HE may not have kicked a ball through the National League but veteran defender Andy Mallon has refused to rule out a possible return to the Armagh fold during the summer.
In the middle of a house move, and with his second child due just weeks before the Orchard’s Ulster Championship opener against Down on June 4, Dublin-based Mallon has plenty going on away from football.
Boss Kieran McGeeney has kept the door open for Mallon and, although he is unable to commit at the moment, Mallon says it is not out of the question that he could rejoin the panel at some stage.
He said: “My woman’s due in six weeks and we’re moving house - we’ve a mountain of things on. Things are just hectic here at the minute and travelling up to Armagh three times a week wouldn’t help.
“I’ve spoken to Geezer about the situation and he says we’ll just see what the craic is when everything’s settled down.
“I’ve said I have too much on to play but he’s been very good and says to take my time and get back to him when things settle. The door’s never closed, we’ve seen in the last few years players there’s players come in and out all the time.
“I’m not ruling anything out, but it would be very hard at the minute.”
At 33, Mallon would be one of the more experienced members should he return to a youthful-looking Armagh panel that just missed out on promotion back to Division Two on Sunday.
The Orchardmen looked to have done enough to get over the line against Tipperary at before Allstar forward Michael Quinlivan bagged his third goal of the afternoon in the fifth minute of added time to consign Armagh to another year in the third tier.
Despite that disappointment there were some encouraging signs for McGeeney during the League as they convincingly despatched Offaly and promoted Louth, and were the second-top scorers in the country behind Division Four table-toppers Westmeath.
