Calculators at the ready in Armagh

CALCULATORS will more than likely be required this Sunday as the Division 1A league campaign ends, and still, four teams aren’t sure of their safety.

Madden, Killeavy and Clann Eireann aren’t really part of the conversation as they are guaranteed a top three finish. League champions Madden host Clann Eireann on Sunday afternoon in a dead rubber encounter.

However, the other three games will have an influence on who drops out of the top tier.

Cullyhanna, Armagh Harps, Crossmaglen and Mullaghbawn are all in danger of joining Culloville in the drop zone.

Culloville are already relegated, following their ten-point defeat at the hands of the Harps in round 13, but can have an impact on who joins them as they host Cross. Cullyhanna travel to Mullaghbawn while Armagh Harps are on the road as they face Killeavy.

Cullyhanna are currently in fourth place on 12-points. The Harps are below that on 11. Crossmaglen and Mullaghbawn are both joined on 10, although the Rangers have the upper hand in terms of head-to-head there, so are just above the relegation zone.

Cullyhanna’s fate is in their own hands as they will secure their status as long as they avoid defeat. They’ll likely be without Gavan Duffy was picked up a red card last week, while Jason Duffy, who hit the next against Madden last Friday, went off injured.

Mullaghbawn are fighting for their lives and are down a few regulars themselves. County panellists Fionn Downey and Joe McCann are in America while key men Declan Loye and Cormac Smyth are both injured.

Crossmaglen could also go into the final round minus a couple familiar faces. Oisin O’Neill, Aaron Haughey and James Morgan were all unavailable in their defeat to Clann Eireann last Saturday evening.

Regular goalkeeper Miceal Murray was also absent, with veteran attacker Johnny Murtagh, who returned to action this season after impressing with the Juniors across the last few years, deputising between the sticks.

Eoin Duffy didn’t play for Culloville in round 13, although Dara Quinn, Ryan Garvey (just home from Australia) and 2024 All-Ireland winner Niall Rowland all came off the bench.

It could happen that all four teams finish level on 12 points after Sunday’s clashes.

If that happens, then it turns into a mini league between the four, meaning the games involved those three would dictate relegation, which would see Cullyhanna dropping out.

If Harps, Cross and Mullaghbawn finish on 11 points, or should Cross, Mullaghbawn and Culloville all end up on 10 points, again the mini-league would come into play, and the Rangers would go down in both those scenarios.