ARMAGH manager Kieran McGeeney is facing an injury nightmare ahead of this Saturday’s All-Ireland SFC Qualifier round 1A replay clash with Laois in Portlaoise.
The Orchard County lost by three points to the O’Moore men 11 days ago, but were subsequently re-instated into the Championship when it was discovered that Laois had made one substitution too many.
Although Armagh were hammered by Cavan in the Ulster Championship, they gave a decent account of themselves against Mick Lillis’s men.
This turn of events would appear be a decent opportunity to resurrect their season. Waiting for the winners of this clash are Clare, an opponent Armagh would fancy their chances of overcoming.
But the Orchardmen’s prospects have been dealt a number of serious blows. Chief among those is the loss of the captain of the side Ciaran McKeever.
The talismanic defender broke a bone in his foot training with his club Parnell’s of Dublin.
He will be out for the rest of Armagh’s year, and it may be doubtful whether the Cullyhanna native, at 33 years of age and with another injury to contend with, will play for Armagh again.
His experience and big game know-how are still seen as crucial in what is clearly a transitional period for Armagh.
Also missing are a trio with hand injuries. Sticky man-marker James Morgan has undergone an operation on a wrist and will also miss the remainder of the county season, Ethan Rafferty is out with broken knuckles and Mark Shields has been ruled out after he dislocated fingers in the first tussle with Laois.
Ciaran O’Hanlon and Colm Watters are also injury doubts.
The injuries at the back are a particular concern for McGeeney. Morgan, Shields and McKeever are three of Armagh’s best defenders.
In McKeever’s absence, McGeeney may play Aidan Forker at centre half-back as the Maghery man played some of the National Football League campaign there.
On the positive side, Brendan Donaghy played very well on Laois danger man Donie Kingston last time out, restricting the powerful attacker to just one point from play.
Furthermore Charlie Vernon and Andy Mallon have plenty of experience as well as being a pair of quality defenders.
Youngsters Shea Heffron and Joe McElroy are in their first season with the Armagh seniors and, while impressive so far, big games will also be required from the defensive duo at the weekend.
McGeeney has also drafted Anto Duffy from Pearse Og into the squad and although he is better known as an attacker, he is versatile enough to be selected to bolster the defence.
Up front, Armagh will certainly need to get more from their main forward Stefan Campbell.
The Lurgan man was restricted to three points from frees in the first game, but if he can be fed sufficient ammunition, he clearly has the ability to kick Armagh into the next round – as do Tony Kernan and Rory Grugan.
Saturday’s encounter is therefore real backs-to-the-wall stuff for Armagh, but McGeeney will be hoping that he can patch his team up sufficiently to move past opponents that they are more than capable of beating.
‘Geezer’ will also seek to use a sense of grievance felt in Armagh at a couple of decisions by officials which made their task all the harder 11 days ago.
Firstly, the substitution of Mark Shields was delayed which meant that, at the time of the Laois goal, Armagh were down to 14 players, and, secondly, the mix-up which meant that Armagh were without
Tony Kernan for 14 minutes of the second half.
Rumours that Aaron Kernan is set to make a sensational return to the Armagh colours would appear to be wide of the mark as The Irish News understands that the Crossmaglen player will not feature.
