Galway v Armagh: Orchard County marginal favourites, says Benny Tierney

Armagh exacted revenge on Donegal for their Ulster Championship defeat with a stirring qualifier win at Clones

Armagh's All-Ireland winning goalkeeper Benny Tierney believes the Orchard County go into Sunday's quarter-final against Galway as marginal favourites.

The weekend's third last-eight tie is widely agreed to be the toughest to call with little separating the sides on paper.

The winners will meet Derry or Clare for a place in the All-Ireland final.

"Galway are a Division Two side and we're a Division One side but they're equally as good as us," Tierney said.

He added: "The bookies have it at 50/50 and I think that's a genuine call.

"The way we've come back in the last two games plus Galway are without competitive football in the last wee while, I think we're slight favourites for this one."

• Hear what Benny Tierney had to say in full on The GAA Social

Tierney was speaking to former inter-county team-mate Oisin McConville and Thomas Niblock on a special bonus episode of the GAA Social, which will air at 14:00 BST on Saturday, 25 June on BBC Radio Ulster.

After an impressive league season which included wins over Dublin at Croke Park and reigning All-Ireland champions Tyrone, Armagh were touted by many for an extended Championship run but fell at the first hurdle in Ulster with a limp quarter-final defeat by Donegal in Ballybofey.

• 'If we play well, we'll win' - Derry boss Gallagher on Clare quarter-final

However, Kieran McGeeney's side have rediscovered their early season form in a stirring back door run that saw them sweep aside Tyrone before exacting revenge on Donegal.

"I was in Ballybofey and it was horrendous, it was a terrible game and Armagh were very poor. The set-up was poor and it didn't look like the plan was working," reflected Tierney.

"As much criticism as Geezer [McGeeney] and the Armagh management team took after Donegal they deserve immense credit for what they've done since.

"They've changed the plan, the system and the style of play.

"They were playing like that in the league. For some reason this always happens: you play a certain style in the league and things go very well and then you go 'right we're in the Championship and it's knock-out, lets tighten this up'.

"We looked devoid of ideas in Ballybofey and that has changed immeasurably since then."

Galway claimed their first Connacht title since 2018 with a win over Roscommon at the end of May

Galway, too, have enjoyed an impressive campaign to date, securing promotion to Division One before claiming their first Connacht title in four years with a deserved win over Roscommon.

With the powerhouses of Dublin and Kerry on the other side of the draw, an enormous opportunity has been presented to Armagh, Galway, Derry and Clare - one of whom will advance to the final on 24 July.

"When the draw came out, you obviously wanted to avoid Kerry and Dublin, I think that would be a step too far for us currently," Tierney continued.

"Armagh are playing with a bit of panache again, like they were at the start of the season, so I give us every bit of a chance."