Retirements

[Spiderlegs]

Armagh Stefan Campbell has retired from inter-county duty.

The Clan na Gael clubman, who made a huge impact in the county's 2024 All-Ireland success, informed management and players of his decision in recent days, and is one of a number of players to exit alongside the likes of Ciaron O'Hanlon and Ciaran Higgins.

Campbell first joined the panel in 2011 and made his championship debut two years later.

He will be a big miss

Proved to be a big miss in the All-Ireland Quarter final against Kerry. Looks like a big transitional period ahead for Armagh and next spring likely battle with Monaghan,Roscommon to avoid the drop to Division 2?

Pick an Armagh starting 15 and 5 subs from the bench and see if it looks like a team in transition....Far from it.

There are some cracking young talents brought in who will develop for a year (potentially getting game time/starts if good enough) whilst the like of Grugan and Murnin wind down.

Soupy's impact is a loss. Niall Grimley is a loss too. Beyond that, the rest didn't play much or at all.
Potentially some guys won't be available for the start of the league through injury or other reasons.

Grimley yet to confirm he's leaving, but looks likely.

Soupy's loss will be massive, the other lads who didn't get much game time- you're underestimating how big an impact lads like that have in training and pushing the first 15 on.

McCambridge will be a massive loss until he's back, we could do with McKay back big time as well.  Need to get the 2 O'Neills fit and focused this year and they'd go a long way to steadying the ship.

 Hopefully Conaty, McMullan and McQuillan can carry their form on. Grugan, Murnin, Forker etc another year older and more miles on the clock. Exciting but at the same time concerning days ahead.

It's a very fair point about the impact the lads have in training but I'm certainly not underestimating it. But that's what the wider training squad does, it's around 40+ players and space is very much needed within it to develop young talent and that's happened this year one way or another.

[Spiderlegs]

Armagh Stefan Campbell has retired from inter-county duty.

The Clan na Gael clubman, who made a huge impact in the county's 2024 All-Ireland success, informed management and players of his decision in recent days, and is one of a number of players to exit alongside the likes of Ciaron O'Hanlon and Ciaran Higgins.

Campbell first joined the panel in 2011 and made his championship debut two years later.

He will be a big miss

Proved to be a big miss in the All-Ireland Quarter final against Kerry. Looks like a big transitional period ahead for Armagh and next spring likely battle with Monaghan,Roscommon to avoid the drop to Division 2?

Pick an Armagh starting 15 and 5 subs from the bench and see if it looks like a team in transition....Far from it.

There are some cracking young talents brought in who will develop for a year (potentially getting game time/starts if good enough) whilst the like of Grugan and Murnin wind down.

Soupy's impact is a loss. Niall Grimley is a loss too. Beyond that, the rest didn't play much or at all.
Potentially some guys won't be available for the start of the league through injury or other reasons.

The average age of Armagh starting team from the All-Ireland final in 2024 was 29, it was a team at it's peak with transition coming shortly afterwards.

Within sporting terms, transition implies a decline with a period of rebuild. Now maybe you mean something else and that's fine but I'm taking it to mean what it usually means... And that's not what is currently happening at Armagh.
Of course there are players getting older (all teams) but they are being replaced well.
Even if Armagh got relegated it means nothing as was proved in 2023/2024.
Reaching a quarter final in 2026 (likely/probable) shows no decline from 2025.

Maybe it's coming, I doubt it will be visible for all to see in 2026.

[Armagh18]

Armagh Stefan Campbell has retired from inter-county duty.

The Clan na Gael clubman, who made a huge impact in the county's 2024 All-Ireland success, informed management and players of his decision in recent days, and is one of a number of players to exit alongside the likes of Ciaron O'Hanlon and Ciaran Higgins.

Campbell first joined the panel in 2011 and made his championship debut two years later.

He will be a big miss

Proved to be a big miss in the All-Ireland Quarter final against Kerry. Looks like a big transitional period ahead for Armagh and next spring likely battle with Monaghan,Roscommon to avoid the drop to Division 2?

Pick an Armagh starting 15 and 5 subs from the bench and see if it looks like a team in transition....Far from it.

There are some cracking young talents brought in who will develop for a year (potentially getting game time/starts if good enough) whilst the like of Grugan and Murnin wind down.

Soupy's impact is a loss. Niall Grimley is a loss too. Beyond that, the rest didn't play much or at all.
Potentially some guys won't be available for the start of the league through injury or other reasons.

The average age of Armagh starting team from the All-Ireland final in 2024 was 29, it was a team at it's peak with transition coming shortly afterwards.

Within sporting terms, transition implies a decline with a period of rebuild. Now maybe you mean something else and that's fine but I'm taking it to mean what it usually means... And that's not what is currently happening at Armagh.
Of course there are players getting older (all teams) but they are being replaced well.
Even if Armagh got relegated it means nothing as was proved in 2023/2024.
Reaching a quarter final in 2026 (likely/probable) shows no decline from 2025.

Maybe it's coming, I doubt it will be visible for all to see in 2026.

Yeah fair enough, just feel like we're light for impact from the bench with Soupy gone, not sure we've anyone who could come on with that sort of pace and virtually guaranteed 2-3 points from the bench bar McQuillan and Conaty who look to be nailed on starters. Hopefully someone else can step up.

Would be brilliant to have McKay, Ciaran Mackin and 2 O'Neills fit and flying who we didnt have for large parts or at all last year.

[Spiderlegs]

Armagh Stefan Campbell has retired from inter-county duty.

The Clan na Gael clubman, who made a huge impact in the county's 2024 All-Ireland success, informed management and players of his decision in recent days, and is one of a number of players to exit alongside the likes of Ciaron O'Hanlon and Ciaran Higgins.

Campbell first joined the panel in 2011 and made his championship debut two years later.

He will be a big miss

Proved to be a big miss in the All-Ireland Quarter final against Kerry. Looks like a big transitional period ahead for Armagh and next spring likely battle with Monaghan,Roscommon to avoid the drop to Division 2?

Pick an Armagh starting 15 and 5 subs from the bench and see if it looks like a team in transition....Far from it.

There are some cracking young talents brought in who will develop for a year (potentially getting game time/starts if good enough) whilst the like of Grugan and Murnin wind down.

Soupy's impact is a loss. Niall Grimley is a loss too. Beyond that, the rest didn't play much or at all.
Potentially some guys won't be available for the start of the league through injury or other reasons.

The average age of Armagh starting team from the All-Ireland final in 2024 was 29, it was a team at it's peak with transition coming shortly afterwards.

Within sporting terms, transition implies a decline with a period of rebuild. Now maybe you mean something else and that's fine but I'm taking it to mean what it usually means... And that's not what is currently happening at Armagh.
Of course there are players getting older (all teams) but they are being replaced well.
Even if Armagh got relegated it means nothing as was proved in 2023/2024.
Reaching a quarter final in 2026 (likely/probable) shows no decline from 2025.

Maybe it's coming, I doubt it will be visible for all to see in 2026.

Yeah fair enough, just feel like we're light for impact from the bench with Soupy gone, not sure we've anyone who could come on with that sort of pace and virtually guaranteed 2-3 points from the bench bar McQuillan and Conaty who look to be nailed on starters. Hopefully someone else can step up.

Would be brilliant to have McKay, Ciaran Mackin and 2 O'Neills fit and flying who we didnt have for large parts or at all last year.

Exactly right with those 4 players. This is what I mean about it not yet being a transitional time.