Armagh boss expecting another tight Farney tussle

By Michael McMullan

ARMAGH minor manager Barra Ó Muirí is content with the progress of his side and has his eyes wide open in relation to Sunday’s quarter-final with Monaghan.

It is going to be a busy weekend for Armagh fans who will be in Clones for the Ulster Senior final double header on Saturday.

Between sourcing tickets for his family and managing St Michael’s Newtownhamilton senior team on Friday night, Ó Muirí has plenty of spinning plates.

Having coached the county u-16s last season, taking them to within a point of Mayo in the Buncrana Cup final, he threw his name in the hat to succeed Aidan O’Rourke as manager.

Between the minors getting to last year’s All-Ireland final and the seniors taking home Sam, there is no shortage of inspiration for his year’s minor crop.

Armagh were without midfielders Keelan McEntee and Oran Doherty when they lost 3-11 to 1-9 at the hands of Donegal in the league semi-final.

“Both were back on Saturday,” Ó Muirí said of Saturday’s championship defeat to Donegal after extra-time.

“I think we were more than happy with how they acquitted themselves out round the middle.”

Armagh have their full back line back from last year’s team. Captain Tomás Fox, Gavin O’Rourke and Conall Wilson.

Keelan McEntee and Daithi O’Callaghan are key men in the middle third with inside forward Padraic Toal another survivor from last year’s team.

Armagh lost McEntee to a second booking but they still managed to take Donegal to extra-time. When Peter Keegan was sent off in extra-time, Donegal pulled away to win.

“If you strip all that away and you just look at how the two teams performed,” Ó Muirí said, “I’d be very, very happy that we were in a good position to go and win that game if we keep 15 on the pitch.”

For all their improvement between their games with Donegal, Ó Muirí is clear of what Sunday brings. A battle with Monaghan. A game of fine margins.

“That’s been my experience the whole way through the Ulster Minor Championships so far,” he said, pointing to Armagh, Down and Monaghan’s league group.

Down and Monaghan drew. Armagh beat the Farney men by a point and Down by three.

“We know Monaghan so well,” Ó Muirí added. “Last year, we played them in the group stage of the Buncrana Cup in Clones.

“It was a really, really competitive game that we just came out the right end of and it was the same in the semi-final in Crossmaglen, I think we won by a point.”

Ó Muirí sees Sunday are being no different. Between last season, Dromintee’s time in the Paul McGirr tournament and Armagh’s players in the Rannafast and MacRory Cup, there is familiarity.

“We’re going to have to be at our very best,” he said of Sunday’s game, the first knock-out day of the season. “It’s going to be really, really competitive and that’s what you would expect.”