Allianz National Football League Division Three: Wexford v Armagh (tomorrow, 1pm, Innovate Wexford Park)
DID you know that the term ‘dead rubber’ comes from the card game, Rubber Bridge? And that it refers to a player getting to the winning score of 100 points before the final game of a three-game competition begins? Hence, dead rubber.
If you didn’t know that, now you do. And if you did already know it, sure wasn’t it more interesting than the idea of a game between a team that’s already promoted and one that’s already relegated?
While Louth manager Pete McGrath yesterday criticised the idea of Louth’s final game against Meath going unplayed, calling the idea of wiping it from the calendar “very shabby”, there are at least the derby circumstances in favour of his argument.
The only people who would miss this game are the players themselves, and even some of them might question the logic of that in their own minds.
But in a week where Kieran McGeeney called for the number of inter-county games to be drastically increased, anyone would admit that it beats training.
Though so little does this game mean that, while the other games in the top three divisions all throw-in at 3pm in the interests of final day fairness, these two have been allowed to go off and do their thing a bit earlier, which only stands to sense.
Only the most niche group stand to benefit. Wexford are long gone with six defeats from six, and they will naturally go full strength to try and make themselves competitive, which at least offers an outlet for what will likely be an experimental Armagh.
McGeeney is likely to use a clutch of established players – it’ll be a chance, for instance, to put more miles into Brendan Donaghy and perhaps offer a reintroduction to Gavin McParland.
But there will be opportunities too, you’d imagine. Paddy Morrison could get a run between the sticks, while Ryan Kennedy will likely retain his place after a good first start for the county in which he kept Aidan Breen quiet last weekend.
The likes of Jamie Cosgrove, Niall Rowland and Eoghan McDonnell will hope to join him, while Aaron Findon might spy an opportunity for a start at midfield after doing well upon his early second half introduction in Brewster Park.
There is a bit less depth to their attacking options, though youngster Ross McQuillan and Mullaghbawn dangerman Eddie English could be among those to see a bit of decent game time.
The hosts should have a full deck to choose from, having lost no fewer than five players through suspension in the course of their poor League campaign.
Their only win since March 19 last year was the one-point scrape past Limerick in a round one qualifier last summer, though given the circumstances here, they stand a half chance of catching Armagh cold.
Only four counties this decade have finished a League campaign in any of the four divisions without a point to their name, and one of those was Kilkenny (the others were Down in 2016, Westmeath in 2014 and 2010, and Longford in 2013).
Wexford look very likely to join that company.
