Armagh 'in with a big chance' in Ulster Championship

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Friday, May 09, 2008

By John Campbell

Armagh county board chairman Kevin Brady has thrown down the gauntlet to the fans as the Ulster Championship looms.

"There has been a lot of talk about a transition period but I just want our supporters to get behind the team and give them every encouragement.

"There's every reason for going into our campaign with optimism and confidence, I feel," insists Brady.

The Armagh squad are currently in Portugal for warm-weather training although the temperatures there are hardly likely to be a vast improvement on here right now!

"Obviously we have had great weather here over the course of the week but it's essential that we have a good bonding exercise in Portugal and that we try and get some of our injuries cleared up.

"We are lucky in a sense that we will not be playing in the Ulster Championship until mid-June and that gives us time in which to prepare properly," adds the Armagh county board chairman.

Armagh will meet the winners of Sunday week's Antrim v Cavan clash. If it is Armagh v Antrim, then this is likely to go ahead at Clones while should Cavan beat Antrim then they will have home advantage against the orchard county.

Since the start of the new millennium, Armagh have always been among the warm favourites to land the Ulster crown.

But this time round the odds on a debut title triumph by new boss Peter McDonnell have lengthened somewhat — a fact acknowledged by Brady.

"You would have to say that there are a number of teams who could be viewed as potential Ulster champions.

"Obviously the fact that Derry won the National League has thrust them into the frame big-time and rightly so.

"You cannot discount teams like Tyrone and Monaghan nor indeed Donegal. It's very open but we are still in there with a big shout in my opinion," maintains Brady.

The launch of the Armagh Strategic Five Year Plan this week marks another step forward for the county board.

"This plan points the way ahead and I feel that it is worthy of the most serious consideration by all those with the best interests of Armagh at heart. I would recommend it to everyone," commented Brady.

It was GAA president Nickey Brennan who launched the plan when he made a plea for Armagh to also focus strongly on progress in the hurling sector.

"While Armagh is generally recognised as a football county, I would love to see emphasis placed on progress on the hurling front. Even in my own county of Kilkenny, which is very much perceived as a hurling county, we have 30 of the total of 40 clubs overall who are playing in football competitions regularly," the GAA president added.