On reputation in Armagh’s case and form in Galway’s, both teams deserve further progress than this

. One of the county’s expected to unsettle the elite will fall. Armagh under Kieran McGeeney were supposed to breathe new life into the Ulster championship but their abysmal showing against Donegal merely reinforced the status quo. Then Wicklow troubled them at home. A decent performance has to be brewing.

Galway, now guided by their great All-Ireland-winning midfielder Kevin Walsh, dragged Mayo into a physical contest while somehow avoiding a string of black cards. They probably need a similar approach here.

It's hard to know which team is best equipped to trouble a provincial champion but, simplifying matters, the presence of Fiontán Ó Curraoin in Galway's midfield and absence of Armagh captain Ciaran McKeever slightly edges the physical stakes towards Galway. Still, ignoring the gifts of Jamie Clarke and the venue seems foolish. Armagh by a nose. Verdict: Armagh