McKeever on course for Championship opener

Armagh manager Paddy O'Rourke has dispelled fears over the knee ligament injury picked up by centre-back Ciaran McKeever.

McKeever was named in the Armagh team to face Cork in last weekend's final round match in Allianz Football League Division 1, but was forced to pull out.

"We only lost him on Friday when the scan results came back," O'Rourke told the Irish Daily Mirror.

"We couldn't take any risks with him because it is now too close to the Championship. If Cork had been a Championship game we might have risked him.

"He is the blood of the team and it would have been nice to have him on the field for the last 10 minutes. But he wasn't there. He will be there when the Championship comes around."

Armagh suffered a 2-15 to 1-12 defeat to Cork but still managed to stave off relegation from the top flight, with Monaghan and Galway the teams to drop down to Division 2.

O'Rourke wants his side to build on their performances now for the Championship, which begins for them with a tough Ulster SFC quarter-final clash with Down at the Athletic Grounds.

Although McKeever should be fit for that May 28 date with last year's beaten All-Ireland finalists, doubts remain over the participation of experienced forward Ronan Clarke who has been out for 14 months with a troublesome Achilles injury.