By Shaun Casey

Christmas comes a little earlier than usual for Armagh and Tyrone fans on Friday evening. The old rivals face off at the Athletic Grounds (7.15pm) to raise funds for the Time2Play James Reel Playpark, which will be located inside the grounds of Silverbridge GAA.

James, a cousin of Armagh manager Kieran McGeeney, tragically lost his life earlier this year and the family are working to ensure his legacy lives on. “This is obviously of huge significance for me personally. James was a cousin and we’re a very close family with the McGeeneys and the Reels,” said the Orchard boss.

“I would never really ask too much of the GAA in my life, but I’ve felt like I’ve gave them quite a bit. I suppose this is one of the few times that I’ve asked for something different and I’m very thankful that Armagh, Tyrone and Croke Park have allowed it to happen”.”

Those in attendance will get to see some of the newbies added to the Orchard squad as well as the likes of the joint-captain Aidan Nugent, who missed out last season through injury. The Armagh manager suggests players will be out to impress. “It’s funny this time of year, friendly or no friendly, there’ll be a lot of people looking to put their paws up.

“They’ll not be looking at the boys that aren’t there. If you were playing every one of what people regard as your first players, it might be very much a damp squib. But when you’re playing a mixture of fellas who are coming back from injury, fellas who would’ve been on the fringes and fellas who are new to the thing that will feel like they’re not out of place. I’d imagine it would be a fairly pacey game.”

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Few know more about the Armagh and Tyrone conflict than the 2002 Player of the Year, who was central to the epic battles during the noughties, when the rivalry peaked. Tyrone have dominated the recent history however, as the Orchard county haven’t beaten their old foes since 2014, the first year McGeeney was involved in the management team.

“We’ve changed nearly completely in those seven years, we’ve dropped down (the divisions) and came back up. There’s always a close rivalry between Armagh and Tyrone. Even though I went to school in Newry I have probably always felt the rivalry with Tyrone more so than Down. I don’t know why.

“Growing up we would have played Tyrone obviously with the minors and u-21s and myself and Peter (Canavan) would have come across each other quite a bit. You’ve always had that edge to the game and there was never much between us, but they had that extra edge when it counted back then.”

The Red Hands successes during the Mickey Harte era was pinned on the belief that if Joe Kernan’s men could win the All-Ireland, so could they. So, will the same faith filter down through the Orchard ranks heading into the new campaign? McGeeney, who is entering his 34th straight season involved in the inter-county scene, warns “playing catch up” can be dangerous.

“The thing about playing catch up is, it’s like running up a sand dune. If you don’t get to the top, even though it might be one step forward you could slip two back, so you have to be careful. I think we definitely have the players; I don’t think there’s a question about that. Armagh’s always had good players, but we’ve only ever managed to win one (All-Ireland). It’s not a lack of talent and sometimes you need a lot of things to fall in your way and a bit of luck is a big part of that.”

The neighbours also clash in the league, which “mightn’t be as friendly”. Geezer is looking forward to competing against the best teams in the country, including lining up against his former Na Fianna clubmate Dessie Farrell in the opening round of the Division One campaign.

“Dublin in the first game in Croke Park, it’s daunting but that’s why you pull on the jersey. There’s not much point in hiding when you get to the top. That’s the pinnacle. Despite what people think (about Dublin’s demise), Dublin will be seething, and they’ll be wanting to set out a marker and they’re throwing us to the lions first, so we’ll see how we go”.

“I’ve heard things before about (managers) matching up but unfortunately Dessie’s like myself, he’s an old man now. I remember myself and Dessie and Senan (Connell) and Justy (McNulty) went to a friendly game about seven years ago and the craic going down in the car was brilliant.

“We bounced out on to the field, you’d swear we were a bunch of young fellas. And on the way home, my knee was done, his (Dessie’s) Achilles’ was done, Justy’s hip was done and Senan’s hamstring! All four of us limped into the car. There’s nothing like a wee bit of reality just to let you know that you’re old.

“Dessie, it’s funny getting a hard time for winning an All-Ireland and getting beat in an All-Ireland semi-final in extra time. It just shows you the standards, but Dessie’s won it at minors and u-20s and now senior.

“I don’t think there’s really much comparison in terms of the management team, but you have to look forward to it.

“Hopefully we won’t have to clash on the sideline or one of us will end up injured again!”

The Ulster Championship remains the most competitive provincial competition and 2022 will be no different. “Donegal are smarting from it as well (last year), Derry are really coming through, a couple of extra players and with Glen flying high too. I’d say they’ll be fancying their chances next year.

“Then you add Monaghan into that and ourselves coming in and I’m sure Aidan (O’Rourke) and James (McCartan) will be pushing with Down and we’ve seen Antrim with Enda (McGinley).

“Ulster football really is flying at the minute and it’s quality football, there’s very few bad games.

“It’s great and I’m looking forward to that and trying to compete with the likes of Tyrone. I think it’s what every player should aspire to, and I think the boys are excited about it.”

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The 2008 season was the last time the Anglo Celt visited the Cathedral City and the appetite for provincial success continues to grow within the county. Getting to Division One was a step in the right direction, securing their status was another, but how does the 2002 All-Ireland winning captain view his time in charge of his native county?

“I would see my achievements as different.

“When your managing, well it seems to be we’re all sort of graded different. Whether you win Division Three or Division Two or compete at different things or bring them to different levels, it doesn’t make a difference.

“I haven’t won a provincial at senior level or an All-Ireland, so I’m graded on that and that’s fine.

“I think my biggest successes are trying to provide an environment for the fellas in Armagh who want to reach a certain level, that they can.

“That’s what I was hoping to achieve.

“So, anybody who wants to be as good as they can be, whatever they need to do that, is in place for them to do it.”

That doesn’t mean there aren’t goals to be set and targets to meet. While trophies and medals are what players are after, McGeeney’s main objective for 2022 is to see his side “play with the shackles off” and describes how the forced knockout structure of the last two championship campaigns has hindered his side’s development.

“I’d love to just see the fellas play with the shackles off. I think they were starting to get that. I think we’ve suffered a wee bit, when a team’s trying to develop into the top, Derry would be in the same boat as ourselves.

“We’ve probably suffered a wee bit, not having that back door system. If you lose in a game, not having those possible two or three games to bring you further on. That’s it, just like a one-off thing.

“I think we were at a stage there that those games would have helped. I would have noticed it in Kildare, it was a big help.

“You mightn’t have got it right on the day but next thing you had three or four games and it was bringing you on the whole time and bringing you up to that standard.

“We’ve probably had to take the long route to it. I really do believe, one of the things we have to have is a full deck to pick from. If you look at any team that’s successful, the hardest thing to do is to keep a full deck and when you’re missing a couple it can have a huge impact, especially on teams with smaller panels.

“For me, the target would be keeping a full deck and for the players to give it a good rattle.”