Forker: Armagh will want to get one over Donegal

By Shaun Casey

WHILE Sunday’s round three showdown with Donegal won’t define Armagh’s season, former Orchard attacker Stefan Forker believes his county would enjoy getting one over their Ulster rivals and hosts Donegal.

The two teams squared off in both the Division Two and the Ulster Championship finals last season and Donegal emerged victorious on both occasions.

They had one-point to spare in the league decider and claimed the Anglo Celt after a dramatic penalty shootout.

Armagh of course went on to have a summer to remember as Stefan’s younger brother Aidan climbed the steps of the Hogan Stand to collect the Sam Maguire Cup, and the All-Ireland champions “would like to get one over Donegal” says the Maghery man.

“There are league points on offer and Donegal already have four on the board,” explained Forker on this week’s Gaelic Lives podcast. “The league is exciting with the new rules but it’s also exciting because the teams are so evenly matched.

“I think Armagh would like to get one over Donegal, not in terms of revenge or anything – Donegal do have a bit of a hoodoo over Armagh in recent seasons and maybe this is a chance to put that to bed and get two points.

“I don’t think anybody will get overly upset about it (losing the game), but Jim (McGuinness) is a winner, as is (Kieran) McGeeney so when you’re going to play a game, you’re going to play to win.”

Forker hints that another defeat could leave Armagh worrying about the bottom end of the table, “If you’re three games in and you’re only sitting on two points, relegation’s a word that will definitely have to be mentioned. I think everybody is looking forward to the game and both teams are pretty strong.

“Some counties for different reasons maybe don’t have people available but Armagh have a good cohort of their starting team playing, as do Donegal, so they’re definitely not holding back.

“Whoever they have available will be on the team.”

While Armagh are the reigning All-Ireland champions, Forker suggests that the Orchard County have been somewhat disrespected in the build up to the 2025 season, with very few people predicting they’ll repeat the feat.

Forker, who was part of the Armagh minor management team last season that reached the Ulster and All-Ireland finals, says McGeeney will use that disrespect in the changing room to drive his side on this season.

“I would say Geezer certainly would have used some of that as a wee bit of fuel,” he added. “It feels like they were a wee bit disrespected as All-Ireland champions and they didn’t appear in a lot of people’s selections for the year ahead.

“At the start of the year and the start of the league, a lot of people were picking their Ulster champions and All-Ireland champions, and Armagh’s name didn’t really appear anywhere, and you can be sure McGeeney will be using anything he can to get a kick out of the boys.”