Knockout is a different game – O’Hanlon

By Niall McCoy

ARMAGH player Ciaron O’Hanlon has said that he is delighted to see a straight knockout All-Ireland Football Championship retained for another year.

The versatile Killeavy player was not in Kieran McGeeney’s squad in 2020 as he was in Australia, so he has never experienced a winner-takes-all Ulster Championship clash.

That will come to an end on July 4 when they meet Antrim at the Athletic Grounds, and O’Hanlon is a fan of the pressurised scenario.

“There is a different element to straight knock-out championship,” he said. “You saw it at club level in Armagh last year and it was great to see. The games were different and very enjoyable.

“You play at a different tempo, a different intensity and there is more at stake.

“You are throwing all your eggs in one basket but for an outsider looking in last year, it would have looked a lot better.

“Everything is on the line, you have to throw everything at it on the day.

“It’s clichéd but you have to leave everything on the pitch. The thing about clichés though is that there can be truth in them.

“If you leave everything on the pitch you have a great chance of winning so, for me, straight knockout is great.”