O’Rourke awaits tougher test

AUGHRIM two days ago, Omagh next weekend.

Armagh’s diary in recent weeks brings the words frying pan and fire to mind and manager Paddy O’Rourke has no doubt but that the temperature will be raised a number of degrees in Healy Park.

The Ulster county travelled south forewarned about the dangers of Wicklow’s home ground and its recent capacity to serve as a graveyard to northern hopes but it proved to be a more straightforward assignment. Saturday will be anything but.

“We have a decent team but we have an awful step up next week,” admitted O’Rourke, “because we are playing against Tyrone who have been one of the best teams in the country the last ten years so we are really going to know where we are when we face them in Omagh. That will be much, much more difficult. I would rather come to Aughrim again than go to Healy Park and play Tyrone but that is the challenge that awaits us. And we’ll look forward to it.”

O’Rourke admitted Wicklow’s reputation in Aughrim had served as something as a lightning rod for Armagh who had to soak up a high degree of criticism after the draw with Mick O’Dwyer’s side seven days earlier in the Morgan Athletic Grounds.

“We weren’t as disappointed with the performance maybe as people thought. We were disappointed with the first 25 minutes but we dominated after that but were hit with two sucker punches, one at the end of normal time and then in extra-time. Both times it looked like the game was over but we showed great character then in working the ball back up the field both times and getting the scores we needed.”

Next weekend’s derby will be their third competitive fixture in three weeks and that momentum should stand to them.

“I don’t think it will do us any harm but they will definitely not be cold,” said O’Rourke. “They only played a (week) ago. I would say the advantage on that end of things is probably with them. But we are happy with where we are. We are still in the championship.”