Armagh will host Dublin at the newly-refurbished Athletic Grounds, with both sides needing to pick up early points in what promises to be an ultra-competitive Allianz League Division 1.
The hosts come in to the top flight as Division 2 champions, but they still a long way off the standards set by their All-Ireland winning predecessors of 2002.
Joe Kernan, who was Armagh manager at the time of that historic win nine years ago, reckons the Orchard County will need six points to guarantee their safety, and has pinpointed their home games as crucial in that respect.
But the Ulster outfit have had a poor start to the year. They beat Down in the McKenna Cup, but that victory was overshadowed by defeats at the Athletic Grounds to Antrim and St Mary's University College.
Armagh manager Paddy O’Rourke will be hoping to get Ronan Clarke back in action as soon as possible, but the two-time All Star forward is rightly exercising caution after a year on the sidelines with an Achilles problem.
Dublin centre-back Ger Brennan injured his ankle in last week’s O’Byrne Cup Shield final win over Meath and will miss the trip north. He will be replaced by James McCarthy.
The Metropolitans needed extra-time to see off their Royal rivals, but manager Pat Gilroy believes the intensity of the game at Parnell Park will have done wonders for his side at this stage of the season.
Seán Murray has impressed at full-back recently and the St Brigid’s clubman has been rewarded with a starting place.
Armagh will be looking to avenge their defeat to the Dubs in the qualifiers last summer, when the Orchard County managed to clutch defeat from the jaws of victory.
There is rarely a sure thing in league football, but it would be a huge shock if Armagh, who are without their Crossmaglen Rangers contingent, were able to manage anything more than a respectable loss.
Verdict: Dublin
