McConville: Cross players hurt by snub
The reigning All-Ireland champions won their 16th county title in 17 years on Sunday and their Ulster SFC record scorer McConville feels new manager Paul Grimley should persuade goalkeeper Paul Hearty out of retirement as well making space for at least another four players in his side.
The 37-year-old, who played the majority of the victory over Pearse Óg, believes the club kingpins deserve more representation on the Armagh team than they have been getting in recent years.
“For us to have only two players playing against Tyrone, two players against Roscommon (this year) was complete madness to me when you consider the quality that the boys had shown all year.
“There were a lot of players in our panel who were quite hurt by that. Whenever our boys come back to play for Cross it gives them that extra spurt to try and prove a point again that they’re good enough.
“That’s the only stage we have – to put yourself out in the club championship and say, ‘right, I’m good enough to play for Armagh’.
“I understand that it hurts that these boys don’t play McKenna Cup or much National League football but that’s the way things go.”
Earlier this year, Hearty, 34, quit inter-county football but McConville says he can be enticed back to the fold.
“I think it’s time that somebody came and got him out of retirement.
“I genuinely think that if he was asked properly and went about it the proper way, definitely. James Morgan’s another player.
“I think Paul McKeown is another player who could do something for Armagh.
” I believe David McKenna’s a player that has been sort of let go almost by Armagh but if we can get him going well.
“Johnny Hanratty can do a job for you, Aaron Cunningham can do a job, Tony Kernan. I know I’m after naming about eight or nine but they’re all players who can, at the very least, challenge to be in that Armagh squad but again it’s all about opinions.”
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