Armagh name six All-Ireland starters for Antrim game
Armagh's team for Saturday's Ulster Football Championship contest against Antrim at Corrigan Park (12:30 BST) includes only six of last July's All-Ireland Final starting side.While changes to the squad announced on Thursday night are highly possible, as it stands Paddy Burns, Barry McCambridge, Connaire Mackin, Rory Grugan, Tiernan Kelly and Andrew Murnin are the players retained from the All-Ireland Final line-up.The changes see Ethan Rafferty replacing Blaine Hughes in goal with championship debutant Tomas McCormack, Ross McQuillan and Greg McCabe drafted into the defence.All-Ireland winning captain and All-Star Aidan Forker, who was troubled by injury during the league campaign, is named on the bench.Callum O'Neill and Ciaran Mackin form the midfield partnership with All-Ireland centrefield starters Niall Grimley and Ben Crealey not in the matchday squad.Crealey is among four of the six Armagh All-Stars from last season who, as it stands, will not be involved with Rian O'Neill, Oisin Conaty and Conor Turbitt also missing from the 26-man squad.McCambridge and skipper Forker were Armagh's two other 2024 All-Stars.Rian O'Neill remains absent after not featuring during the Allianz Football League, with Kieran McGeeney saying last month that he didn't expect the Crossmaglen man to play for the county this year.With Tiernan Kelly switching from centre half-back to right full-forward, Darragh McMullen is handed a championship debut in an attack that also includes Peter McGrane and Stefan Campbell, who set up Aaron McKay's crucial second-half goal in the All-Ireland decider.McKay and Joe McElroy are the other All-Ireland starters from last July not named in the matchday squad.Antrim have yet to announce their panel for Saturday's game.Armagh: E Rafferty; P Burns, B McCambridge, T McCormack; R McQuillan, G McCabe, Connaire Mackin; C O'Neill, Ciaran Mackin; D McMullen, R Grugan, P McGrane; T Kelly, A Murnin, S Campbell.Substitutes: B Hughes, G Murphy, C Higgins, A Forker (capt), J Og Burns, C McConville, J Hall, S McPartlan, O'Neill, S Conlon, C O'Hanlon
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