ARMAGH full-forward Andrew Murnin is targeting a return to action in the Ulster Senior Football Championship quarter-final against Down at Pairc Esler.
Murnin is recovering from tendinopathy in both knees – a condition that causes pain and swelling and can restrict movement - which has prevented the St Paul’s clubman from featuring in the Orchard county’s Division Two campaign this season.
It’s another frustrating injury for the Lurgan native but he hopes to be fully fit for the May 19 clash.
“It’s been going on since last year so I need to get it sorted out,” he said.
“I’m hoping to be back for the first round of the Championship and I’m on track for that at the minute.”
Armagh will hope Murnin’s rehab remains on track because the two-footed targetman is a proven attacking force at Championship level. Two years ago when Armagh met Down at Pairc Esler, Murnin caused havoc in the Mourne defence almost every time the ball came his way.
After helping to create Armagh’s first goal for Mark Shields, he scored the second himself with a sliderule finish and then saw a shot spectacularly deflected onto the post by Down defender Anthony Doherty just before half-time.
Doherty’s instinctive intervention proved to be crucial because Armagh were unable to get the ball to crowded-out Murnin in the second half. With his threat negated, their challenge petered out and Down took the win on the way to an unexpected Ulster final appearance.
Murnin hasn’t featured since the round four Qualifier clash with Roscommon last July when he scored 0-4 in a losing cause in one of the games of the season. Prior to that, he had scored in all three Qualifiers games – with a best of 1-1 versus Clare – after he had missed the Championship opener against Fermanagh.
The Orchardmen scored just seven points in that game in Enniskillen and so exited the Anglo-Celt Cup race at the first hurdle for the fourth year in-a-row. Murnin’s absence was a huge blow to the side – he had scored 1-3 when Armagh had beaten Fermanagh in the Division Three final after helping to propel his county to promotion by bagging goals against Wexford, Derry and Sligo.
Fast forward to this season and before they turn their attention to this year’s Championship, Armagh still have work to do to ensure their survival in Division Two.
The Orchardmen were denied wins in Kildare and against Clare in Newry because of late equalizers and then lost to pacesetters Meath at Pairc Tailteann. A convincing victory over Tipperary in their fourth outing rekindled hopes of a promotion push but they were dashed in Ballybofey last Saturday night when Donegal won an at times bad-tempered affair by a point.
Murnin is confident his team-mates have the quality up front to find the scores they need to drag themselves out of trouble.
“We have more than enough men to do my job so I think we will be grand,” he said.
Armagh fans will hope he is right but, with four points from five games, the Orchardmen sit just a point above bottom side Cork and meet them in their final game.
Armagh’s next outing is against unbeaten Fermanagh – who sit neck-and-neck with Meath at the top of the table - in Crossmaglen on March 16.
