Aidan Forker has issued a robust defence of Armagh manager Kieran McGeeney in the wake of recent criticism following their relegation from Division One.
Speaking outside the Armagh dressing room following last Saturday’s nine-point win over Antrim, Forker insisted that the players are fully behind their manager.
McGeeney himself tackled unsubstantiated rumours of a rift between himself and star forward Rian O’Neill after the Tyrone defeat last month and Forker feels the Orchard County are scrutinised more than some other top counties.
Read more: Armagh stars Conor Turbitt and Ethan Rafferty offer different verdicts on Antrim victory
“Firstly I’d say it has been very unfair, especially to Kieran (McGeeney),” stated Forker.
“There is no-one that has given up more for the county to be successful and Kieran wouldn’t say that out loud.
“He would do anything for this group and those things hit him the most. The narratives going around the socials are hard to ignore and hard not to see.
“He would do anything for the county to be successful and for us to be successful.
“We give up a lot but he gives up more and I have no problem in saying that.”
He added: “Yes, it was disappointing that we were relegated, but if you were summing up the League, we were on the wrong side of results and we were going out to try and play the right way.
“If you look at the League finalists, Mayo and Galway, we were ahead in both the games against them, but just couldn’t see it out for one reason or another. That’s very much on the boys who cross the white line.
“One of our big things is to challenge ourselves to be better and we just can’t let that seep in from the outside because it is really all noise and what really matters is what we say to each other inside the group.”
Armagh were never in danger of losing their Ulster SFC preliminary round tie and eased to a nine-point victory over the Saffrons to set up a quarter-final clash with Cavan on Saturday, April 23.
With O’Neill, Andrew Murnin and Jarly Óg Burns among the host of key players missing from the teamsheet, McGeeney handed a Championship debut to Shane McPartlan.
James Morgan and Ben Crealey also made their first starts of 2023 with all three impressing and Forker believes the Armagh management will have a selection headache ahead of the clash with the Breffnimen.
“We knew it was in them and I was really excited to see the likes of Shane (McPartlan) - He is pushing hard and he is a real handful in training,” said the Maghery clubman.
“He was waiting in the wings a long time and I was excited to see him and I knew he could deliver for us, which he did. The same with big Ben (Crealey) - you know what you get with him.
“The boys who are coming back from injury will definitely get it tight because those boys will not give it up too easily in the next six or seven sessions.”
Away from footballing matters, Forker said the Armagh squad were thinking of young Lilly Mulholland and wished her well as she battles serious illness.
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