Goalkeeper slot up for grabs says McGeeney

THE Armagh number one shirt is up for grabs says manager Kieran McGeeney, with Blaine Hughes and Ethan Rafferty vying for a starting spot between the sticks.

In Wednesday’s McKenna Cup meeting with Down, Hughes was the number one choice while Rafferty, who had started in round one against Tyrone, wore the number 26 jersey and entered the fray out the field in the second half.

Hughes was in nets when Armagh won their second ever All-Ireland in 2024, when Rafferty was sidelined through injury, but the Grange clubman returned to the position for their title at retaining the title last season.

Rafferty lines out at midfield for his club, who reached the semi-finals of the intermediate championship last season. He finished the campaign as the fifth highest scorer in the competition, kicking 3-23 across five games.

Hughes was the highest scoring goalkeeper in the senior championship as Carrickcruppen reached the last eight. He nailed 0-23, including a fisted score from play against Crossmaglen on the night they were knocked out of the championship.

“We were stuck for a bit of size,” McGeeney said of Rafferty’s inclusion out the field in their 3-10 to 0-10 victory over Down. “There’s still a good competition between him and Blaine (Hughes) so we’ll keep it that way.

“You have the two of them back and I’d have a very biased opinion but they’ve been hard done by in the last couple of years in the All-Stars but they’re two top class keepers and most of that has to go down to Ciaran McKinney.

“For a while there we had an issue with goalkeeping but the two boys are pushing hard. That’s what I like, when someone’s trying to take you’re place you tend to train a wee bit hard so I like that particular position.”