Armagh will welcome back Rian O’Neill to their starting 15 for Saturday’s All-Ireland SFC quarter-final tie with Monaghan at Croke Park.
The Crossmaglen star was shown a straight red for an off-the-ball clash with Tyrone’s Cormac Quinn during the round two group clash between the rivals in O’Neill’s Healy Park.
A subsequent attempt to have the red card rescinded failed and O’Neill was forced to sit out the third three win over Galway in Carrick-on-Shannon - a result which saw the Orchard County top Group Two.
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Armagh boss Kieran McGeeney has reshuffled his team, but only made one change in personnel with full-back Ciaran Higgins dropping out of the squad altogether.
O’Neill joins Conor Turbitt and Andrew Murnin in the full-forward line with Callum Cumiskey switching to left half-back with Aaron McKay restored to the full-back position.
There is still no place in the starting 15 for Jarly Óg Burns while Clann Éireann’s Tiernan Kelly is included in the match-day 26 for the first time since the Ulster SFC preliminary round win over Antrim back in April.
Monaghan manager Vinny Corey, meanwhile, has recalled Ryan Wylie to his starting 15 with Darren Hughes missing out.
Conor McManus is also held in reserve with Gary Mohan named at full-forward.
Armagh team
Monaghan team:
Key Battles
Rian O’Neill (Armagh) vs Ryan O’Toole (Monaghan)
Armagh proved that they can cope without their talisman against Galway, but they are an infinitely better side when Rian O’Neill is on the pitch.
Sent off in the first half against Tyrone and suspended for the round three win over the Tribesmen, the Crossmaglen ace will be itching to make his presence felt in Croke Park.
O’Neill was lethal against Derry in the Ulster final and also against Westmeath in the opening group game and Monaghan will need to put their best defender on him on Saturday evening.
The job could fall to Ryan O’Toole, who has been in fine form himself this season and has been given a host of man-marking jobs for the Farney this season and fared well on Donegal’s Oisin Gallen in round three.
Andrew Murnin (Armagh) vs Ryan Wylie (Monaghan)
While Rian O’Neill has been in superb form for Armagh this season, the return to fitness of Andrew Murnin has been one of the key reasons why they’re back in the All-Ireland quarter-finals.
Not only is Murnin accurate in front of the posts, his excellent fielding ability means he can drift out to the middle third when needed but is a deadly focal point of the Orchard attack.
Should O’Toole track O’Neill, Ryan Wylie could be tasked with marking Murnin and the Ballybay clubman has the pace and physically to shadow the St Paul’s attacker.
Jack McCarron (Monaghan) vs Aidan Forker (Armagh)
With Conor McManus held in reserve in recent outings, much of the burden for scoring for Monaghan has fallen on Jack McCarron’s shoulders.
The Scotstown attacker hit 0-5, but only one point from play against Donegal scored 0-3, including two from play against Kildare in last weekend’s preliminary quarter-final victory over Kildare.
He’ll need to deliver bigger returns on Saturday and he’ll probably have Aidan Forker for company at some point.
The Maghery man is Armagh’s go-to man-marker for the big games and, provided McManus doesn’t start, Forker will pick up McCarron.
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