Attention turns to the Tennent’s Irish Cup tomorrow as Glenavon travel to Holm Park to take on Armagh City in a 6th Round tie, kick off 3pm. Armagh beat Trojans 2-1 in Round 5 whilst Glenavon recovered from conceding an early goal to defeat Portstewart 4-1.
City have not been enjoying the best of seasons and currently occupy the second-bottom spot in the NIFL Championship table but they have made a brighter start to 2017, winning two out of two before crashing to a 4-0 defeat away to Dergview in their last league game.
The Armagh line-up could feature a number of ex-Glenavon players including goalkeeper John Connolly, forwards Shea Campbell and Andrew Hoey and defender Paul Carville.
For Glenavon, Andrew Doyle is still on his recovery from a knee operation and Kyle Neill and Andy McGrory are also still out injured. Simon Kelly and Andy Kilmartin are both doubts with groin niggles which means they probably won’t be risked on the 3G pitch at Holm Park. Andrew Hall played the full 90 minutes in Monday’s friendly with Dundalk so he’s available for selection.
“Of course! I love the Irish Cup,” was Gary Hamilton’s response when we asked him if he was looking forward to the game.
Andy Hall is fit again. Photo by Alan Weir.
“Everybody has been well warned not to take anything for granted and they’ll be well warned again before kick-off tomorrow. These games are potential banana skins and a no-lose situation for the other club. If they turned us over tomorrow it would be a giant killing and it would be seen as us not performing to our capabilities. If we match them for work-rate, desire and hunger, we’ve a great chance of making it to the Quarter Finals. If we don’t the players could have egg on their faces and be sitting with regrets and that’s what you don’t want to have as a footballer.
“We’ve had disappointments against lower league opposition so we know what it feels like, we know how much it hurts but the flip side of that is the boys have to remember what the feeling is like walking out on Cup Final day, seeing your family and friends and the crowds in the stands and getting the opportunity to win the Irish Cup. There’s no better feeling than that on a single day out in football.”
