All-Ireland 2023: Pressure's on Armagh in hunt for silverware after Ulster heartache - McConville

Kieran McGeeney's Armagh open their All-Ireland campaign at home to Westmeath

Just two weeks on from their heartbreaking Ulster final penalty shootout defeat by Derry, Armagh are back in action this weekend in the All-Ireland round-robin stages.

The Orchard men welcome Westmeath to the Athletic Grounds on Saturday (16:45 BST) in their Group Two opener.

And while they are widely expected to beat last year's Tailteann Cup winners, Oisin McConville admits missing out on a first Ulster title since 2008 will ramp up the pressure on Armagh in the race for the Sam Maguire.

"They should [win]," McConville said of the Westmeath game.

"Therein lies the problem though. If there's any sense of complacency, any hangover from the Derry game, which no doubt there will be, we're talking about human beings here.

"That was a bit of a setback for Armagh. There's no point in saying any different. The fact that they haven't got silverware now probably increases the pressure on them a little bit."

Losing to Derry in such dramatic circumstances in the provincial decider represents the latest in a series of heartaches for Armagh.

Last year, they also lost an All-Ireland quarter-final on penalties with Galway prevailing at Croke Park after a riveting game finished level after extra-time.

Kieran McGeeney's side also failed to retain their Division One status earlier this year with defeat by arch-rivals Tyrone in Omagh sealing their fate.

And while they bounced back impressively to claim Ulster wins over Antrim, Cavan and Down, the manner of their loss to the Oak Leafers at Clones will have been difficult to stomach after surrendering a two-point lead deep into extra-time.

"This is a good game to get them back on track," Wicklow boss McConville, a 2002 All-Ireland winner with Armagh, added.

"I don't expect Armagh start quickly but I'd expect them to get the job done."

After Westmeath, Armagh will return to Omagh to face Tyrone before taking on Galway at a neutral venue in their other group games.

Armagh vs Westmeath team news

Armagh make three changes from the Ulster final with Stefan Campbell, Aidan Nugent and Ben Crealey replacing Conor Turbitt, Shane McPartlan and Barry McCambridge.

Armagh: Ethan Rafferty; James Morgan, Aaron McKay, Aidan Forker; Greg McCabe, Conor O'Neill, Jarly Og Burns; Ben Crealey, Ciaran Mackin; Rory Grugan, Jason Duffy, Stefan Campbell; Andrew Murnin, Rian O'Neill, Aidan Nugent.

Subs: Shea Magill, Ciaran Higgins, Barry McCambridge, Ross McQuillan, Callum Cumiskey, Connaire Mackin, Shane McPartlan, Conor Turbitt, Jemar Hall, Cian McConville, Oisin Conaty.

Westmeath: Jason Daly; Jack Smith, Kevin Maguire, Jamie Gonoud; James Dolan, Andy McCormack, David Lynch; Sam Duncan, Ray Connellan; Sam McCartan, Ronan O'Toole, Senan Baker; Luke Loughlin, John Heslin, Stephen Smith.

Subs: Trevor Martin, Jonathan Lynam, Lorcan Dolan, Kieran Martin, Robbie Forde, David Giles, Darragh Seery, Conor McCormack, Eoin Mulvihill, Daniel Scahill, Ronan Wallace.

'Monaghan not a given for Derry'

Ryan McAnespie returns for Monaghan

Derry are also back on their home patch on Saturday with the newly crowned back-to-back Ulster champions welcoming Monaghan to Celtic Park (19:00).

Retaining the Anglo-Celt will have undoubtedly bolstered Derry's Sam Maguire aspirations and they will be confident of seeing off a Monaghan team they beat convincingly in the Ulster semi-finals.

However, while McConville sees Derry as favourites on Saturday, he says you can never write off a Monaghan team known for bouncing back from difficult defeats.

"If there's a team that's going to trip them up it's going to be Monaghan," he said.

"What's the word people keep associating with Monaghan? Resilience. How they bounce back and it'll be important how they bounce back this weekend. So that game's not a given.

"But Derry at home, with the assuredness and confidence with which they're playing and the fact they've won back-to-back Ulster titles, it's massive for them.

"It might give them an extra kick on for them to realise 'we are All-Ireland contenders, but if we are, we need to be putting Monaghan away at our home venue."

Derry vs Monaghan team news

On the team news front, Monaghan have named Ryan McAnespie to start on Saturday. McAnespie has returned to the Farney set-up after coming back from Australia and is named at full-forward.

Gary Mohan is also named to start with Conor McManus dropping to the bench alongside Darren Hughes, who came off injured in the Ulster semi-final loss to Derry.

Derry: Odhran Lynch; Chrissy McKaigue, Eoghan McEvoy, Conor McCluskey; Conor Doherty, Gareth McKinless, Padraig McGrogan; Conor Glass, Brendan Rogers; Niall Toner, Paul Cassidy, Ethan Doherty; Benny Heron, Shane McGuigan, Niall Loughlin.

Subs: Ryan Scullion, Declan Cassidy, Ciaran McFaul, Shea Downey, Lachlan Murray, Ben McCarron, Paul McNeill, Padraig Cassidy, Conleth McGuckian, Mark Doherty, Diarmuid Baker.

Monaghan: Rory Beggan; Ryan O'Toole, Kieran Duffy, Ryan Wylie; Karl O'Connell, Conor Boyle, Conor McCarthy; Karl Gallagher, Killian Lavelle; Stephen O'Hanlon, Michael Bannigan, Dessie Ward; Jack McCarron, Gary Mohan, Ryan McAnespie.

Subs: Darren McDonnell, Sean Jones, Conor McManus, Shane Carey, Darren Hughes, Thomas McPhillips, Kevin Loughran, Kieran Hughes, Darragh McElearney, Francie Hughes, Colm Lennon.