FORMER Armagh goalkeeper Paul Hearty has issued a warning to any Orchard fan already eyeing up an Ulster final spot following Tuesday night’s provincial draw.
Armagh were last involved in the final back in 2008 when they defeated Fermanagh after a replay.
Their route to the decider in 2021 is blocked firstly by Antrim and then potentially by the winners of Monaghan and the Erne county.
With holders Cavan and heavyweights Tyrone and Donegal on the other side of the draw, there will be increased expectation on Kieran McGeeney’s side. Crossmaglen clubman Hearty is remaining cautious though.
“Fans and pundits will be looking at the draw and it certainly gives Armagh a route to the ?nal, but I have seen routes to finals go off track on many occasions,” said Hearty.
“I am always a firm believer in the cliché of one game at a time because we have come unstuck on a number of occasions before. “Fermanagh a couple of years ago (2018) was the perfect example. We were expected to win the game and we were well beaten in Brewster Park and that was a real suckerpunch to our ambitions.
“When I was with Armagh there were a number of games when we were red-hot favourites but it wouldn’t always go your way and you were put to the pin of your collar.”
One of those occasions was when Armagh and Antrim last met in the Championship back in 2003. Casement Park hosted the round two Qualifier with the All-Ireland holders expected to ease through.
However, they only led by two points at the interval despite playing with the breeze and in the end six points from play from Stevie McDonnell, three in either half, saw them progress on a 0-15 to 0-12 scoreline.
Hearty said that the Tyrone influence of manager Enda McGinley and coach Steven O’Neill adds an extra layer of danger to the Saffron challenge. “Back in ’03 we only came out on top by a few points, we didn’t flatter ourselves.
“People look at Antrim and see the eternal wooden spoon team but whichever way Armagh approach this they are probably going to come up short in some way or another. “Beat them by 10 or 12 points and people will say that was expected. Scrape across the line and there’ll be questions.
“Enda and Stevie haven’t taken the Antrim job just to be cannon fodder for everyone else. They see something there. “The football in Antrim is always very competitive and if they can get all the St Gall’s boys in, the St John’s lads, the Cargin lads on board, all the good players, you can bet they will be in good shape. “They will be seriously organised. Enda McGinley is well versed with Armagh teams and he will know every one of our players inside out.
“He will have his match-ups down to the letter. He’ll come up with a style of play that will frustrate our players and they have the talented forwards to take advantage. Any time you played Antrim, no matter what level they seemed to be at, they always had one or two standout forwards.”
Armagh will be down one such attacking option as Jamie Clarke looks set to be unavailable for the 2021 season. Hearty, who played with Clarke at Cross before his transfer to Neasden Gaels and also at county level, said that the player’s experience would be missed as much as his talent.
“Jamie will be a big loss, he is a top class forward who did really well last year and was a great linkman between attack and defence.
“It’s not only his skill, but it is his experience that will be missed. He has a good few years under the belt by now.”