Armagh return on the cards for McConville

All-Ireland titles for both club and county have made 32-year-old Oisin McConville one of the most decorated footballers in the game, yet the veteran Crossmaglen Rangers player who picked up his fourth AIB Provincial Ulster Club footballer of the Year award today in Dublin is still keen for more action on the GAA pitches of the country.

A disappointing All-Ireland club semi-final defeat to Dublin side St Vincent's last Sunday week, has not halted McConvilles' hunger for the game, and he is keen to make a rapid return to the Armagh jersey.

"I'm going back this week and I am looking forward to going back, it's a new challenge and it's fresh. There's somebody new in there and I think it's something everybody is looking forward too," McConville said.

"The vibes if you are talking to Joe Soap on the street, he will tell you that Armagh are rebuilding and it is going to be difficult for Armagh to do well this year.

"I suppose even as a player I would agree with that, having said that anybody at the Monaghan game would say that Armagh aren't that far away, so hopefully we can get a few more boys back from injury and things like that and we might have a decent enough year ahead.

And McConville feels that the introduction of former Under 21 boss Peter McDonnell as Senior manager this year, has given a huge lift to the Orchard County.

"It's going to be very difficult but a new man coming in always brings that extra zip to boys and everybody is looking to impress him at the minute.

Although McConville will be returning to an Armagh squad, contemplating a weekend defeat to Monaghan, he believes that there are plenty of positives to be taken from that slender one point defeat at Clones.

"The result at the weekend against Monaghan wasn't great but too be honest I seen a lot of positives from it compared with the first two matches.

"In the first two rounds we weren't good enough but on Sunday we showed a lot of fight and a lot of players have come back to form, plus the three Cross boys coming in."

Having watched that game from the stands, McConville confesses his hunger is as great as ever and he is keen to get back to full fitness.

"To be honest a lot of it is about working on fitness. There are conditioning coaches there and I'm just going to work with them for the next month or so and see how fit I can get myself.

"The appetite is still there, I'm certainly looking forward to it and hopefully it will go well."

However McConville confesses that he was contemplating a break for a few weeks, but the drive to pull back on the Armagh jersey was too great for him

"I would have loved a bit more time off, but too be honest the more time you get off the harder it is to go back then. I just decided I would go back next week and get some training in – even if I'm not doing the same training as everyone else so I'm probably not ready for matches at inter-county level just yet but the more training I get under my belt the easier it is going to make the rest of the season."

With the Kernan trio of Aaron, Tony and Stephen already in action with Armagh this season, Crossmaglen already have a strong contingent involved. McConville believes that they have a good future ahead of them in the Armagh jersey

"They are young and they have the appetite to get back into it. They love their football and it's good that they are back in. That's them settled back in and obviously going back after such a defeat is difficult and I suppose sometimes the longer you leave it the harder it is.

"The boys decided to go back on Thursday night and obviously Peter was delighted to see them. Stephen Kernan was kicking free kicks against Monaghan and I don't think he missed any that weren't in range. Armagh needed that because we have been lacking that in the past couple of weeks.

"The Crossmaglen lads bring something to the table and for Armagh to do something this year we are going to need all of those lads involved."