Nicky Rackard Cup quarter-final: Armagh v Longford (tomorrow, 3pm, Crossmaglen)
EVEN though it was merely a few weeks, it seemed like Armagh were in the tunnel for a long time before they were able to see a chink of light.
Halfway through last weekend’s round 2B win over Louth they looked in danger of slipping out of the Nicky Rackard Cup to put the tin hat on a difficult month.
A heavy loss to Carlow finished their League campaign and, although they beat Down, that was followed by a thumping from Antrim in the Ulster final and then a surprise defeat by Donegal.
But the latter defeat came on an afternoon where they simply needed a freshener. The minds hadn’t so much been dulled by the Antrim loss as the bodies had been shaken by a physical period.
Slowly, the injuries are easing. Dean Gaffney made his return off the bench last week and should be available to start in Crossmaglen this afternoon.
Eoin McGuinness will also be fit for a place in the bench, with a view to being fit to start a potential semi-final should Armagh come past Longford.
Victory would open the window for Tiernan Nevin to return from a broken finger, though the news for Stephen Renaghan and Shea Gaffney isn’t as positive, with their seasons looking as though they are over regardless of how Armagh fare.
“It’s getting experienced players back, which is a big plus for the rest of the lads on the team. We’re starting to feel good about ourselves again,” says Orchard boss Sylvester McConnell.
“It wasn’t really demoralising [the Antrim defeat], it was the injuries and the lack of rest. We had a tough encounter with Antrim in the League after playing Westmeath, and we went from the Antrim game into a game with Carlow.
“We were never hit as hard as we were against Carlow, it was unbelievable, we’d have been as well playing Wexford or Offaly.
“We took that into the Down game and the injuries were mounting and mounting. It was trying to ride through that period, which is hard when you’re trying to throw players in and out and still hold the balance of your team.
“It was going to take time more than anything, you had to be patient with it and your system.
“The boys knew where we were and it was a matter of sticking with it.”
They will come in as favourites against a Longford side that took a lacing in Owenbeg seven days ago against a strong Derry side that McConnell admits are the team to beat.
Longford travelled north with just 19 players and the Armagh boss feels that their performance might not have been a true reflection of Ray Gavin’s men.
“There’s a possibility they could have looked at that Derry game last week and said ‘we have three or four injuries and there’s no point us busting our ass in it’, and maybe went with a weakened team. You could find a different team this week.
“Last year when we went to Longford, we had bother with them. They were strong and physical, and playing a running game that’s not easy played against. It was more of a football style than a hurling style. They were very tricky.”
The two sides met at this stage last year and although there were 11 points between them on the scoreboard in the end, there was just one between them after 52 minutes and it was late on that a hard-pushed Armagh were finally able to force some daylight.
Patrick Walsh looked an outstanding hurler despite Longford’s poor display last week, while Seamus Hannon, Reuben Murray and Cathal Mullane are capable of causing problems in attack.
Armagh, though, should have enough to move within one step of a third successive Nicky Rackard final.
