Armagh looking to secure their Division Three status

By Shaun Casey

IT all comes down to the final day for Armagh and Karl McKeegan’s side have put themselves in a position to retain their Division Three status, and a draw this weekend is all this is required.

In the event of a loss to league leaders London, who have won all five of their previous games, Armagh would need Roscommon to beat Sligo, who have already been relegated to Division Four, to stay up.

Armagh are currently tied on four-points with the Rossies and Cavan (who have played all six of their games). Should Roscommon win and Armagh lose, the Orchard County would stay up ahead of Cavan thanks to the head-to-head ruling.

Ultimately, if Armagh get something out of Saturday’s clash with London, on home turf at the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds, then they are guaranteed to finish above the Breffni Blues and survive the drop to the basement division.

Armagh saved their best performance of the season for when it mattered most, in Kingspan Breffni Park last Saturday afternoon. Their six-point win over Cavan offered them a huge chance of staying up.

Keady clubman Shea Harvey has been exceptional in the league and put in another fantastic shift against the Breffni men. His quick fire 1-2 at the start of the game provided his side with the perfect platform to push.

Harvey finished with a personal haul of 1-11 while substitute Danny Magee also rattled the net after coming into the fray after the half time break. Shea Gaffney was impressive at centre half back while Connor Renaghan and Peter McKearney are a fine centerfield pairing.

London have already qualified for the league final and will compete in Division Two next year, so could well take their foot off the gas in the final round. On the other hand, they may want to head into the decider with six successive victories under their belts.

The Exiles have been in flying form in front of the posts right throughout the campaign and have rattled off seven goals in five games, including two three-pointers the last day out against Sligo.

Home advantage plays a key role in the league, but Armagh have yet to claim a victory on home turf this season, suffering loses to both Wicklow and Mayo. They’ll be keen to overturn that record and not only claim safety, but head into the championship with some momentum behind them.