The final round of fixtures in the group stage of the All-Ireland championship takes place this weekend. In group two Galway face Armagh in Páirc Seán MacDiarmada, Carrick-on-Shannon, on Sunday at 4pm, while the other group game sees Tyrone face Westmeath in Breffni Park, also at 4pm.
All teams are still able to advance from this group, but Galway is the only team guaranteed progression. Having won their first two games, Padraic Joyce’s side sit on top of the group and know a win or a draw on Sunday will ensure they stay top and avoid a preliminary quarter-final match.
With a current capacity of just 9,500 at the Leitrim venue, both sides lodged an appeal to change the fixture to Croke Park. However, it was always going to be unlikely despite the huge interest in this fixture after last year’s game of the season ended with Galway winning on penalties. Unlike last year this is not a knock-out game, but it is sure to be a sellout. And with Leitrim having one of the smallest county grounds in the country, this is a game fixture which would have been more suited to Hyde Park, McHale Park, or Breffni Park. O’Moore Park in Portlaoise had a capacity of 22,000 and would also have been an ideal ground for this game.
A win or a draw here for Armagh would also see them progress to at least a preliminary quarter-final, while a Galway win would also give bottom of the group Westmeath a chance to progress if they were to defeat a resurgent Tyrone team.
Armagh will be without the services of star player Rian O’Neill after his red card in their second-round game, and although Armagh confirmed they were looking into appealing the suspension, it seems unlikely they would win.
Having been relegated from division one in the league, Armagh defeated Antrim, Cavan, and Down to reach their first Ulster final in 15 years before losing out to Derry on penalties. McGeeney will be disappointed with his side’s results in the group stage having lost to Tyrone, and lucky to beat an impressive Westmeath.
Armagh will need to perform better than they have all year if they are to get a win against a Galway side that is the only team left with a 100 per cent record in this year’s race for Sam.
Galway manager Padraic Joyce is currently sweating on the fitness of some key players. Having rested Damien Comer and John Maher against Westmeath, Galway then lost Rob Finnerty early on, while Shane Walsh looked to be limping when he was replaced late in the match.
With Galway’s progression already sorted, Joyce, who so far has been dissatisfied with his side’s performances, will want to see an improvement in his side's execution over 70 minutes and continue to build before reaching Croke Park in the All-Ireland series.
Galway enjoy a 100 per cent record against Armagh in championship football and will want to make it five from five, continuing the winning habit this weekend. A win would also give Galway an extra week off, while their opponents in the quarter-final on the first weekend in July would be playing their third game in three weeks.
