By Niall McCoy

ARMAGH manager Kieran McGeeney is becoming increasingly confident that he will have close to a full panel to select from for their Ulster Championship quarter-final clash with Antrim on July 4.

The Orchard county have been riddled with injuries in recent weeks, while Mark Shields, Stephen Sheridan and Ethan Rafferty are out for the season.

However, there were a few pleasant surprises in Sunday’s commanding relegation play-off win over Roscommon as Aidan Forker started, although he looked understandably rusty, while Ryan Kennedy came off the bench. Both had picked up injuries in the Division One North loss to Tyrone and were not expected to be available.

There was also another boost as Andrew Murnin made his first start in over a year having come on for the finals seconds of the drawn match with Donegal. His mark in the first play of the second half was a reminder to Armagh fans about what they have been missing.

There was one late sting in the tail in the 1-17 to 0-11 win though as Aaron McKay suffered an ankle injury. McGeeney again was positive though about his recovery while he also said that Paddy Burns and Ross McQuillan could be available for selection for the Antrim game.

“Himself (Forker), James (Morgan), Ryan (Kennedy), they were able to sprint last night (Saturday). Sometimes you take a bit of a risk but with the ankle it’s not as bad because you’re not at risk of tearing something

“Ross and Paddy still haven’t got back into training yet. It was good to have Andrew back. I thought he had a great game, a fella who hasn’t played in a good while, maybe one game in 18 months. So we’re happy the way the injuries are going.

“We said we’d give him (Murnin) 35 minutes. It’s hard to be disciplined and take a player off when he’s catching everything. He’s a class apart. I suppose most people outside Armagh wouldn’t know him but he’s a great player. He brings other people into it and (Kieran) Donaghy will love him when he gets to see him in full flight. Hopefully we can keep him injury-free.”

Armagh’s win over Roscommon secures Division One football for a second season. The O’Neill brothers, Rian and Oisin, excelled against the Connacht side while Jemar Hall, Stefan Campbell, Connaire Mackin, Aaron McKay and Greg McCabe all had big games.

McGeeney said it was absolutely vital that the group got exposed to as much top-flight football as possible.

“The main thing for us is to be back playing the top teams next year. Sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for. You’ve seen the likes of Dublin and Kerry and what they can do. But if you’ve any aspirations of trying to get to the top table you have to play them and find out where you are with them.

“It’s great. We’ve a very young team there bar three or four players, so to play up at that level with not so many miles on the clock, it’s important. It’s important for the county as well. More people can travel to Kerry. We all like to go to Killarney for the weekend, and to Dublin.

“Now the thing is to try and get some traction in the championship. It’s hard to do one without the other. It’s a game of patience trying to get up that high to do it, but we’ve a job in front of us with Antrim.

“They’re flying at the minute, in the hurling and football, and over the last number of years Cavan were lucky to get away from them and then Tyrone before.

“That’s our next step, but it’s good to know we have Division One football next year and hopefully it will be a full one.”