DONEGAL v ARMAGH

Tomorrow (4pm): Clones, M McNally (Monaghan) RTE

THERE’S little doubt that Armagh need this one, but it’s not like Donegal don’t want it either. The way Armagh enter the final is perfect, winning a dogfight against an ultra defensive Down, who conceded kickouts throughout their semi-final. Armagh were hit with two hammer-blow goals, but kept their composure and ground it out. Subs Aidan Nugent and Jason Duffy hit key scores late on, and they could be important again. Rian O’Neill was excellent at midfield and looked a different class to anything on the pitch, bar Aidan Forker, who kicked two fine points. Donegal will have a plan for O’Neill. His long-range point scoring and ability to engineer a yard of space is so good, he’ll probably be man marked, despite playing midfield. Armagh won’t have come up against a midfield like Jason McGee and Michael Langan yet. We’re waiting for Langan to explode, the same with Oisin Gallen. Maybe it could be tomorrow, but with so much on the line, it’s more likely to be a cagey affair with few bodies committed to attack, bar turnovers and fast counters. The likes of Ryan McHugh, Ciaran Moore, Peadar Mogan, Dara O Baoill and Shane O’Donnell excel here in a Donegal team full of pace. Jim McGuinness’ men did well to get down and back up from the high of beating Derry to take out Tyrone after extra-time. They are well battle hardened at this stage.

Thankless

Worryingly for Armagh, they didn’t get much out of Oisin Conaty or Conor Turbett against Down – this duo lit it up in Division 2, but then it’s a thankless task for scoring forwards against mass defences. If it’s about hurt and needing silverware, Armagh get over the line, but will they score enough? And don’t mention penalty shootouts to them – Donegal have the longer kicking goalie and more catchers, the faster counter-attack and a greater scoring threat with a bigger range of long range shooters in Ciaran Thompson, Langan and Patrick McBrearty. This could be key in a tight game.