Armagh back on centre-stage

AFTER a month on the back-roads like a travelling roadshow, the All-Ireland champions are back on centre-stage on Saturday.

While in Waterford and Casement Park, respectively, Armagh didn’t look like the force that they were last year. But many expect their match against Dublin to re-ignite that missing fire in their bellies. It was against those Dubs last September that this Armagh team ended their alleged Croker hoodoo, by that single point. And it was against Dublin in Croke Park last February that Armagh powered to victory in the first game of the NFL.

Yet, since that stunning win, the Orchard men have plodded through the fixtures. It was more hard slog than fine football that took them past Antrim, and many believe that the strain of five long years is finally catching up on the Ulster men. The Dubs in Croker, though, has a funny way of curbing tiredness. “This is a game we have to win, indeed both teams have to win,” Enda McNulty admitted yesterday. “There are no back-doors after Saturday. Of course, this is a big draw for the GAA, and the whole country will be watching it, but we can’t concern ourselves with that. Our only concern is defending our All-Ireland title.” McNulty, a coaching officer with St Enda’s in the capital, is currently overseeing summer camps which might spawn future Dublin footballers. This week, his mind is on the downfall of the current crop. McNulty believes that people will be better off looking back to the All-Ireland semi-final clash rather than the league opener for evidence of how Saturday’s match will develop.