GAA: Armagh aim to defend title
Saturday, 15 July 2000 14:29Armagh will be up against it when they aim to defend their Ulster title in tomorrow's provincial final at Clones. The champions are without 1999 All-star Diarmuid Marsden and as a result the impact of their forward line is seriously affected. However, it is still generally accepted that they have improved in this sector on last year, and should trouble a Derry defence that looked frail at times against Antrim in their drawn and replayed semi-finals.
Derry too though have improved on last year, and the National League champions have the best midfield in the country at present in Anthony Tohill and Dermot Heaney. These two should secure enough possession to feed a forward line boasting Enda Muldoon at full-forward and which sees Joe Cassidy start on the wing. It is Muldoon's influence on the suspect Armagh full-back position that Derry will hope will sway the tie. Ger Reid returns to anchor the Armagh defence after John Donaldson struggled to contain Stephen Maguire of Fermanagh last time out.
