Football

James Morgan available for Armagh until the end of June says Kieran McGeeney

James Morgan will have surgery on a wrist injury at the end of next month
James Morgan will have surgery on a wrist injury at the end of next month James Morgan will have surgery on a wrist injury at the end of next month

THE good news for Armagh is that James Morgan will be available until the end of June. But that’s the bad news too.

The Crossmaglen Rangers defender will have an operation on his right wrist next month meaning he won’t be available for the Ulster final (July 17) if Armagh reach that stage.

Morgan wasn’t expected to see any Championship action at all this summer, so his availability for some is a bonus. But his input will be restricted to the Ulster quarter-final against Cavan and, if Armagh win, a semi-final against either Tyrone or Derry (June 19). If Cavan win on May 29, Morgan’s last game of the inter-county season looks likely to be the first round of the Qualifiers (June 18) unless his operation is postponed and manager Kieran McGeeney gave no indication that that was a possibility.

McGeeney explained that Morgan’s form for his club had paved the way for him to feature for the Orchardmen this summer.

“His operation date was put back until the end of June,” said McGeeney.

“We had hoped he'd have the operation in March but it didn’t work out like that, and he had to get the scans done again.

“I asked him in to a couple of A versus B games because he was playing away with Cross so I said to him: ‘Sure there’s no point hanging about, why don’t you come in?’”

“He was supposed to be out for nine months with this wrist thing. We’d been pushing him to do it since last August but he obviously had a great run with Cross and you don't get too many All-Irelands, so when things are going like that...

“But things are at a stage now where he met the surgeon a couple of times in Santry and this is the first available date, so he said he’d come in and play away until then.”

For McGeeney Morgan’s personality and sense of humour, allied to his tenacious tackling and footballing ability, make him a welcome addition to the set-up.

“He’s a fantastic player but even more than that, him being around the changing room is... I mean he’s the closest thing to (Benny) Tierney that I’ve seen in a changing room,” he said

“He’s well got by all the players, he’s very a funny type of character.

“He’d be a different sort of shape to Tierney, mind you. But he’s a good fella to have around the place. The boys slag him that he’s not half wise but he knows how to get ready.

“When he has to go on a pitch he’s a different character but away from it, he’s one of the best fellas to have in the changing-room and you need those characters in a team.”