Armagh u-21s will be too strong for Fermanagh

Armagh u-21 Conor Corvan

AHEAD  of next Wednesday’s first Ulster u-21 championship game of the season, Armagh boss Mickey Johnston has emphasised how important the competition is for the development of the game.

Armagh have competed in the last two Ulster u-21 finals, on both occasions they lost to Antrim. Yet reaching the final suggests that the Orchard county continue to make progress and not only at senior level, where they have won league and championship titles.

“We are hoping that it [the Ulster u-21 Championship] will be massively important. We have reached the last two Ulster finals, and we have set a higher standard. They have progressed well, and they have experience of playing at Croke Park. We hope that it will bring us on in terms of development.”

Certainly the success that the Armagh u-21 team has achieved has a direct impact upon their senior team.
There are 19 members of Johnston’s Armagh senior team – the same side that won the Nicky Rackard Cup this year -  who also play for the county’s u-21s.

They include the goalkeeper Simon Doherty, Conor McKee, Mickey Convery, Nathan Green, forward Conor Corvan and James King.

All those players were involved in last year’s Ulster u-21 provincial final which the Orchard county lost 0-15 to 2-7 against Antrim. The Saffrons needed late scores from Conor McCann and injury time substitute Neil Cunningham to keep the Orchard county at bay.

“It [the Ulster u-21 championship] doesn’t matter a whole lot for Antrim, but we are in a different position,” Johnston said.

The full story is in the current issue of Gaelic Life, published on Thursday July 5. Buy your copy now in your local newsagent, or you can purchase the online version – for only 90p – by clicking here