KIERAN McGEENEY has thrown down the gauntlet to Armagh’s new recruits to keep hold of their jerseys beyond the Dr McKenna Cup - and insists there can be “real” competition for places in the county squad for the first time in two years.
The Orchard boss also hinted that ace attacking duo Stefan 'Soupy' Campbell and Jamie Clarke will “probably not” play any part in this month’s McKenna Cup campaign, which means Anto Duffy, Oisín Mac Íomhair, Niall McConville and Ben Crealey, currently auditioning for places in the Armagh forward line, will be given more game-time to impress the manager.
Micael McKenna, a player who was making great strides under McGeeney over the last two years, won’t be available in 2017 as he is travelling for the year.
Experienced defender Brendan Donaghy will also miss the upcoming group games against Queen’s and Down and possibly the early part of the National League due to a broken finger, while ‘Geezer’ heaped praise on Kevin Dyas for showing incredible dedication and desire to return to county football after being sidelined with a knee injury 19 months ago.
“Kevin’s probably looking at March time,” said the manager.
“He’s hitting all the milestones and he’s putting in huge effort - huge effort to try and come back.”
With Dyas still not ready, no sign of Tony Kernan yet and McKenna gone for the year, there are a couple of vacancies along Armagh’s three-quarter line.
On McKenna’s absence, ‘Geezer’ said: “He’s going travelling for the year… He’ll be a miss as he’s a good lad. I suppose we’re hoping to have a few more options than we’ve had in the past. But options need to turn into performances.
“We really want new players coming through. We want to create competition for places. We haven’t had competition for places in possibly two years, real competition.
“That’s what I’m looking for - fellas to come up and say: ‘Listen, I want that jersey.’ And then it’s up to fellas like ‘Soupy’ and Jamie to say: ‘I want it more’.”
Despite their narrow defeat to Derry in Owenbeg last weekend, McGeeney was encouraged by many aspects of his team’s performance. Crealey of Maghrey landed three points as a second-half substitute, his club-mate Oisín Lappin acquitted himself well as a defensive sweeper, as did Duffy and Mac Íomhair in attack.
The fact the Armagh manager is not pining - not publicly, at least - for his absent stars sends a strong message to the McKenna Cup squad that there are places up for grabs ahead of the county’s Division Three opener against Sligo on February 5.
“Some of these young fellas might keep them missing,” McGeeney said.
“You’re missing [James] Morgan and [Mark] Shields and from the half-back line you’ve Joe McIlroy, Shea Heffron, and then you’ve Ciaran O’Hanlon, Ethan [Rafferty] has been out for a while, you’ve Dyas, [Andy] Murnin, Clarke.
“You’ve probably 14 or 15 strong players missing. But, as I said to the young fellas: ‘Keep them missing - put a stamp on it’. I thought they did relatively well [against Derry].”
