Armagh face Monaghan in Castleblayney this weekend and we asked The Sideline Eye followers to vote for their starting 15.
The starting team that Kieran McGeeney goes with could slightly differ, but our voters have picked a strong 15.
Armagh are down a few regulars due to injuries and suspensions, but they’ll still hope to get their season off to a winning start.
Ethan Rafferty
Earned the number one jersey midway through the league last year and has held a tight grip on it ever since.
Rafferty was nominated for an All-Star for his performances between the sticks and took the ‘sweeper keeper’ role to a new level.
James Morgan
Morgan didn’t see any action in the McKenna Cup but undoubtedly remains one of the best defenders in the Armagh ranks.
A noted man-marker. Morgan has marked all the best forwards in the game, including Shane Walsh in last year’s All-Ireland quarter final.
Aidan Forker
The versatile Maghery man is one of the main leaders in the Armagh team, and a tight man-marking defender.
Forker played the first half of the Antrim game in the McKenna Cup but didn’t tog out against Cavan.
Aaron McKay
Aaron McKay made his first appearance of the year against Cavan, starting in the full back position.
The Dromintee man in all of Armagh’s league and championship encounters last year as they reached the last eight.
Conor O’Neill
Like a lot of the Armagh defenders, O’Neill is extremely versatile and is as comfortable in attack as he is in defence.
O’Neill started in three of Armagh’s championships encounters last year against Tyrone, Donegal and Galway.
Connaire Mackin
Mackin didn’t see any game time in the McKenna Cup but played in all but one of Armagh’s games in 2022.
The Shane O’Neill’s man missed Armagh’s qualifier win over Donegal through injury but was a solid presence in the half back line throughout the season.
Jarly Og Burns
His move to wing half back has proven a great success and Burns will be hoping to build on a great 2022 season.
The Silverbridge man played in all of Armagh’s 14 games last season and finished the year with 0-11.
Ciaran Mackin
Mackin was named as The Sideline Eye Player of the League after several standout performances throughout their Division One campaign.
An unfortunate eye injury kept the Shane O’Neill’s man out of the championship, however. Although he did come on against Galway in Croke Park.
Niall Grimley
Grimley lined out in Ballybofey against Donegal in the opening round of the championship but that was his last appearance of 2022.
A neck injury kept him sidelined for the rest of the year, but Grimley made his comeback against Antrim in the McKenna Cup.
Rory Grugan
The 2022 Armagh Player of the Year has been a guaranteed starter for Armagh during Kieran McGeeney’s tenure.
Grugan can play anywhere in the forward line and featured against Cavan in the McKenna Cup.
Stefan Campbell
Campbell rubbished his super sub role last year and had an amazing summer in the half forward line for Armagh.
‘Soupy’ featured in all of Armagh’s games last season and finished as the sides 5th top scorer with 0-17.
Tiernan Kelly
Tiernan Kelly is back following an injury-ridden 2022 and will be a huge option for Kieran McGeeney going forward.
He goaled twice, against Antrim and Monaghan, in the 2021 Ulster Championship, during his debut season.
Aidan Nugent
Armagh’s joint-captain featured in 12 of Armagh’s 14 outings last season, and started both recent McKenna Cup games.
Nugent was Armagh’s third top scorer in 2022, hitting 3-19 across all competitions, including goals against Tyrone and Galway in the championship.
Rian O’Neill
O’Neill had another massive year for Armagh in 2022, finishing the season as top scorer with 2-46 in 14 games.
The versatile Crossmaglen man played just a single half in the McKenna Cup, coming on at half time against Cavan.
Jason Duffy
Duffy has been on the panel for a number of years but 2022 was without doubt his best season in an Armagh jersey.
He netted against Dublin and Tyrone at the start of the league but was a crucial kickout option throughout the year as well.
