Ulster Senior Football Championship quarter-final: Fermanagh v Armagh (Tonight, Brewster Park, 7pm, 'live' BBC iPlayer)
THE Ulster Championship hasn’t been particularly good to Fermanagh and Armagh in recent years with both counties relying on the All-Ireland Qualifiers for extended summers.
In this decade, the northern province has been dominated by Tyrone, Donegal and Monaghan.
After a couple of false dawns, Armagh will feel they have the tools to be contenders this year.
Although Fermanagh’s interminable search for a first-ever Ulster title goes on, Rory Gallagher’s job – like all Fermanagh managers – is to create a team that is greater than the sum of their parts.
Malachy O’Rourke did this better than anyone back in ’08 and almost reached the Holy Grail before Armagh rediscovered their composure and finishing touch to win an Ulster final replay.
Regardless of the unwanted historical fact of the Anglo-Celt Cup having never visited the Erne County, Gallagher has left no stone unturned this year in trying to mount a challenge.
The former Fermanagh playmaker has assembled an experienced but still youthful line-up to face Armagh.
The vast majority of his players know the terrain by now.
They’re playing on home soil, they have a couple of good bench options for the third and final quarters, they win most second halves, and Armagh have a number of injuries.
This is as good as it gets for the Ernemen.
In many ways, tonight’s provincial quarter-final is set up for Fermanagh.
They have Che Cullen at full-back. Declan McCusker and Barry Mulrone are capable of breaking defensive lines from deep.
Aidan Breen has scored in every League outing, bar the Division Three final.
Conall Jones showed in that game he can live off scraps and still make an impact on the scoreboard.
Likewise, his elder brother Ryan at midfield is good for a couple of points.
They have the mercurial Quigley brothers back on board and Tomas Corrigan to come off the bench.
Tactically speaking, Rory Gallagher is rarely found wanting.
The conventional wisdom, though, is that Fermanagh’s visitors to Brewster Park this evening are further down the road.
After Armagh were dumped out of the Ulster series by Down last year, many observers felt the team was going no-where under Kieran McGeeney.
Those same observers probably still felt the same after Armagh stole victory from the jaws of defeat on a balmy Saturday night in Westmeath.
Wins over Kildare and Tipperary changed everything.
Despite losing heavily to Tyrone in the All-Ireland quarter-finals, it was still a coming-of-age summer for the Armagh footballers.
A host of Orchard players removed the question marks hanging over them.
Niall Grimley, Stephen Sheridan, Gregory McCabe, Paul Hughes and Blaine Hughes all emphatically proved their elite credentials.
Add in Patrick Burns of Forkhill and Ryan McShane of Armagh Harps this year and it’s clear to see Armagh are on the right road.
The worry from an Armagh perspective heading to Brewster Park is injuries.
Rory Grugan, Stephen Sheridan, Paul Hughes, Ethan Rafferty, Gregory McCabe and Mark Shields have been struggling of late.
Armagh have decent cover in defence and midfield but should left-footed free-taker Grugan not recover from a dislocated elbow, sustained several weeks ago, ‘Geezer’ has a major headache.
Aidan Forker, though, has the versatility to step into the pivotal attacking role and if Rafferty – who has scored 1-18 (0-3 frees) in the League – doesn’t make it, the in-form Gavin McParland is a natural replacement.
While Fermanagh are being viewed as the ones setting the traps in Brewster Park tonight, the big conundrum Rory Gallagher faces is trying to break through an orange blockade that will be strung across the middle of the field.
Eoin Donnelly and Ryan Jones are one of the best midfield partnerships in Ulster – but they couldn’t cope with Sheridan, Charlie Vernon, Niall Grimley and Ben Crealey at Croke Park.
Blaine Hughes’s brilliant kick-outs give Armagh a distinct advantage.
They also have the personnel to dominate Fermanagh’s kick-outs should Pat Cadden be brave enough to go long.
Cadden opted to go short in the second half of the Division Three final and Fermanagh began running the ball – but to do that for 70 minutes while absorbing the Armagh hits could take its toll.
In the short period of time they went short at Croke Park, it worked for them.
They were able to shuttle the ball into enemy lines - helped by the second-half introduction of Ruairi Corrigan, who is currently injured - and only lost by two points in a game where Armagh were deemed the far superior side.
Fermanagh, however, did rely on Seamus Quigley's accuracy from placed balls to stay in touch, with only two of their eight first half scores coming from play.
When Ruairi Corrigan and Tom Clarke ran at the Armagh defence in the second half, you could hear cries from the Armagh sideline of ‘Don’t foul, don’t foul’.
James Molloy – the Galway official on the day – was always keen to blow his whistle for physical contact that undoubtedly benefited Fermanagh.
The same words will have been ringing in Armagh ears ever since.
The Ernemen have the defensive diligence to curtail the Armagh attack, although their full-back line and ‘keeper will have stressful moments under the high ball.
Fermanagh have turned making-things-awkward-for-the-opposition into an art form.
The question is do they have enough scores from play in them to upset Armagh?
Donegal racked up 2-20 against Cavan last weekend. Neither Fermanagh and Armagh will get near that golden tally.
In fact, they mightn’t muster that amount between them in Brewster Park tonight.
What we do know for sure is that the players’ GPS stats will be off the scale.
Despite their injury worries, Armagh will feel they have Fermanagh’s number.
They look like a team that has absorbed the lessons of Newry last summer.
With their clear physical advantage, Armagh should come through but the road is expected to be bumpy in Enniskillen.
Team talk…
Fermanagh
FERMANAGH manager Rory Gallagher has named an experienced starting line-up with Seamus and Sean Quigley named in the full-forward line.
Roving defender Barry Mulrone, who scored in six of Fermanagh’s eight NFL games, is named in the half-back line despite nursing an injury.
Lee Cullen gets the nod on the other defensive flank in a bid to counteract Armagh’s height advantage on the wings.
Cian McManus misses out on one of the defensive berths and Damien McCusker is named at number 11 but will play in a deeper role. Ryan Jones and Eoin Donnelly will guard the middle of the field.
Fermanagh (Ulster SFC v Armagh): P Cadden; K Connor, C Cullen, M Jones; B Mulrone, J McMahon, L Cullen; E Donnelly, R Jones; P McCusker, D McCusker, A Breen; Sean Quigley, C Jones, Seamie Quigley.
Team talk…
Armagh
LOTS of rumours of injuries in the Armagh camp. Rory Grugan, Stephen Sheridan, Ethan Rafferty, Paul Hughes, Gregory McCabe and Mark Shields are all believed to be carrying knocks.
Hughes looks certain to miss this clash while the status of the others is unknown. ‘Geezer’ will be keen to have his ideal quartet across the middle – Stephen Sheridan, Ben Crealey, Charlie Vernon and Niall Grimley – while a lot of the Armagh attack depends on Grugan being fit.
If Ethan Rafferty isn’t fit to start, Gavin McParland has been in excellent form of late and would be an obvious replacement.
Armagh (probable): B Hughes; P Burns, A McKay, M Shields; N Rowland, B Donaghy, G McCabe; S Sheridan, C Vernon; B Crealey, A Forker, N Grimley; R Grugan, A Murnin, E Rafferty
Tactical take…
Fermanagh
FERMANAGH are expected to be much tighter at the back than they were in the League final at Croke Park. They will crowd their defensive centre, hunt in packs, try and win turnovers before breaking into counter-attacking mode.
Given Armagh’s height advantage around the middle of the field, Fermanagh will try and run the ball.
To do this for 70-plus minutes and chisel out enough scores to win will be an energy-sapping assignment.
Fermanagh will want a cat-and-mouse game and draw enough fouls in the scoring zone to edge this contest. Their average spread of scores in the League was six. It suggests their free-taker Seamus Quigley will have to be on his game.
Tactical take…
Armagh
ARMAGH will look to erect an orange wall in the middle of the field that can dominate the aerial stakes.
As in the latter part of the Division Three decider, Armagh will be happy for Fermanagh to run the ball through this sector of the field.
Blaine Hughes’s kick-outs in that game were exceptional. The Armagh ‘keeper will again aim for the flanks to try and nullify Fermanagh’s midfield pair of Ryan Jones and Eoin Donnelly.
Armagh will look to expose the perceived weakness of Fermanagh ‘keeper Pat Cadden under the high ball by aiming for Andrew Murnin.
Armagh have also improved their support play with Aidan Forker and Murnin finishing off flowing moves in the League final that originated from their own backline.
Keeping the foul count down in their own defence will be key to victory.
Man of the Moment…
Ryan Jones (Fermanagh)
MEET one of the most under-rated footballers in Ulster. Ryan Jones’s senior inter-county career stretches as far back as 2010 – making his debut in an All-Ireland Qualifier defeat to Armagh in Enniskillen.
The Derrygonnelly midfielder has been one of the most consistent players in Fermanagh ranks since his debut eight summers ago.
Last year, his campaign was ravaged by injury but he has bounced back to full fitness in 2018 and continues to lead Fermanagh.
Eoin Donnelly, his midfield partner, has hogged the spotlight in recent years but Jones was the one who put it up to Armagh in this year’s Division Three final at Croke Park, hitting two brilliant second-half points.
If Jones plays well, Fermanagh have a good chance of success tonight.
Key Battle…
Che Cullen (Fermanagh) v Andrew Murnin (Armagh)
TWO players who have got to know each other well over the last couple of seasons. Andy Murnin gave the Fermanagh back-line and their ‘keeper Pat Cadden their fill of it in the Division Three decider at the end of March.
Murnin hit 1-3 and was always a threat in the air as Cullen and Mickey Jones sometimes shared man-marking duties.
Undoubtedly, Cullen is a physical match for Murnin but the Armagh full-forward doesn’t waste many balls that go into him and is inclined to grab the attention of two defenders because he is so adept at making the ball stick so near goal.
Who’s the Ref?
Paddy Neilan (Roscommon)
THE Roscommon whistler is still a relative newcomer to the top tier. He took charge of last season’s NFL Division One final, despite Jim Gavin’s protestations, and had a good game.
At the beginning of last season, Neilan incurred the wrath of Armagh supporters when he awarded Sligo a dubious penalty in stoppage-time in Markievicz Park to allow them to draw the game.
He also needed a Gardai escort after last year’s feisty All-Ireland Qualifier between Tipperary and Armagh.
On the day, he made some baffling decisions against both sides.
This season, Neilan is armed with the experience of taking charge of some top Division One games including Kerry versus Donegal, Kildare versus Tyrone and Mayo versus Dublin.
Last 10 Championship meetings… (Fermanagh wins: 1, Armagh wins 7, draws: 2)
2017 All-Ireland qualifiers round 1B: Armagh 0-20 Fermanagh 0-11
2010 All-Ireland qualifiers round 2: Fermanagh 0-7 Armagh 0-11
2008 Ulster SFC Final replay: Armagh 1-11 Fermanagh 0-8
2008 Ulster SFC Final: Armagh 2-8 Fermanagh 1-11
2006 Ulster SFC semi-final replay: Armagh 0-16 Fermanagh 1-8
2006 Ulster SFC semi-final: Armagh 0-11 Fermanagh 2-5
2005 Ulster SFC preliminary round: Armagh 2-12 Fermanagh 1-7
2004 All-Ireland SFC quarter-final: Fermanagh 0-12 Armagh 0-11
2002: Ulster SFC semi-final: Armagh 0-16 Fermanagh 1-5
2000: Ulster SFC semi-final: Armagh 0-13 Fermanagh 0-12
Last Championship meeting…
June 25 2017, The Athletic Grounds: All-Ireland qualifiers round 1B: Armagh 0-20 Fermanagh 0-11
BOTH sides were licking their wounds after exiting the provincial series – Armagh to Down and Fermanagh to Monaghan.
Apart from a barren 20-minute first half spell, Armagh recovered well to win with a bit to spare.
Niall Grimley was man-of-the-match as his star continued to soar while Jamie Clarke turned on the style with three brilliant points.
Fermanagh relied too heavily on Tomas Corrigan’s frees to stay in the game and the Ernemen’s cause wasn’t helped by the dismissal of Eoin Donnelly in the 57th minute.
The game turned out to be Pete McGrath’s last game in charge of Fermanagh as Armagh tore through the Qualifiers to reach the quarter-finals.
Weather watch…
THE day will start off bright and breezy and is expected to be overcast approaching throw-in this evening. But the temperature will hold to around 18°C with virtually no chance of rain.
Betting Box…
Fermanagh 21/10
Armagh 8/15
Draw 15/2
Handicap
Fermanagh +2 1/1
Armagh -2 1/1
Draw +2 17/2
First goalscorer
Andy Murnin 11/2
Niall Grimley 16/1
Seamus Quigley 13/2
Conall Jones 11/1
