Down’s innate sense of their own worth comes from schools success – and nowhere is more pronounced than in St Colman’s in Newry. Brendan O’Brien paid a visit to the home of the All-Ireland SFC colleges champions

KERRY and Tyrone may have stolen their thunder a bit by winning the last seven All-Ireland senior football championships between them, but the Armagh team that annexed the title in 2002 retains an aura that fascinates to this day.

ARMAGH legend Joe Kernan has ruled out a return to county management following Peter McDonnell’s shock resignation for the post.

MOST of them are only players in our minds now. On DVDs, decaying VHS tapes and in old photos.

WEXFORD fans will want to take more home from Croke Park this afternoon than the memory of a first ever championship meeting against Armagh.

IT WASN’T meant to be like this. Derry, Donegal and Monaghan were all considered better bets to make Sunday’s Ulster final from their side of the draw but Aaron Kernan isn’t surprised to be meeting Fermanagh instead.

EXPERIENCE was the word on everyone’s lips as tea-time approached and Clones emptied faster than a school on the last day of summer. Armagh had it, Down didn’t. Simple as that.

Derry 0-10 Armagh 0-9

Armagh manager Joe Kernan has named an unchanged side for Sunday's All-Ireland SFC first round qualifier against Ulster rivals Derry (Clones, throw-in 4pm).

Donegal 1-9 Armagh 1-8

Armagh will have a blend of old and new on show when they begin their Ulster SFC title defence against league champions Donegal on Sunday at Ballybofey throw-in 4pm.

Laois 1-13 Armagh 0-8, O'Moore Park

Laois 1-13 Armagh 0-8, O'Moore Park

FIRST Omagh and now Crossmaglen. For eight years, Armagh and Tyrone have held Ulster football in their vice-like grips but the twin towers of the northern game both came a cropper on home soil against their provincial brethren this weekend.

In a game of bizarre goals, Derry emerged as five-point victors as some excellent shooting from centre forward Conleth Gilligan propelled them past Armagh.

Armagh star Diarmuid Marsden broke his leg yesterday in a club football match, just days after announcing his inter-county retirement.

Armagh attacker Diarmuid Marsden has announced his retirement from inter-county football, just ahead of his 30th birthday.

FORMER star forward Joe McKenna was last night elected interim manager of the Limerick senior hurling team by his fellow selectors.

Tyrone manager Mickey Harte will use today's game against Antrim in Dungannon as a chance to experiment.

Armagh manager Joe Kernan has received a timely boost with the news that Steven McDonnell should return from injury in time for the National Football League.

DUBLIN football manager Paul Caffrey will meet his hurling counterpart Humphrey Kelleher on Sunday to discuss the dual player issue.

Fermanagh 0-12 Armagh 0-11

KIERAN McGEENEY insists Armagh’s focus is on “bigger things” after capturing the county’s fourth Ulster title in just six years at Croke Park on Sunday.

Armagh 3-15 Donegal 0-11

Armagh 3-15 Donegal 0-11

All roads lead south today as Armagh and Donegal face off in the Ulster football final in front of a sell-out crowd at Croke Park.

All-Ireland finalists Armagh are boosted by the return of team captain Kieran McGeeney for Sunday's Ulster final against Donegal at Headquarters.

THE Cork selectors ended speculation of a major shake-up by making just one change in personnel from the team that lost to Waterford in the Munster final for Saturday’s All-Ireland SHC qualifier with Tipperary in Killarney.

Armagh 0-13 Cavan 0-11

DARA Ó SÉ returns to the Kerry team, while teenagers Enda Coughlan and Sean O’Meara will make their Munster SFC debuts when Clare take on the newly crowned National League champions at Cusack Park, Ennis on Sunday.

Armagh forward Diarmuid Marsden is an injury doubt for the Orchard County's Ulster championship opener against Monaghan next month.

THE GAA public might remain uncertain about the summer prospects of these two teams, but the way they entertained the 7,000-odd that braved the conditions in Navan, suggests they be discarded at your peril.

Meath 2-7 Armagh 2-7

Armagh 1-14 Laois 2-8

Armagh 1-6 Wexford 0-8

Armagh football manager Joe Kernan has called on the GAA to introduce a video referee for inter-county games similar to that used by rugby chiefs.

ARMAGH forward Diarmuid Marsden, controversially sent off by Brian White in the Bank of Ireland SFC final against Tyrone, will be free to play in next year’s opening round after having been exonerated by the Central Council at the weekend.

Diarmuid Marsden is praying for a reprieve at Saturday's Central Council meeting following his All-Ireland final sending off against Tyrone.

THE growing practice of players feigning injury has led to a tough response from the GAA.

Armagh boss Joe Kernan has vowed to take the fight to clear Diarmuid Marsden's name on another level after his appeal was thrown out.

ARMAGH manager Joe Kernan confirmed yesterday that they will launch another appeal to clear Diarmuid Marsden’s name and get his All-Ireland final red card rescinded.