Allianz Football League Division One round three: Roscommon v Armagh (Sunday, Dr Hyde Park, 1.45pm)
BACK-TO-BACK away days is a tough assignment for any team and that’s the task ahead of Armagh in the next two rounds.
Fresh off the back of claiming three points from a possible four, the Orchard county will hope to extend their unbeaten run when they take on Roscommon on Sunday before heading to Tralee next weekend.
Kieran McGeeney’s men saw off Monaghan in the opening round before snatching a draw against Mayo, thanks to a late Rian O’Neill free, in round two.
The momentum gathered from that Mayo clash, and the fact Armagh avoided defeat with their commanding comeback, sees them head to Roscommon in fine form.
They’ll need to be as their hosts are currently top of the table after two impressive outings and the only team in the division to have won both their games. They overcame Tyrone in round one by five points before edging past Galway with the minimum of margins to spare.
Roscommon have made an eye-catching start to life in Division One, following their promotion to the top tier last season. It was Armagh who relegated the Rossies back in 2021, winning a relegation playoff 1-17 to 0-11, but the Connacht men bounced back emphatically.
Not only did they claim promotion back to the top tier at the first time of asking, but they did so by finishing top of Division Two as the only team not to lose a single game and collected the League title in Croke Park by seeing off provincial rivals Galway.
Davy Burke has brought in a host of youngsters that helped the county reach the All-Ireland U20 final two years ago, in his first season in charge. The likes of sharpshooter Daire Cregg and Keith Doyle have been upgraded to the senior side, as has up-and-coming star Ben O’Carroll, who hit 1-4 across the first two games.
The former Wicklow boss also added former Donegal player Mark McHugh to his management team, and the 2012 All-Ireland winner will have a host of inside knowledge on Armagh.
Roscommon have a forward line that would strike fear into most defences around the country and Armagh will be well aware of their threat. In Enda Smith and Conor Cox, they have two physically imposing figures in attack.
Armagh struggled with Aidan O’Shea’s physicality on the edge of the square the last day out and this will be another test for them. Aaron McKay picked up the big Mayo full-forward and will likely be handed another man-marking task this weekend.
Midfield is an issue currently for the Orchard county. Ciaran Mackin and Ben Crealey have seen no action so far in the League, Oisin O’Neill remains sidelined through injury, Stephen Sheridan didn’t tog out against the Westerners two weeks ago, and Niall Grimley is still easing back in following an injury last year.
Stefan Campbell has been playing at centrefield, with the likes of Rian O’Neill and Jarly Óg Burns offering a helping hand. ‘Soupy’ was the hero against Monaghan, chipping in with two important scores towards the end of the game and put in another mighty shift against Mayo.
Armagh’s forward division has been firing well, as you’d expect given the amount of talent they have to call upon, with Andrew Murnin and Conor Turbitt particularly impressing against Kevin McStay’s men.
Rian O’Neill is currently the team’s top scorer with 1-10 while Rory Grugan also performed brilliantly against Mayo. Jason Duffy and Ross McQuillan have made massive impacts in both games coming off the bench, demonstrating Armagh’s strength in depth.
The Ethan Rafferty aspect is always a cause for debate, but it’s clear that Kieran McGeeney is going to persist with the tactic of the 'fly' keeper. Mayo could have well grabbed a goal when Rafferty went on one of his forays forward, and Roscommon are sure to pressure the Grange man again this weekend.
It’s a massive game for both teams as victory will more or less secure their spot in the top flight for another season. Armagh will travel in their droves to support their team and the Orchard county could just have enough to see this one out.
