Armagh travel to Breffni Park this evening in search of their second win of the season, and their second win of the McKenna Cup.
Armagh’s memorable 2022 season started with a win in the same venue last year, in the opening round of the preseason competition.
A late Ross McQuillan goal made all the difference on an evening when Armagh had ten different scorers.
Kieran McGeeney’s side are coming off the back of a big 12-point win over Antrim last week. But a much stiffer test is expected this evening.
Breffni Blues
The Saffron’s provided little to no resistance and Conor Turbitt’s early goal more or less sealed the deal.
Antrim didn’t fare much better in their second-round clash with Cavan last Sunday, losing this time by seven.
Two first half goals from the 2020 Ulster champions gave them a comfortable five-point lead at the break. They pushed on in the second half to win 2-10 to 0-9.
Dara McVeety, who scored 0-4 against Armagh in the 2019 championship, is back in the fold after a three year absence.
Martin Reilly and debutant Brendan Boylan nailed the majors while corner forward Oisin Brady was the man of the match.
Armagh have named a fairly strong outfit once again, but there’s still the chance for fresh faces to impress.
All players named last week, with the exception of Andrew Murnin, saw some game time against Antrim. Kieran McGeeney may have the same idea tonight.
Niall Grimley and Tiernan Kelly both got a half of football, their first since the opening round of the 2022 championship.
Turbitt top scored up front while Cian McConville and Joe Sheridan, who earns a start tonight, both caught the eye in attack.
A win tonight would guarantee Armagh’s passage to the last four of the competition and another outing before the start of the National League.
Even if Armagh taste defeat in Breffni Park, they could still make the semi-finals as the top second placed team, but they’ll hope to grab the victory.
