It’s just over one week until championship rolls into town as the Orchard County host Antrim in the Ulster quarter final next Sunday.
Kieran McGeeney’s men enjoyed a brilliant national league campaign. They secured their topflight status but perhaps more importantly, put in four solid performances.
Speaking on BBC’s popular ‘The GAA Social’ podcast, Geezer discussed the competitiveness of the Ulster Championship and Armagh’s chances of capturing the title.
All the Ulster teams enjoyed relative success during the national league, except for relegated Cavan, who suffered the same fate in 2020 before getting their hands on the Anglo Celt.
“You have a lot of teams who are thinking that (they are good enough to win Ulster).
Cavan’s probably the only one people will point to but yet they’re Ulster Champions. They dropped last year (in the league) but put in a performance (to win Ulster).
There’s nobody in the Ulster Championship that can’t. But you still have the favourites with Tyrone and Donegal”.
In terms of his own sides ambitions, Armagh completed their first goal of the season with a relegation play-off win over Roscommon to remain in Division One.
Now looking towards the Ulster championship, McGeeney believes his charges can push on to contest. He also points out that they haven’t been able to prove their quality in the competition over the last number of years.
“The thing for this team is that they have to push on and get a good championship. It was a big goal to stay in Division One and to maybe push on for a play-off in Division One.
Do we have a good enough talent in the team (to win Ulster)? I believe we do. Have we proven yet that we can? No”.
“That’s the gap, but every team that gets into that first Division has that gap. You tighten it as much as you can but it’s going to come down to small choices in that game, at different points.
That’s going to be where the proof of the pudding is, that’s the great thing about Championship. That’s what keeps us coming back for more because we all believe we can”.
The 2002 All-Ireland winning captain has a huge amount of faith in the ability of his players and suggest they can beat “any team in the country” on their day.
When asked are Armagh good enough to win the All-Ireland in 2021, Geezer was unwavering in his belief in the current Orchard stars.
“If everybody in our team played to their potential, they’re capable of beating, I think, any team in the country.
That’s obviously a very personal opinion. I know people laugh at it, but I would believe that”.
