Dean Rock Explains Why Armagh Are The Envy Of Every Other County In All-Ireland Series

With the All-Ireland round robin series set to come to an end next weekend, you can be certain that there will be no shortage of drama across all four groups.

There is still a huge amount to play for, with top spot in three of the groups still up for grabs. As well as that, a number of counties will be aiming to book a place in the preliminary quarter-finals.

Finishing first in the round robin stage offers a massive advantage, with those teams earning passage straight to the quarter-finals. Importantly, that route also offers an extra week of rest, something that could be key in such a condensed GAA calendar.

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Armagh are the only county that are guaranteed to top their group in this year's All-Ireland round robin, meaning they are in an enviable position heading into their game against Galway next weekend.

Kieran McGeeney is likely to rest a number of his top players for that game, handing them a number of weeks to rest ahead of the business end of the championship as a result.

Writing in the Irish Times, former Dublin star Dean Rock summed up why Armagh should be the envy of every other county in this year's competition.

Armagh look to be in an unbelievable position right now. They are the only one of the 16 teams to have guaranteed a table-topping finish before the last round of games.

It means the reigning All-Ireland champions have the opportunity against Galway to give a lot of their squad players some championship minutes. It is a priceless luxury to have at this stage of the year...

For players who feel they might not be getting the opportunities they deserve, this will be their moment to show management what they can do. For Kieran McGeeney, it couldn’t really be set up any better.

Considering their recent form and kind schedule over the coming weeks, you certainly get the sense that Armagh are primed for another deep championship run in 2025.

Having claimed a first All-Ireland title in two decades last year, they will have every confidence that they repeat the trick this summer.