Armagh Hurlers open up NHL v Wicklow
The Armagh Senior Hurlers commence their NHL campaign this weekend with an away fixture against Wicklow followed by a home game to Mayo.
Armagh are on the road again to both Down and Derry and complete the programme against Donegal. Armagh have had a lot of new faces this year , due to long term injuries such as Craobh Rua’s Fiachra Bradley and Cuchulainn’s Conor Devlin taking a year out to travel the world and Middletown Na Fianna’s fantastic run in the All-Ireland Club series. This has given new manager Paddy Kelly the opportunity to look at the next batch of promising players such as Caolan Rice who had a very good match in a recent win over Dublin side Na Fianna, Cuchulainn’s Conleth Lavery, Sean Tracey’s nippy forward Odhran McCann and Derrynoose’s Aaron Fox who has also caught the eye in recent challenge encounters against Roscommon and Meath. Both Eoin and Artie McGuinness have had a very positive impact on the younger players, while the county will once again be looking to the experience of , Ciaran Clifford,Simon Doherty and John Corvan. Derrynoose’s Pete McKearney is currently injured but will have an instrumental role when he returns while Wexford native and Sean Tracy’s clubman Davy Bridges has cemented his place on the team.
The management of Paddy Kelly ( ex Meath and Leinster player who coached St. Judes in Dublin last yr) James Doyle ( Wexford) and Ruairi McGrattan ( former Portaferry and Down player) have led a very intense training programme in which McGrattan has commented that ‘the players have exceeded our expectations’. The management would stress that Granemore, Derrynoose and Ballymacnab clubs are instrumental in their plans and without these clubs support ,training wouldn’t have been as successful. Paddy Kelly comments that ‘ travelling up from Meath is easier when you have 26 lads busting to train’.
The lads have played against Roscommon twice, Louth, Meath, Monaghan and Dublin side Na Fianna and Paddy James and Ruairi are looking forward to the league campaign and seeing each player deliver on their potential, but equally we are realistic in that this is a developing team with 7 U-21’s on the panel. The management are also looking forward to meeting up with the Middletown players and working with this very focused and driven group of mem.
Armagh hurling backroom team :- Paddy Kelly, James Doyle, Ruairi McGrattan, KieranNugent, David O’Brien and Sean O’Maoilste.
| 1 | Simon Doherty | Naomh Eoin |
| 2 | Ciaran Clifford | Cú Chulainn |
| 3 | Artie McGuinness | Seamróga an Iúir |
| 4 | Caolan Rice | Cu Chulainns |
| 5 | Conleth Lavery | Cu Chulainns |
| 6 | Stevie Renaghan | Lamh Dhearg |
| 7 | Glen McKeown | Naomh Moinne |
| 8 | Odhran McCann | Seán Ó Treasaigh |
| 9 | Barry Short | Lámh Dhearg |
| 10 | Patrick McGrane | Naomh Mochua |
| 11 | Nathan Green | Lámh Dhearg |
| 12 | Eoin McGuinness | Seamróga an Iúir |
| 13 | Danny McGee | Seán Ó Treasaigh |
| 14 | Dylan McKenna | Lámh Dhearg |
| 15 | Connor Mc Anallen | Lámh Dhearg |
