Roscommon's Senan Kilbride in action alongside Cavan's Killian Brady last weekend. Roscommon face Armagh on Saturday. Photo: Adrian Donohoe.

Rossies have seen off the 'black death' … now for the 'grim reaper'

 

Kieran Galvin looks forward to Roscommon’s clash with Armagh in the All-Ireland SFC Qualifiers at Dr Hyde Park tomorrow (Saturday, throw-in 5pm).

 

The Cavan football team were memorably (though perhaps unfairly) described by Joe Brolly as “the black death” earlier this year due to their ultra defensive style of football. In any case, Roscommon managed to overcome the challenge of Cavan in the All-Ireland Qualifiers last weekend.

And it was interesting to see that Roscommon’s next opponents, Armagh, were described as the “grim reaper” in one national newspaper report after their win over Tyrone on Sunday last.

Armagh have also been very defensive in their approach in this year’s championship, and Ulster champions Monaghan found it extremely difficult to break them down in their drawn Ulster semi-final.

“Armagh are like the grim reaper at the moment, grim on the pitch, grim afterwards. Not a lot of joy about them or their football but they’re still there,” said the Irish Independent, in their report on Armagh's 0-13 to 0-10 win over Tyrone in Omagh.

The “grim afterwards” refers to the fact that Armagh manager Paul Grimley and his players have not been talking to the media in response to the press coverage their pre-match brawl against Cavan received.

An interesting parallel is that both Armagh (who have Kieran McGeeney as assistant manager this year) and Roscommon have beaten Cavan in this year's championship. The Rossies actually defeated the Breffni side even more convincingly than the Orchard men.

With home advantage on their side, Roscommon fans will be optimistic that John Evans' charges can build on their win over Cavan. The Rossies will be hoping for a big display from Senan Kilbride, after the St Brigid’s man was held scoreless against the Breffni county. Enda Smith, exciting young talent Diarmuid Murtagh and Cathal Cregg are also key figures in the Roscommon attack. At the other end, Jamie Clarke is Armagh’s chief dangerman.

This will be their sixth championship clash between Roscommon and Armagh. They last met in 2012 when Roscommon won an All-Ireland Round 1 qualifier clash by 1-11 to 1-9 in Dr. Hyde Park.

The winners will play the losers of either the Leinster or Ulster finals in the next qualifier round.

In addition to that 2012 game between the counties, some players on both sides will be familiar with each other from meetings between St Brigid’s and Crossmaglen Rangers. The south Armagh side defeated St Brigid’s in the 2011 All-Ireland club final, but the Kiltoom/Cam men overturned that result in the 2013 semi-final.

At the time of writing, neither county had revealed their team for Saturday’s match.

Tickets for the game are on sale in SuperValu in Monksland, Athlone.

Sky Sports coverage

The Roscommon v Armagh clash will be shown live on Sky Sports, with coverage starting on Sky Sports 3 at 4.40pm. Indeed, a small piece of TV history will be made on the occasion as Sky Sports will broadcast its first GAA double-header.

The Roscommon v Armagh showdown will be followed by live coverage of Wexford v Waterford in the All-Ireland hurling qualifier at Nowlan Park (7pm throw-in).

Wexford dethroned All-Ireland champions Clare following two epic encounters, but Waterford will now fancy their chances of raining on the Model County's parade.

2014 Championship – The Story So Far

Armagh
Armagh 1-12 Cavan 0-9 (Ulster quarter-final)
Armagh 0-14 Monaghan 0-14 (Ulster semi-final)
Monaghan 1-18 Armagh 1-13 (Ulster semi-final) Replay
Armagh 0-13 Tyrone 0-10 (All-Ireland Round 2 Qualifier)

Roscommon
Roscommon 1-18 Leitrim 0-13 (Connacht quarter-final)
Mayo 0-13 Roscommon 1-9 (Connacht semi-final)
Roscommon 0-16 Cavan 0-5 (All-Ireland qualifier)

Previous Championship Clashes
2012: Roscommon 1-11 Armagh 1-9 (All-Ireland Round 1 qualifier)
1980: Roscommon 2-20 Armagh 3-11 (All-Ireland semi-final)
1977: Armagh 0-15 Roscommon 0-14 (All-Ireland semi-final) Replay
1977: Armagh 3-9 Roscommon 2-12 (All-Ireland semi-final) Draw
1953: Armagh 0-8 Roscommon 0-7 (All-Ireland semi-final)

 

*See this week’s Westmeath Independent for the views of Roscommon manager John Evans on Saturday’s game against Armagh.