Former Monaghan manager and current Glen boss Malachy O’Rourke expects Armagh to defeat Cavan this Saturday evening.
Speaking on the ‘Irish Examiner’ podcast, O’Rourke made the case that Armagh will be hoping to “make the breakthrough.”
The pair meet in the Ulster Championship quarter-finals, with a spot in the last four on offer for the winner.
Kieran McGeeney’s side were relegated from the top tier during the league, but O’Rourke believes they’ll be too strong for Cavan.
Breakthrough
“Armagh, from their point of view, they would be on what would be considered the easier side of the draw this year. They’d really be looking to make the breakthrough.
“The league ended up disappointingly for them,” said O’Rourke, who’s last game in charge of Monaghan was against Armagh in 2019.
“You would think if Rian O’Neill is back, Jarly Og Burns was missing the last day as well, if they have all those back, if they have a fully fit team, you would think they should come through that game against Cavan.
“Cavan obviously had a good enough league campaign. But Armagh would look to be further down the road of development.
“It would certainly be disappointing for Armagh if they didn’t come out of that. It should be a good game.”
Cavan have home advantage and Armagh have only ever won once in Breffni Park in the championship.
But even with that, O’Rourke suggests that Armagh need victory more than Cavan do and that should see them over the line.
“Cavan, with the home venue, it’s going to mean a lot to them. They’ll be primed for it, but I just feel Armagh really need it.
“I think if they get their best performance, they should have a wee bit in hand over Cavan. I’d expect Armagh to win it, but they’ll certainly get a scare.”
