Kieran McGeeney: Armagh boss backs League finals despite congested calendar

Kieran McGeeney's Armagh side produced a devastating first-half display to kill off Cavan's promotion hopes at the Athletic Grounds

Armagh boss Kieran McGeeney is content that his side face a Division Two final against Donegal a fortnight before their Ulster SFC opener even though promotion has already been secured.

McGeeney's team outclassed Cavan 2-21 to 0-12 to emphatically seal promotion.

He launched a stout defence of modern day football in backing league finals some view as unnecessary in a packed inter-county calendar.

"Any chance we get to promote our sport, we should do it," McGeeney said.

"I think we spend our time in the GAA complaining. No matter what we do, it's always wrong.

"In every other sport the league is where it's going. We should be playing home and away games [in the Allianz League].

Peter McGrane hit Armagh's first goal at the Athletic Grounds

"The sport is getting bigger in spite of what people are saying. More and more people are watching it. There are more and more scores but unfortunately all the ex-players think nobody is as good as them.

"In general if you look at the scorelines over the last couple of years, especially in Division One, most teams are hitting 19 or 20 scores.

"In our time, I don't think we ever did that…..and I mean ever.

"So if you have chances to put those things on display…..it's hard squishing it in I know but I think any chance we get to promote our sport, we should do it."

'It's funny listening to former players'

Despite being regarded as one of the most dedicated players of his era, Armagh's 2002 All-Ireland winning captain said he wasn't sure he would have the necessary attributes for the modern day game.

"It's faster, it's quicker. It's just a far better game and smarter. Whether you would be fit to play if or not?

"It's funny listening to [former] players in WhatsApp groups talking about saving football. They should take a look at their own games. What they were at themselves when they were there.

"If they wanted to save football, maybe they shouldn't have played. That's the sort of rhetoric that we're coming out with. I don't see it. I really don't.

"I just think gaelic football is a brilliant sport. It's just badly promoted."

Saturday's thumping victory over a Cavan team that still had promotion ambitions of their own going into the game saw the Orchard men lead 2-12 to 0-4 at the break, helped by a goal from corner-back Peter McGrane and Conor Turbitt's penalty.

The victory sealed promotion with a game to spare with Armagh now facing a dead rubber in Cork next from their perspective although the Rebels may need something from the game amid their battle against relegation.

Armagh drew with Donegal last month and they will meet again in the Division Two Final in two weeks

In the immediate aftermath of Saturday's win, McGeeney suggested that wholesale changes for next weekend's game are unlikely.

"I don't think it works that way. I've done that before in other divisions. You have to go out to win. Cork are a good team and again, you saw today with Louth [who beat Fermanagh 6-17 to 0-11].

"Louth were losing games by the bare minimum and they've been missing goals and today they hit them."

And as regards the Division Two Final on 31 March, McGeeney added: "There is no team that will go out to lose.

"Definitely not. I'm sure Donegal will want to beat us and we'll want to win.

We're out in the championship is it two weeks after that [against Fermanagh at Brewster Park].

"Training camps and all that sort of stuff that you are trying to fit in. It's quite difficult but if you'd asked me at the start of the year would I like that quandary, I'd have taken it."