Donnelly Group Armagh SFC
The remaining two quarter final places are up for grabs tonight at the Athletic Grounds with Tir na nOg up against Dromintee (6.45) and Forkhill taking on Wolfe Tones (8.30).
Tir na nOg have been left with the unenviable task of picking themselves off the deck following a 31 point hammering by Crossmaglen, The? had an inspiring opening round victory over Granemore only to be brought back down to earth with a thud.
The smart money will be on Dromintee who ran the defending champions to six points, a game in which they dominated the middle sector but didn't have enough quality in the final third to inflict sufficient damage.
In the Qualifers they had a 0-15 to 0-11 victor? over Annaghmore , free taker Shane McCoy hitting a number of sweet scores off the ground and county 21 star Conor Martin nailing a couple from open play.
Like a lot of other teams, Dromintee,, who have yet to collect a senior title, are in transition. They will be hoping to have Christopher Lynch back from injury and with the likes of county senior panellist, Aaron McKay, Gareth McCrink, Aaron Boyle and Conor Hoey to rely on shouldn't really slip up.
Tir na nOg will need huge performances Paul Carvill, Brian Mallon, Marc Davidson, Tony Marley and Paudie Judge to cause an upset. A quarter final place against Maghey awaits the winners
Despite league relegation, Forkhill have been enjoying their championship to date, beaten only by an injury time point in a high scoring Round 1 clash against Sarsfields.
Lowering the Granemore colours by 11 points in the Qualifers with the help of three first half goals from county man Stephen Sheridan, Cathal Adams and Shea Coleman was an historic achievement. Their Derrymacash opponents bagged three majors in their 3-15 to 2-16 win over Grange in the championship proper before going on to give a good account of themselves next day out against Maghery beaten 0-12 to 0-7.
Also relegated in the senior league, Tones have since proven their true ability with no shortage of skilled performers, among them Declan Lavery, Niall Geoghegan, Finnian Moriarty, James Doyle, Ruairi McCaughley and Johnny McCarron.
Fired on by their first ever senior championship victory, this youthful Forkhill outfit will be anxious to build on that and will be looking to their county men Stephen Sheridan and Jemar Hall, Barry Shannon, Ciaran Smith, Cormac Toner and Aaron Coleman to create even more history.
Tones may just manage to edge a contest that is likely to go all the way to the wire. The winners' prize is a quarter-final date with St Patrick's.
