By Michael McMullan

FORMER Armagh U20 captain Gareth Murphy has broken into the senior team this season.

After starting every league game this year, injury curtailed his Ulster Championship but he was back in the team last weekend for the start of their All-Ireland campaign.

“It’s just trying to keep a steady ship back there,” the Killeavy man told Gaelic Life after the Orchard County’s win over Derry.

“(Coach Ciaran) McKeever likes to keep a tight defensive unit. You just do your job as best you can and try to keep your forward as quiet as you can.”

A hallmark of Armagh’s season has been players stepping into the breach with injuries and retirements changing the face of the squad.

While many had to bid their time, Murphy is just happy to have been awarded an opportunity to stake a claim for a jersey.

“It was a dogged game out there,” Murphy said of a wet night in the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds.

“We didn’t just control it as much as we would have wanted. They (Derry) had a couple of wides in the first half and it nearly cost us.

“They’d couple of goal chances as well. We kicked on in the second half and kind of controlled it then towards the end.”

Part of that period of control was a spell when a Jason Duffy black card had Armagh down to 14 men.

“You just have to control it and not let them in for any chances and it worked well in the end,” Murphy said.

Next up is a clash with neighbours Louth with the winner booking a place in the All-Ireland quarter-final.

In a condensed season, Armagh just kept their heads down after winning Ulster.

“We just got straight back down to it,” Murphy said. “We knew Derry were coming here two weeks later.

“We couldn’t really leave no stone unturned. “We know what they can bring and the firepower they have up top, so they’re dangerous.

“It was a big two weeks and lucky enough it worked out for us in the end.”