Greetings! I’m Nathan Johns, here to provide real-time coverage of today’s first of two All-Ireland football quarter-finals. We’re at Croke Park, with Armagh and Roscommon battling it out.
We kicked off just a minute ago, with Armagh taking command of the ball following an early throw-in won by Joe McErloy. Swiftly advancing upfield, they found Conor Turbitt centrally located. Capitalising on a slip from his marker, he curled one over the bar, securing the first score of the match.
As per the pre-announced teams, there have been no last-minute adjustments. Roscommon could potentially upset predictions, given the momentum they acquired from their stunning victory over Tyrone in Omagh last week. However, many believe Armagh are in a favourable position to win.
In the lead up to this quarter-final, Armagh was runners up in the Ulster championship, losing to Donegal. They then defeated Westmeath and Derry, before earning their spot in the quarters after a standoff with Galway. Despite their progress this season, they’ve previously stumbled at the All-Ireland quarter-finals, losing two in a row in penalty shootouts.
Roscommon, on the other hand, was eliminated in the Connacht championship semi-final by Mayo. They were significantly outperformed by Dublin in the All-Ireland round robin, and suffered another loss to Mayo. Nevertheless, they kept their quarter-final dreams alive by defeating Cavan, and then surprisingly overcame Tyrone. Despite their recent triumph, Roscommon’s track record at Croke Park is not impressive with their last victory dating back to 1980, such history might deter their fans a bit.
Game strategy, prior victories, and match location – a lot is factoring into today’s contest. Stay tuned as we build up to all the action until the throw-in at 4pm.