LAST month’s intense Division One clash between Armagh and their auld enemy Tyrone reached its pivotal moment when the Orchardmen were awarded a second half penalty.
The home side already held the lead and, as Stefan Campbell placed the ball, he knew that hitting the back of the net would send Armagh on the road to a rare win over their fierce rivals.
The Armagh captain went for power, Niall Morgan read his intentions and saved his shot, Tyrone rallied and won the game with a bit to spare.
Sport is built on such fine margins.
“I felt guilty,” says Campbell as he reflected on that miss.
“If I had tucked the penalty away I think we would have gone on and beaten Tyrone comfortably.”
In hindsight maybe he shouldn’t have taken the penalty but, then again, he had scored one the previous weekend against Monaghan. Things just weren’t going his way in that Tyrone game but perhaps the most notable thing about his miss is the way Campbell has regrouped and bounced back from it.
“It wasn’t just the penalty that frustrated me – anybody can miss it a penalty,” he said.
“It was my handling, I started slowly and I couldn’t regroup. During the week after the Tyrone game I was chatting to Rory (Grugan) and Aidan (Forker), boys that would lead the squad on a daily basis, and I decided I needed to focus on myself for a few days.
“I went into tunnel vision before the Donegal game. I heard a few home truths from the selectors and I decided I had to go out and it was a matter of not refusing that shot; I decided I would be taking the shot and kicking a score and the rest is history.”
His trademark rampaging, cheeks-puffed-out runs cut the Donegal rearguard to shreds time and again the next weekend and Campbell finished the game with four points. However, Armagh were unable to hold on to their lead and, in the final reckoning, the draw Donegal salvaged was enough to send them to the semi-finals and Armagh to a relegation play-off.
“It was a pity we didn’t hang on against Donegal but it was good to bounce back after the Tyrone game,” said Campbell.
“I’d say if I hadn’t bounced back I’d have faced a few critics. Anybody can have one bad game but if you have two or three in a four-game League there’s going to be serious questions asked especially the leader I am in the team.”
Armagh’s new-found confidence has coincided with the recruitment of Kerry All-Ireland winner and Allstar Kieran Donaghy to their management team. Campbell says ‘Star’ has been able to use his vast experience to relate to every member of the squad, whether they’re a starter or a substitute.
“He’s new to coaching but because he’s been that player – he’s been the star of the show, he’s been a bit-part player, he has been an impact sub – his biggest contribution to our forward line is that he can relate to everybody,” said Campbell.
“He can relate to a Rian O’Neill or an Oisin O’Neill, or players who are coming through like Conor Turbitt. Kieran isn’t giving them his views just for the sake of it. He’s going into his recent history, he’s giving them examples out of his career and he’s being genuine so I think every player in the forward line can use his experience, they can pick his brain and I think it’s benefiting us as a team.
“We are all team players but everybody wants a chunk of the limelight and it’s about burying that ego, or whatever it is, and trusting the man beside you, trusting that he can do everything you can do. I could see that coming to fruition in the League and hopefully we’ll see it in the Championship too.
“Kieran has only had a few weeks with us so, if he gets more time, we hope we can go up another level.”
