Oisín McConville: It’s the guts of 15 years since we had this build up to a game in Armagh

The new intercounty calendar couple with the return of crowds to matches make this Allianz League campaign one of the most anticipated in living memory 

Rian O'Neill of Armagh celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Ulster SFC clash with Antrim. Picture: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

With the GAA calendar getting more truncated year on year, you can see the shifting in approach from the pre-season competitions. These days, you notice a lot more of the regular faces going through the muck and gutter of January football.

For the managers, whether it was blooding or taking a punt, the respective curtain-raisers in each province are not what they were. Nowadays, panels already have put in decent winter shifts on the training fields and in the gyms, so it’s all about getting first-teamers those minutes under their belt. And you know if you don’t, your opponents in the coming weeks and months sure as well have.