Staying in Division 1 important for development of young players says Armagh coach Conleith Gilligan

He says that getting games against the best teams in Ireland week ensures that the management get an accurate read on where new players are at in terms of their development.

“Staying in Division 1 is important from the point of view of just getting games at a very high level,” he said.

“If you're blooding players, you get to see them against the very best and you probably get a better idea and they get a better feel for what it takes.

“So staying up was really important. Look, it (relegation) is not the end of the world as in the last couple of years Division 2 teams have showed, but just for the development of a team, it's probably nicer and then you can build a wee bit more momentum because you know where you're at and you know what the future holds next year.”

Young guns Darragh McMullen and Tomas McCormack made their mark in the league this year, as the pair combined for 13 out of a 14 possible starts across the seven games.

Furthermore, Belleek's Callum O'Neill has put his hand up for more opportunities, as he performed well against Derry last weekend in what was his first start in league or Championship.

“Even last year, they were performing really well, but just last year the team was solid, we didn't really have any injuries and it's hard to force yourself in.

“I suppose this year, with no McKenna Cup, it was harder for those players to get into game time in many ways and that's where the McKenna Cup was a big miss. Because last year we got Peter McGrane and players like that from it.

“So injury forced our hand to give them a chance and to be fair, they put in the work and they really stood up and put a hand up for two weeks, three weeks time.”

Whilst, as Gilligan says, Armagh generally had good luck with injuries last year, that hasn't been the case this campaign. Only six of the 15 who started the All-Ireland final, started against Derry in Round 7 of the league.

However, Aidan Forker and Jason Duffy are on the mend from illness, Connaire Mackin is recovering from a niggle and the hope is that Tiernan Kelly, Ben Crealey and Niall Grimley will be fit to return for the Championship.

“Even from the team that we'd picked for Sunday there, we lost two with the flu and Connaire with just an innocuous niggle from Thursday night.

“So those are the things that happen and I suppose it just shows you that everybody has to be ready because you don't know when your chance is going to come, but when it comes you need to be in a position that you can grab it. I suppose that's where preparation meets that wee bit of luck for you.

“TK will be close, Ben, Grimbo, they'll all be close come Championship time and the fact that the other players have pushed on, it means they're really going to have to rise to the level to try and get back in.

“They're all coming really good at this stage, but again I suppose with the nature of the way the season works, because it is so tight, you can't rush anybody back because if you do get a reoccurrence of that same injury, it could put you out for five or six weeks and at this stage, it's nearly a season-ender in many ways.”

The big news of the week, was that the debate over where the Antrim v Armagh Ulster SFC Quarter-final will be played was finally put to bed, with Corrigan Park selected as the venue, and Gilligan says that Armagh have no issue in going to play the game in West Belfast.

“I suppose people are always asking your opinion as if it had nothing to do with us, we knew very little about it until such times as it came out that Corrigan maybe wasn't the preferred venue for the Ulster Council.

“But I completely empathise with where Antrim are coming from, they were drawn out first and as is tradition in most sports, the first team out of the hat is home draw and with the absence of Casement Park, I suppose that's the biggest thing that comes out of this is that it just shows the need that Antrim and GAA have for Casement Park to be built and built quickly. Obviously they're deserving of a home venue that can host a match-up in Ulster.

“So, it was there in the background, it has been talked about, but I suppose we were in the middle of a league where we were trying to, at one stage it looked like we were pushing on for maybe getting to a final and then with a bad result in Kerry it looks like you're having to fight for your life.

“So, it probably wasn't in the forefront of our minds because wherever it was going to be, we had no issue, if it was going to be Corrigan Park, we were happy enough. Whatever it had to be, it had to be and we'll just prepare for that and I've been to Corrigan Park loads of times and it's a brilliant venue, the atmosphere will be electric because if there is 3,500-4,000 in it, the noise will be there and that's what this Championship is about.”

The All-Ireland champions will of course be hot favourites, as Antrim were relegated from Division 3, but Gilligan has guarded against complacency.

“Yeah, and that's the danger I suppose with all teams where you go in with a favourites tag, it's trying to make sure that complacency doesn't set in,” said the Ballinderry man.

“Even looking at the result last weekend, Kildare were huge favourites to beat Antrim but going into the last quarter, the game was nip and tuck. So, we'll prepare really well, Antrim have loads and loads of good players and even the club scene in Antrim now with what Ciargin have been able to do in Ulster, it just shows that any team that comes out, they've really, really good players and we'll be prepared for that.

“It's the Ulster Championship and it's a thing that every player looks forward to and Armagh will be no different.”