Tomorrow, Clones, 3.30
Who can say where confidence will suddenly bloom? Armagh are by all accounts confident this week as they face into tomorrow's Bank of Ireland Ulster football first round against Down. Yet for the past four years, the world has been waiting tentatively for Armagh to make the breakthrough.
Tyrone and Derry have each derailed the effort twice and in that time, Armagh have won only once, a preliminary round against Fermanagh four years ago. It has been a very disappointing record for a county that has physique, experience, some very talented under-age teams (1992 minors and this year's under-21s) and All-Ireland club winners, Crossmaglen, from which to draw its resources.
Last year represented the nadir. A match they controlled against a Tyrone team playing poorly and reduced to 14 men, was lost amidst a blizzard of wides.
There have been some encouraging signs during the recent NFL campaign and an infusion of young blood for tomorrow's match but it's hard to see the basis of all the confidence. In fairness to the team's joint-managers, Brian McAlinden and Brian Canavan, the talk spooks them as much as it perplexes others.
It's an experimental team. Aside from the debutants, Diarmuid Marsden who's been one of the best forwards in the county in recent times is named at right wing back. O Cinneide, their top League scorer, out in the same position). Marsden has apparently played well in the position in recent challenge matches and according to Canavan, "may be moved up the pitch at some stage of the game". Ironically Kieran McGeeney, formerly a half back, is now centre forward.
Tony McEntee makes his debut at full back, where he won an Ulster under-21 medal earlier this year. The position has caused problems since Colin Hanratty's horrible leg-break in the League. The A N Other position at left wing forward will come down to Niall Smyth, Barry O'Hagan and John McEntee with the last named the best bet.
Opponents Down have the considerable advantage of a match under their belts. It may have been against a weakened Tyrone but at least it gave Peter McGrath and his selectors an opportunity to see what was wrong.
Injury to Paul Higgins allows in Malachy McMurray at corner back. McMurray is a fine talent but his temperament will be on the line tomorrow. Shane Ward comes in for Ger Colgan in an attack that although hardly the puissant unit of a few years ago, still has enough craft to make the best of enough of its chances - a facility Armagh have yet to demonstrate and one that should prove decisive.
Down: M McVeigh; F Caulfield, B Burns, M McMurray; S Poland, C Deegan, M Magill; G McCartan, Sean Ward; R Carr, S Mulholland, J McCartan; G Deegan, M Linden, Shane Ward.
Armagh: B Tierney; E McNulty, T McEntee, M McNeill; D Marsden, A McCann, J McNulty; J Burns, P McGrane; C O'Rourke, K McGeeney, AN Other; P McKeever, B Duffy, O McConville.
