‘HE COULD STILL tog out’ is one of those statements said half in jest about an ex-player who still retain their youthful looks.
Kieran McGeeney isn’t fresh-faced anymore. Combat sports will do that to any man. But standing in front of him now, even at 54 years young, you’d still wonder if he drops into the odd in-house challenge match when numbers are low.
As they have been in recent times. After the twelve-point beating Armagh gave Monaghan in Clones, McGeeney listed off the wounded and unavailable.
From his defence, Aaron McKay got a bang on his hand in training midweek and had to withdraw from the starting grid, replaced by Tomás McCormick.
Aidan Forker has had ankle surgery in the off-season after struggling through the All Ireland title defence. Paddy Burns is also out, as is 2024 Player of the Year shortlisted candidate Barry McCambridge, who sustained a broken foot in the midst of the club championship.
And that’s just the defence.
In midfield, a neck injury is keeping Ben Crealey out of contention.
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Up top, Rory Grugan is seeing out his French sojourn as a coach and will be coming back into the group. Darragh McMullen tore a muscle in his chest – crikey – in the Dr McKenna Cup game against Tyrone.
Ciaran Mackin is on his way back from an ACL injury.
There’s more to get through here.
The highest-profile retirement over the winter was Stefan ‘Soupy’ Campbell. His pace and power is one weapon that is very hard to replace, while the hard-running Jemar Hall never let anyone down.
Others such as Mark Shields, Niall Rowland and Ciaran O’Hanlon may not have been household names. But they knew their way around the panel, had been established there and kept the quality high in training sessions.
Ciaran Higgins and Shane McPartland have opted out for the year. Connaire Mackin has decided to check out Australia for at least a year.
Anything believing that fringe players leaving the panel has no effect would do well to note exactly what happened Tyrone after their 2021 All-Ireland win.
There are others that you wouldn’t be sure of. While Niall Grimley has opted out – and nobody familiar with Grimley’s family story could begrudge that – you would never rule out a mid-season return.
It’s the same with Rian O’Neill; after the Tyrone Dr McKenna Cup game, McGeeney said he was not part of the plans for the year. That could always change, of course.
All of which, as McGeeney points out, opens spaces up. Callum O’Neill came in for the Ulster opener last year against Antrim and was the best midfielder on show that day.
Here, he could have had that unofficial title again, only for the performance of Andrew Murnin. Known as something of an unorthodox footballer, with an incredible vertical leap and knacky skills, he was put into midfield from the start.
It would be wrong to say he has no experience of the middle third. At times, McGeeney has brought him out there when there is a kickout to be won, while also needing his menace closer to the opposition goal.
“They were exceptional,” said McGeeney of the O’Neill-Murnin midfield axis.
“I know I have said that about Andrew Murnin and I seem to be the only person in Ireland that thinks it because he’s an exceptional talent. He’s one that takes a hell of a lot of abuse. Callum had a good day for us today too.”
Asked if Murnin’s form is as a result of his extended period of fitness, McGeeney explained, “He broke his ankle when he was a minor and there was a lot of things off that.
“But Andrew, he’s a big clubman too. He’s just going pillar to post usually carrying bangs. But touch wood, this is the way we want to keep it but it’s like everything else; we lost two players during the week with bangs; McKay and Daniel Magee so they just come to everybody, I suppose.”
Callum O'Neill descends with the ball. James Lawlor / INPHO
James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO
The way the fixtures have fallen seem kind for Armagh. On Saturday night they will host Galway at the extremely child-friendly time of 5pm, sure to attract a typically bumper crowd in the Athletic Grounds.
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A fortnight later and they are away to Roscommon. There are no handy games in Division 1 football, but all the same, some are handier than others.
During the close season, Kerry did a smart bit of recruiting and brought Kieran Donaghy back home, as hard as he would have found leaving the Armagh crew behind.
It would appear from the nature of their win over Roscommon, that Donaghy has immediately assumed responsibility for grooming Tomás Kennedy as a towering full-forward.
Kerry’s position as champions is also strengthened by having access to Donaghy’s knowledge of Armagh, but also what Armagh knew and thought about all the other major challengers. That’s something that tends to get overlooked.
As things stand, Armagh will be very content with their preparations and a deep squad with plenty of experience returning.
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Fourteen players out, but still the flame is burning bright for Armagh this winter
‘HE COULD STILL tog out’ is one of those statements said half in jest about an ex-player who still retain their youthful looks.
Kieran McGeeney isn’t fresh-faced anymore. Combat sports will do that to any man. But standing in front of him now, even at 54 years young, you’d still wonder if he drops into the odd in-house challenge match when numbers are low.
As they have been in recent times. After the twelve-point beating Armagh gave Monaghan in Clones, McGeeney listed off the wounded and unavailable.
From his defence, Aaron McKay got a bang on his hand in training midweek and had to withdraw from the starting grid, replaced by Tomás McCormick.
Aidan Forker has had ankle surgery in the off-season after struggling through the All Ireland title defence. Paddy Burns is also out, as is 2024 Player of the Year shortlisted candidate Barry McCambridge, who sustained a broken foot in the midst of the club championship.
And that’s just the defence.
In midfield, a neck injury is keeping Ben Crealey out of contention.
Up top, Rory Grugan is seeing out his French sojourn as a coach and will be coming back into the group. Darragh McMullen tore a muscle in his chest – crikey – in the Dr McKenna Cup game against Tyrone.
Ciaran Mackin is on his way back from an ACL injury.
There’s more to get through here.
The highest-profile retirement over the winter was Stefan ‘Soupy’ Campbell. His pace and power is one weapon that is very hard to replace, while the hard-running Jemar Hall never let anyone down.
Others such as Mark Shields, Niall Rowland and Ciaran O’Hanlon may not have been household names. But they knew their way around the panel, had been established there and kept the quality high in training sessions.
Ciaran Higgins and Shane McPartland have opted out for the year. Connaire Mackin has decided to check out Australia for at least a year.
Anything believing that fringe players leaving the panel has no effect would do well to note exactly what happened Tyrone after their 2021 All-Ireland win.
It’s the same with Rian O’Neill; after the Tyrone Dr McKenna Cup game, McGeeney said he was not part of the plans for the year. That could always change, of course.
All of which, as McGeeney points out, opens spaces up. Callum O’Neill came in for the Ulster opener last year against Antrim and was the best midfielder on show that day.
Here, he could have had that unofficial title again, only for the performance of Andrew Murnin. Known as something of an unorthodox footballer, with an incredible vertical leap and knacky skills, he was put into midfield from the start.
It would be wrong to say he has no experience of the middle third. At times, McGeeney has brought him out there when there is a kickout to be won, while also needing his menace closer to the opposition goal.
“They were exceptional,” said McGeeney of the O’Neill-Murnin midfield axis.
“I know I have said that about Andrew Murnin and I seem to be the only person in Ireland that thinks it because he’s an exceptional talent. He’s one that takes a hell of a lot of abuse. Callum had a good day for us today too.”
Asked if Murnin’s form is as a result of his extended period of fitness, McGeeney explained, “He broke his ankle when he was a minor and there was a lot of things off that.
“But Andrew, he’s a big clubman too. He’s just going pillar to post usually carrying bangs. But touch wood, this is the way we want to keep it but it’s like everything else; we lost two players during the week with bangs; McKay and Daniel Magee so they just come to everybody, I suppose.”
The way the fixtures have fallen seem kind for Armagh. On Saturday night they will host Galway at the extremely child-friendly time of 5pm, sure to attract a typically bumper crowd in the Athletic Grounds.
A fortnight later and they are away to Roscommon. There are no handy games in Division 1 football, but all the same, some are handier than others.
During the close season, Kerry did a smart bit of recruiting and brought Kieran Donaghy back home, as hard as he would have found leaving the Armagh crew behind.
It would appear from the nature of their win over Roscommon, that Donaghy has immediately assumed responsibility for grooming Tomás Kennedy as a towering full-forward.
Kerry’s position as champions is also strengthened by having access to Donaghy’s knowledge of Armagh, but also what Armagh knew and thought about all the other major challengers. That’s something that tends to get overlooked.
As things stand, Armagh will be very content with their preparations and a deep squad with plenty of experience returning.
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Armagh BOUNTIFUL ORCHARD GAA Gaelic Football Orchard