Injury blow set to leave Armagh without key man for rest of championship
ARMAGH have been dealt a major blow as Ben Crealey looks set to miss the rest of their championship campaign. It is understood the Maghery midfielder suffered a broken ankle at training earlier in the week, days out from the Orchard’s Ulster quarter-final clash with Fermanagh.In a double-blow, a shoulder injury could also rule out Callum O’Neill for Saturday - and possibly longer - as Armagh wait to learn the extent of the damage to the Belleek man.Alll-Star Crealey, one of the most experienced men on Kieran McGeeney’s panel, played all of normal time in Armagh’s dramatic extra-time provincial preliminary round victory over neighbours Tyrone, before making way for Paddy Burns in extra-time.His loss comes just as the Orchardmen were looking like getting near to full strength, with Rory Grugan, Barry McCambridge, Aidan Forker, Joe McElroy, Andrew Murnin and Ciaran Mackin all in contention.With Crealey’s 2024 All-Ireland winning midfield partner, Niall Grimley, taking time away from the county game this year, Rian O’Neill out of the picture and Callum O’Neill potentially unavailable - while Mackin and Murnin work their way back from injury - McGeeney finds his options stretched in that department.As a result Crossmaglen ace Oisin O’Neill, who came off the bench to such impressive effect against the Red Hands, could find himself in the frame for a midfield role at Brewster Park on Saturday. The winner of the Fermanagh-Armagh game will face whoever comes out of Down’s trip to Donegal in the Ulster semi-final, with Derry and Monaghan meeting in the other last four clash.Another option could be Ethan Rafferty. A county standard midfielder or forward for most of his days, the Grange man was reimagined as a roving goalkeeper in recent seasons but, with Blaine Hughes commanding the number one spot, he has found minutes hard to come by so far this year. McGeeney played Rafferty outfield in a couple of Dr McKenna Cup games, and could be tempted to use him again in Crealey’s absence.
