Orchard push for an Ulster

AIDAN FORKER says Armagh’s Ulster title drought is not for a want of trying.

It’s 2008 since the Orchard County last landed the Anglo-Celt Cup but they came agonisingly close last year, losing the final to Derry on penalties.

“It’s probably a long wait for our great supporters but there is no stone being unturned to try and bring silverware back to the county,” says Forker.

“It means so much to this group and it’s not for want of trying and going after it.

“Team sport, there is only what, two winners at the end, a provincial title and an All- Ireland.

“Everyone else are the losers, so it’s a difficult task that we are obviously relishing.

Forward

“(We’re) hoping to put our best foot forward and know that on our day we will definitely put it up to anyone.”

One take on Armagh’s

2023 summer was that they didn’t lose a championship match in regulation or extratime across seven games.

Their All-Ireland quarterfinal exit at Croke Park against Monaghan also came in a penalty shoot out - another agonising defeat.

“We can take a bit of positivity and strength from that in terms of being hard to beat but we want to be on the right side of those results,” said Forker.

“Hopefully we are a year better to eke out a win in those big games.

“But we have to be in those big games to see if we have learned or not. Time will tell I suppose.”

THE last time Armagh won an Ulster Championship, skipper Aidan Forker was more of a soccer man.

That was before he had his ‘road to Damascus moment.’

It’s funny how times change with the Maghery man now the main driving force in Armagh’s bid to bridge that divide to their last Anglo-Celt Cup, which is now in its 16th season.

Forker’s memories are hazy of that 2008 Ulster decider, which Peter McDonnell’s Armagh won after a replay against Malachy O’Rourke’s Fermanagh.

It was the year after current Armagh boss Kieran McGeeney, now in his 10th season in charge, retired from playing at 37.

Paul McGrane and Steven McDonnell were still there.

But Armagh were on the slide following the most glorious era in their entire football history when they landed an AllIreland title and six Ulsters in eight years

Different

Last year’s penalty shoot out defeat by Derry was Armagh’s first Ulster final since 2008, with Forker leading the charge.

It could all have been very different for the double All Star nominee, who turned 32 earlier this month.

He spent time at Liverpool as a teenager and trialled for Northern Ireland alongside Shane Duffy.

That was before Gaelic football took over: “(I have) some