Kieran Donaghy says that Armagh are chasing the win against Galway that will re-establish them as All-Ireland contenders.
It’s been a frustrating year for the Orchard men so far having suffered relegation from Division One and though they then reached a first Ulster final since 2008, they eventually lost out to Derry on penalties.
In the All-Ireland series, they had an unconvincing win over Westmeath before losing to Tyrone as they go to face the Connacht champions in Carrick-on-Shannon tomorrow.
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Coach Donaghy said: “If you look at our games this year, we drew with Mayo, lost by a point to Kerry and Galway, we drew with Derry after extra-time, all teams that people are talking about in terms of winning All-Irelands, and we’re not in that conversation.
“But we’re a big performance away from being back in that conversation because there’s probably eight or nine teams that think that if they get a run at the right time, then they can win this thing. We’re no different in that sense.
“We were right there with all of those teams but I don’t think we’re being talked about like those teams and deservedly so because we haven’t delivered in terms of turning those draws and one-point losses into wins.”
The system which sees three teams emerge from groups of four has been roundly criticised but Donaghy is more tolerant of it.
“We had two teams going through from the Super 8s a few years ago and everybody was giving out about it, we have three teams going through and everybody is giving out about it.
“We wanted more games three years go, everybody was giving out about that. Now we have more games, everybody is giving out about that.
“So I think it’s pretty hard to please everybody, it is what it is. I think there’s more games, there’s more games for all the teams in the summer, which is the main thing.
“It’s not perfect, but it’s more games and it’s better than training sessions. I know we waited seven weeks for an All-Ireland quarter-final after a Munster final one year and we nearly lost an All-Ireland out of it.”
Having failed to have his red card against Tyrone overturned, Armagh will have to do without key forward Rian O’Neill tomorrow.
Donaghy added: “It’s disappointing because you are going up to a cauldron the next day without your talisman, so it’s disappointing.
“I still believe that what we have can get the job done.
“But obviously he’s a key player for us and has been playing really well.”
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