that we would have a pitch, then they lied to us saying that they'd line it out.

"And they tried to keep us there, they tried to keep us there on false pretences.

"You'd be very disappointed in that. When you're paying people and they're telling you it's bespoke and five star, to be treated like that, and then not even to be contacted after for a few days.

"Needless to say we'll not be back. Considering the reputation they have and our history with them, we are very disappointed.

"I know everyone makes a joke of it, but that was the only weekend time we had for training. And to take that off us the way they did. It doesn't say a lot about the management.

"Again to be treated in that way, it's something very hard to take. Maybe our money is not the same as there's."

Explore more on these topics: