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Armagh on the rise

Kieran McGeeney steered Armagh to the Allianz Football League Division Three title on Saturday.

Kieran McGeeney steered Armagh to the Allianz Football League Division Three title on Saturday.

Saturday May 19 is the date etched in Armagh and Fermanagh minds, but Kieran McGeeney was still satisfied to secure Allianz Football League Division Three silverware at Croke Park on Saturday.

McGeeney, though, quickly acknowledged that the upcoming Brewster Park encounter next month will be a hugely revealing encounter for his emerging team.

“As a manager your first thought flies to May and how they will use that to get better and stronger,” McGeeney remarked following the win at GAA headquarters.

“It will be in a completely different pitch, not as much space, that sort of stuff. We are happy with this performance, hopefully the boys will appreciate it. You don't get too many chances to win something at Croke Park, every time you win something it is a step up and that is something we have to do now.”

McGeeney was content with how Armagh took charge in the second period when Andrew Murnin netted the decisive goal.

“We were playing some nice football in the first half, but the last pass and we were a bit reluctant to push on, to take the chances,” McGeeney reflected.

“We fluffed a few things even though we had played some nice football up until that point. We gave them a chance to get their defensive system into place, that is just the way it goes.

“We got moving a bit better, but then in the last six or seven minutes we sat back and didn't put the ball dead on three or four attacks on the trot which allowed them to come back to hit two or three scores when we should be pushing on. We have a lot to work on.

“It was a good game, but we know it is not going to be like that in Brewster Park. They play very much on the counter and they are very good at it. On a tight pitch that is much easier to do because you run into trouble and it is a heavier pitch as well.

“There is a different type of sod, those fast fellas like Corrigan when they move they are going to start shifting. They are used to that pitch so it is really now about defining what we are trying to do, making sure we don't give the ball away in contact because there will be a lot of it.”

Kieran McGeeney steered Armagh to the Allianz Football League Division Three title on Saturday.

Kieran McGeeney steered Armagh to the Allianz Football League Division Three title on Saturday.

Murnin contributed handsomely, while McGeeney was also thrilled to see Kevin Dyas return following a lengthy stint on the sidelines.

“Andrew is good in the air, there is no doubt about it, he causes problems,” McGeeney says.

“He is hungry Andrew, he is that type of player, it isn't the first time he got a goal off the post or off the 'keeper, he works very hard. He was able to get the scores, but they will identify him the next day, with Ethan it was his first game back in four weeks so he was obviously rusty.

“You'd be hoping more game time and training under his belt will help, we are hoping to have Mark Shields back, possibly Paul Hughes, a couple of others, and it was great to get Dyas back on the pitch.

“We had Conor Mackin starting his first game ever in an Armagh jersey, Paddy Burns came back and has stepped up this year. It has been a seesaw of a year losing players to travelling and a lot of injuries, but the fellas that have come in have done really well. We are hoping that will continue, but the white heat of Championship battle in Ulster is a different proposition so it is.

“I would have a lot of time for Kevin and his mental strength. What happened him over the last 18 months, two years was unbelievable.

“He kept getting setback after setback, we are hoping that this is a start back for him. Paddy Burns has been injured for two years, even last year he travelled from Dublin twice a week to do rehab even though he wasn't part of the panel.

“He showed that he wanted it and this year he has been playing really well. From a manager's point of view it is great to see fellas like that come back to play well because I suppose it sets the stall out for other players that hard work and commitment isn't as bad as everybody makes it out to be.”