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The remaining five quarter-finalists in the TG4 All-Ireland senior football championship title race will be decided tomorrow Saturday 20 June with Armagh taking on Waterford at the Box It Athletic Grounds. If Armagh win they will top the table and play a home advantage quarter final.
Group 1 Round 3 - Armagh v Waterford; BOX-IT Athletic Grounds, Armagh, 3pm – Live on TG4
Waterford manager Tomás Mac a t'Saoir faces a tough battle getting his side geared for this one after their heartbreaking loss to Cork last weekend. They looked set for victory and a place in the quarter-finals when they led by five points with seven minutes remaining but got caught by a late surge by the Leesiders.
Waterford played some great football in that game, deservedly leading by 1-8 to 0-4 at the break, but Cork kept their season alive for another week at least with their dramatic straight scoring burst.
Armagh, too, were impressive against Cork but an Aimee Mackin hat-trick ensured they wrapped up the win in an impressive 4-10 to 1-9 scoreline.
They know a win or draw will ensure a home quarter-final but only a win will suffice for Waterford and even then score difference will come into play.
Both managers have elected to send the same starting fifteen into battle in a game which will be closely watched on Leeside.
ARMAGH: B Mathers, A Donnelly, C McCambridge, C Towe; E Druse, L McConville (capt.), G Ferguson; B Mackin, C O'Reilly; L Marsden, A McCoy, C Marley; A Mackin, C O'Hanlon, K Mallon.
WATERFORD: K Gardner; C Murray, L Mulcahy, R Casey; L Cusack, K McGrath, R Browne; E Power, A O’Neill; B McMaugh, K Hogan, K Murray (capt.); M Daly, C Walsh, L McGregor.
Champions Dublin and last year’s beaten semi-finalsts Galway and Kerry have already secured home quarter-final draws and their opponents will be decided on Saturday.
The race to make the last eight is straightforward in three of the groups with Donegal playing Mayo, Tyrone taking on Meath and Tipperary hosting Kildare in what are all straight shootouts with the winners advancing to the quarter-finals and the season ending for the vanquished.
It’s a lot more complicated in Group 1 where any two from Armagh, Cork and Waterford can still go through. Cork can’t control their own fate as Armagh host Waterford at the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds in the final game in the group.
A win for Armagh and they top the table and gain a home quarter-final, with Cork going through in second.
A draw and it's Armagh topping the group and Cork going through in second.
A Waterford win will leave all three teams locked together on three points. In that instance, score difference will come into play. Armagh are currently on +10, Cork are on -9 and Waterford are on -1.
