Armagh hoping to build form after up and down league campaign says Rory Grugan

It was a campaign of ups and downs for Armagh, as they impressed in wins over Tyrone, Dublin and Derry but disappointed in defeats against Galway, Donegal and Kerry.

Experienced campaigner Rory Grugan admitted as much, as he reflected on the campaign overall.

“It is up and down, we started off with a bad result in Galway and you question things and we responded against Tyrone,” he said.

“Then we had a really bad result against Donegal, we responded well against Dublin, a bad result against Kerry and we responded against Derry.

“It’s a bit up and down, there is nothing perfect, it is new territory for us, we are trying to blood new players, getting used to the new rules and that is the thing about having a target on your back.

“I suppose you just have to get back to doing the things that got you to where you where last year. Hard work as a team and use the squad, we bang the drum hard that we have to have the humility to work hard and try and be the team we want to be and be the hunter not the hunted.”

Overall however, Grugan – who concedes that opponents raised their games due to Armagh being All-Ireland champions – is pleased that they can ‘tick off’ their first target of the year.

“It is new territory for us obviously and it takes bit of getting used to it and the ruthless nature of Division 1 means that if you are not on your game at all then you are going to get punished.

“Then add in the factor of teams coming to beat you as All-Ireland champions and add in the new rules and adjusting to that and then that changing week to week, you take that all into consideration it is the perfect storm.

“Rolling off the back of last season it would have been easy for us to throw the towel in and get relegated but it is important for us to stay and consolidate in Division 1; just where we are at as a demographic and a group of players, as a team it is very important for us and means we can tick that off and really push on for the Ulster Championship.”

Looking ahead to their Ulster Championship campaign, which begins with Saturday’s trip to Corrigan Park to face Antrim, Grugan says that although Armagh were ravaged by injury problems throughout the league, it led to them blooding in several young players, which is a positive.

“We have been forced to blood new players because we have had so many injuries and so many ups and downs because we have had one player in one player out week by week,” he said.

“The physical nature of the game, whether it is the new rules or the condensed season, it is taxing on the bodies and boys are dropping like flies and then it is next man up.

“We talked after winning the All-Ireland about the depth of our squad and how important it was to be able to bring in that quality off the bench and boys have had to step up.

“There’s a player people wouldn’t have seen much of – Callum O’Neill from Belleek, he was excellent [against Derry in Round 7] and he has been a brilliant trainer for us and he got his chance because other players are injured and he stepped up and took it, just like Tomas McCormack and Darragh McMullen, boys who have come in and taken their chance and please God the bodies start to come back and we can really build that strong squad for the summer.”

The biggest discussion in Gaelic football this year has of course, been the rule changes.

Grugan reflected on whether or not they suit Armagh, and whilst he says that things haven't been perfect, they will continue to work on things as the season progresses into the summer.

“It depends on your mindset both personally and collectively,” he said.

“I have said before that the game needed to be changed; they had to do something. It is very radical but I think the players have shown they are good at adapting and people have bought into them.

“Certainly, at the early parts of the league, it was fresh but as things heated up towards promotion and relegation people started to get a bit cranky. I think we bought into it and there are players there in the squad that can take advantage of the rules, but is probably the same in every team.

“You have seen how important having big men around the middle is and players who can kick two-pointers and how you attack in a structured set-up.

“We are far from perfect as you have seen, but we have time now to work on some things and prepare for the championship and see where it takes us in the summer.”