Championship journeys don’t come tougher than the trip facing Armagh

THE inconsistencies of the championship are never more obvious than when comparing the Munster and Ulster championships, but the issue of which is the more conducive to All-Ireland success has never been proven beyond doubt.

It’s disputable, however, that Armagh will have to negotiate one of the toughest paths in the history of the competition if they are to claim a second All-Ireland title through the front door this year.

Joe Kernan’s side begin their campaign this Sunday in Balleybofey against a Donegal team currently rated as the country’s finest. Tyrone await the winners and only then will an Ulster final enter their sights.

Kerry or Cork, on the other hand, are habitually head and shoulders above the rest of the Munster pack — but a canter through the provinces hasn’t always served teams well.

Tyrone showed, by way of their ten games to claim the trophy in 2005, that arduous journeys can be a help, while Kerry (the same year) and Dublin (last year) highlighted the dangers of reaching the final stages undercooked.

“It is a long route we have but games can bring you along, especially if we are trying to blood new players,” said Armagh’s Oisin McConville.

“On the flip side, Kerry will come into the quarter-finals very fresh. They will be only starting their season at that stage. There’s two sides of the story and I’m not sure which is the better.”

Armagh will be hoping that the U21 All-Ireland winning class of 2004 can find their feet at senior level this year and McConville is confident that will prove to be the case.

“We might see six or seven of them in the championship team this year and that is a sign that we are building for the future.”

The new foundations will hardly experience a more comprehensive inspection than this Sunday. While Armagh fell over the precipice into Division Two of the league, Donegal were busy winning the whole thing.

“For us to get a win in Ballybofey would be a huge confidence boost because we had such a poor National League. Donegal’s was a total contrast,” said the Crossmaglen forward.

“They went through the National League unbeaten and then went to Croke Park and beat Mayo.

Brian McIver’s side will not lack motivation and, with Armagh travelling to the lion’s den in Ballybofey, McConville admits that the pressure is off the reigning Ulster champions for the first in a long time.

“People aren’t talking about us in the same way they have been this past few years. At the same time, we feel we are good enough to push for another All-Ireland. Most of us wouldn’t be there if we didn’t feel we were good enough.”