Bellew may have made Armagh exit

FRANCIE BELLEW may have played his last game for Armagh.

One of Gaelic football’s cult figures, the 32-year old defender first played senior football for his county against Louth in 2002 and has earned a reputation for his robust style of play on the pitch and his quiet demeanour off it.

Bellew is preparing for the All-Ireland club final against Kilmacud Crokes next week and his Crossmaglen Rangers manager Donal Murtagh has hinted the defender will not be returning to inter-county duty.

“Francie is very hard to get information out of, as you know. He said he wasn’t too keen on going back. He said it was a young man’s game so maybe he is fed up of running around after speedy forwards.”

This isn’t the first time that Bellew’s future with Armagh has been speculated on but he returned to the inter-county scene last year after picking up a cruciate knee ligament injury in May of 2007 that sidelined him for over six months.

Bellew won an All-Ireland senior title under Joe Kernan in 2002 and added five Ulster championships and a 2003 All Star award to his catalogue during an inter-county career in which he developed a fearsome reputation as a full-back.

His influence has yet to wane at club level. Murtagh, who played in three All-Ireland club finals with him, has deployed Bellew at centre-back where he has played a more prominent role in Crossmaglen’s attacking plans.

“In my opinion, centre-half back was always his best position,” said Murtagh. “He played there in front of me when I was number three. He is back out there now but it is horses for courses. We might well have to put him in the full-back line for Tuesday. You don’t know.”

The club has always come first for Bellew, despite his success in the inter-county environment. His haul with Rangers includes 13 county championships, seven Ulsters and four All-Irelands.

Oisin McConville has already called time on his Armagh career but Peter McDonnell will still be waiting impatiently on the return of a number of Cross players including Paul Hearty, Aaron Kernan and Stephen Kernan.

The county could certainly do with them as the sheen has long disappeared from the opening day Division Two win in Wexford after home defeats to Laois and Monaghan.

Said Murtagh: “Armagh are stretched to the limit at the minute. They have one or two other players injured as well. They are down to the bare bones. As soon as we get this out of the way, we will be more than happy to send down as many as Peter wants. We have a number of players who are good enough to play for Armagh.”

The question has long been asked as to whether Crossmaglen’s continuing success is good for Armagh. Another worth pondering is whether Rangers’ success is good for their own players’ inter-county ambitions.

Young players like Paul Kernan and David McKenna are missing out on months of preparations with the county side year after year but Murtagh believes that talent will be the sole arbiter in that scenario.

“They are still only in their early 20s so there is plenty of time. David is looking for a midfield position with Armagh and he is very young to be holding a place for the county team with seasoned midfielders there.

“He is biding his time. He is certainly good enough and he will want to get a wee bit stronger and a wee bit more streetwise to dominate a midfield position for the county but he is doing well for us. I can’t complain.

“Paul Kernan has probably been our best player in the Ulster club. He is certainly playing out of his skin at the moment so it is only a matter of time before he gets his run.”