All the talk of Armagh being the Kildare of the north had a happy ending for both counties. Now the question for both will be, can they develop apace after finally making a championship breakthrough?

Armagh's win over Down was impressive because of the adversity in which it was achieved: an unpromising tradition against their neighbours, the pressure to achieve and being a man short after Enda McNulty was sent off.

More than any other province, Ulster rewards the team with form and momentum and there are some grounds for believing that Armagh currently fit the bill. With young, talented players having come into the line-up and the all-important win finally under their belts, Armagh have advanced to take on Derry. Since they won the All-Ireland five years ago, Derry have been beaten every year - narrowly with one exception - by the team that went on to win the Ulster title. Derry were favourites every year. The team's problems have been an inability to take as many scores out of a match as their control of the ball has warranted. There has also been a sizeable element of being tactically out-thought, most spectacularly by Cavan last year. and 13-man Tyrone three years ago.

It's an area where Armagh pose a threat as their management team of Brian McAlinden and Brian Canavan proved a fortnight ago when dreaming up the Diarmuid Marsden at wing back stunt and by their improvisation when down to 14 players.

Tomorrow's selections contain few surprises. Marsden is restored to the attack, Kieran McGeeney to defence and McNulty is back with his suspension served.

Derry have picked David O'Neill at right wing back in place of the injured Johnny McGurk. O'Neill is normally a full back so a re-shuffle, with Sean Martin Lockhart coming out, is on the cards. There is a vacanacy at left corner forward with talk of Benny Murray or Enda Gormley getting the nod in the absence of the suspended Joe Cassidy. Derry have experience and a strong defence but Armagh's resurgence and the absence of Cassidy from the Derry attack are likely to be decisive.

Derry: O McCloskey; K McKeever, SM Lockhart, P Diamond; D O'Neill, H Downey, P McFlynn; A Tohill, D Heaney; G Magill, D Dougan, E Burns; J Brolly, S Downey, AN Other.

Armagh: B Tierney; E McNulty, T McEntee, M McNeill; A McCann, K McGeeney, J McNulty; J Burns, P McGrane; C O'Rourke, B Duffy, N Smyth; P McKeever, D Marsden, O McConville.