PERSUADING panellists that they still have a significant part to play can be tricky – but it’s proving increasingly easy for Armagh manager Kieran McGeeney.
The depth and range of the Orchard County squad was amply illustrated in Saturday evening’s All-Ireland semi-final victory over Kerry after extra time.
‘Geezer’ sent on seven substitutes against the Kingdom, all of whom may feel that they should be starters: Stefan Campbell, Jarly Og Burns, Ross McQuillan, Aidan Nugent, Shane McPartlan, Oisin O’Neill, and Jason Duffy.
What’s more, competition for places is so strong that McGeeney also noted that two recent regulars didn’t get any minutes at all on Saturday evening: “You can take Greg McCabe and Connaire Mackin, they didn’t get any game-time again and they played throughout the Ulster Championship for us.”
McGeeney noted that others have dropped out of the team but battled back to play their part. Campbell, Burns, and McQuillan all scored after coming off the bench against the Kingdom.
‘Geezer’ paid tribute to the perseverance of panellists: “We have other players who lost form at the beginning of the year, Ross McQuillan wasn’t going at his best but had some turn in the Derry game and he’s flying for us, he was unreal when he came on again.
“Jarlath Óg, same thing, lost a wee bit of form, but to have players of that quality that can come on and do well is great for us.”
One of Armagh’s best players in recent matches has been Barry McCambridge, who not only did a fine man-marking job on Kerry superstar David Clifford but got up the field to palm in a crucial goal for the Orangemen.
Yet the Clann Eireann man had to wait to earn a starting slot this season, the manager recalled: “Barry was our ‘go-to’ player last year and then just again dropped a wee bit of form, got his chance in the Ulster final, extra-time he came on and he has just kept his place.
“Barry’s a good lad, top fella in terms of his attitude, discipline, in terms of what he wants. Barry is always putting his hand up….
“You are always loath to pick someone out but he was excellent, he’s coming up scoring, fisting in all that stuff, he’s a good lad and he is just one of those competitors that you just love to see on the pitch. He did a decent job on Clifford. If he gets another job like that the next day, I hope he does the same.”
McGeeney also expressed confidence that the one Armagh player who struggled somewhat on Saturday, Aidan Nugent, would come good again, having repeatedly shown his quality in a county jersey.
The Cullyhanna man came on for midfielder Ben Crealey as Armagh chased down Kerry late in normal time, but was then taken off in extra time, with Conor Turbitt brought back on.
McGeeney had sympathy for him – and also held out hope: “I think Aidan was just a wee bit unlucky. He was put under pressure on the sideline twice. It wasn’t the best ball being given to him so he got trapped there but he’s done a job for us.
“It was just when things weren’t bouncing for him, we decided to put Turbitt back on because we needed that sort of kicker on that side. It was just one of those days.
“Nugent has been superb for us all year. He’s won, I’d say, three championship games by coming on and kicking points.
“[Saturday] wasn’t his day but I know Aidan and he’s one stubborn, little fella and he will be killing himself over the couple of weeks to show that he will be back and I have no doubt that he will be on the field again in the All-Ireland final.”
Armagh’s starting side against Kerry included two youngsters, Peter McGrane and Oisin Conaty, and McGeeney mentioned them as other examples of knowing that your chance can come:
“To try and keep a bigger panel, there will be a lot of noise in those young people’s ears. We had Peter McGrane there, Darragh McMullan, Oisín Conaty who are both very young but have been on the panel the last 18 months but haven’t seen much game-time. But your break comes and sometimes that’s just the level you’re at, you’re not going to walk straight into teams.”
It might be hard for McGeeney and the Armagh selectors to change their winning team, but they know that if they do there’s plenty of talent from which to choose.
