Manager hopes to avoid injuries in league games

They will arrive back under his wing following the next five weeks of club action which kick starts with a full programme of all-county fixtures this weekend.

The county’s pending tie with Donegal this Sunday will see Friday night being utilised and apart from the pinnacle of the top flight, all other matters look to be highly competitive.

The real shame is that division one sides will not be rewarded for a successful and sustained league run.

It has been mooted in the past that authorities should consider allowing both ACL division one winners and County Championship winners to enter the provincial championships.

If a club team wins both the League and Championship then the Championship winners would progress alongside the League runners-up.

Promoted Maghery and Whitecross are in divison one this season along with last year’s relegated teams Mullaghbawn and Killeavey who were saved from division two football by the new re-aligned structures which brings the number of sides competing in the top flight to 12.

With Paddy O’Rourke promising a pragmatic attitude towards the balance between club and county duties. If the injuries don’t scupper the notion competitive matches should be seen in 2010.

Last season both Clan na Gael and Sarsfields just about did enough to consolidate their positions in division one.

The ‘Trasna side are without both Aidan Murray and Peter Stevenson at the minute who are both defenders. It will be interesting to see if the Hoops new boss Patsy Donnelly will give schoolboy stars Thomas McAlinden and Colin Stevenson their heads this season. Dead ball specialist Chris McGaughey, who impressed with St Michael’s this season, has already played at senior club level.

Sarsfields have a real chance to grab two early season points against Pearse g who won’t have the services of Philip Loughran, Andy Mallon, Paul Duffy, and Ronan Clarke who is currently injured on Saturday night. County player Paul Magee is expected to play for Sarsfields.

Meanwhile Clan na Gael Manager Gerard Skelton will be expecting to build on the positives gained from last season.

The Clans gave a good account of themselves by reaching a Championship semi-final and showed real grit away from home.

The young Francis Street side will have come on from last season’s campaign and their very good ‘B’ team. If rumours are true that Colin Treanor, Diarmaid Marsden and possibly Paul O’Hagan are joining their ranks they will further improve. The Clans face Carrickcruppin in the opener.

Division two is unbelievably competitive this season. Newly promoted St Peter’s have two tough openers against St Michael’s, Tr Na ng who would have been disappointed with some of their form last season travel to Silverbridge and Wolfe Tones, who will be without Armagh defender Finnian Moriarty, play Ballymacnab away. As for Clann ireann their home tie against Granemore looks too close to call.

In division three St Paul’s host Middletown and Eire g, who won promotion last season, play Clonmore at Pinebank.

The big issue this season will be surrounding pitch availability. Davitt Park, St Paul’s and Wolfe Tones are all closed at the moment.

The various B Leagues also start soon. Regional sections will be run off, leading to a Northern regional final and a Southern regional final with the eventual winners of both sections competing in an All County final.

First impressions would suggest that the new structures for club football in Armagh have been well thought out and look to be ambitious. The new youth structures are very workable and should be welcomed by the clubs.