ARMAGH are expecting a “formidable” challenge when they take on three-in-a-row Connacht champions Mayo in this Sunday’s All-Ireland Minor Championship semi-final, says coach Stefan Forker.
The Orchard County comfortably overcame Leinster winners Longford to reach the final four, but they are expecting another step up in class this weekend following Mayo’s dismissal of Cork the last day out.
Kobe McDonald, son of Mayo legend and 2004 All-Star winner Ciaran, was the headline-grabber from that contest as he rattled off an impressive personal haul of 1-6, while Oisin Deane kicked 2-3 from play.
Mayo hammered the Rebels by 17-points on their way to reaching the semi-finals and they will be keen to qualify for the All-Ireland decider for the second time in three years at this grade.
“All the games are on TG4 YouTube so everybody can watch each other, but they have just dismantled all before them and it is hard to compare across the different provinces and what the level of other teams are,” said Forker ahead of the game.
“We’ll have our homework done on them and they’ll have their homework done on us and they seem like a very formidable team to be fair. They’ve a lot of good scoring forwards, a lot of pace, a lot of power and running power so we’ll have to contend with that.”
While Mayo have been constantly contesting in the latter stages of the competition for the last number of years, it’s Armagh’s first All-Ireland semi-final since 2009, when they last lifted the Tom Markham Cup.
This season, Armagh also ended a ten-year wait to compete in the Ulster final and while Aidan O’Rourke’s youthful side gave a good showing, they came up short against reigning All-Ireland champions Derry.
“People were talking about Longford the last day and that it was strange for them to have got to an All-Ireland quarter-final, but it was just as strange for Armagh,” added the Maghery clubman.
“We don’t really think about what the title of the game is, it’s more about who the opposition is and what do we have to do to go about winning the match.
“But when you go to training and you’re planning, you sort of do pinch yourself and that being in an All-Ireland quarter-finals and semi-finals is a nice thought. You can’t dwell on it really; you just have to stick to the plan and see what’s working and keep doing it.”
Keeping teenagers focused is easier said than done however, although Forker believes the Orchard crew have old heads on young shoulders. “It hasn’t been a factor,” he continued.
“You don’t get too emotional about it; you don’t get too drawn into that sort of thing. You just have to think about your job and all the different roles and the different kick-out calls and different things like that.
“That’s the way we have been going about things and that’s the way it’s worked for me in the past. You don’t really play the occasion you just think about your job and the ball, and the boys seem to have a good maturity about them.
“I suppose also going down the country and the attendances haven’t been great so maybe that keeps it low-key as well. At the minute boys are just going about their business and as I say keep saying, they’re workmanlike and they’re hungry for more work and more matches.”