A tough task in hand for new-look Armagh side

PERHAPS one of the greatest achievements of Armagh football since their reemergence as a force in Ulster football 10 years ago is that they have succeeded in imposing themselves on the public consciousness so effectively that even as they face the All Ireland champions in Clones tomorrow, many are reluctant to write them off.

That despite all recent evidence and logic (such as it is in Ulster football) suggests that Tyrone will pull through.

Armagh are, of course, reigning Ulster champions but so pronounced is their evolution from the great team that won the All-Ireland in 2002, so dismal was their defence of said Ulster title last year and so mediocre their recent league form that we really shouldn’t trust them as much as we do to pull off an upset tomorrow. And yet there are still so many players in their ranks who know how to navigate the choppy waters of Ulster football and others who have more Ulster titles than their illustrious counterparts in the Tyrone corner.