Donegal and Armagh meet today for the third time this year in O’Donnell Park on Saturday in Round 2A of the Nickey Rackard Cup. The game throws in at 13.30 and in tune with current Level 5 restrictions it will be played behind closed doors. As it is not covered by GAAGO, Donegal GAA TV are streaming the game on a PPV basis and a free virtual programme will be available for downloading on:
https://donegalgaa.ie/donegal-tv/
It was January 25th in today’s venue – O’Donnell Park, Letterkenny – when the two sides lined out for their first Allianz league game of the year. It was to be Armagh’s day as they ran out very convincing 2-17 to 0-15 winners. Both sides went on to have good League campaigns and met again in early March in the Allianz League Division 3A final. This time it was the O’Donnell County who prevailed 1-18 to 0-19 as Armagh lost their second final in less than a year – they lost to Sligo in the 2019 Nickey Rackard final.
Last Sunday Dún na nGall squeezed past An Longfort in a thrilling finish that saw both sides hit goals in additional time. The last score of the game, a Donegal point, secured a narrow 2-13 to 1-14 victory. It was a lot more comfortable for Ard Mhacha who had 12 points to spare in a 1-21 to 0-12 victory over An Liatroim. Losers in Round 1 had a back door available but the stakes are higher in this Round 2A tie – winners go to the semi-finals, the losers season is over. Effectively this game is a quarterfinal.
The winner will be decided on the day with extra time played if the match ends all square at the end of regulation time. If teams remain level after extra time penalties will decide the outcome – each team registers five penalty takers. Only these five can take penalties and players may be required to take more than one. The only possibility of a replacement is if the goal-keeper is among the takers and he gets injured at some stage.
By Sinéad Breen Donegal PRO Thu 29th Oct
