ULSTER SFC FINAL:THIS IS a fascinating chance for Fermanagh to abandon Wicklow, leaving them after a century and a quarter of the GAA as the only county yet to win a provincial title.
Fermanagh have defeated two of the most fancied sides in Ulster, Monaghan and Derry, and impressed with the way they hustled Monaghan out of their pressure game and got up off the floor against Derry.
Their defence has been sticky and also creative, with Ryan McCloskey holding the middle and facilitating adventurous running down the flanks by Damien Kelly and Tommy McElroy.
Paul McGrane has been a muscular, inspiring presence at centrefield but it's still not certain Kieran Toner has nailed down the supporting slot.
Facing Armagh is a formidable pairing. Marty McGrath's form has been so far if anything in advance of his All Star season four years ago and Mark Murphy has been an effective foil.
If the favourites will be up against it in the centrefield sector Peter McDonnell's team also have potential difficulties in the general area because Fermanagh are fast and combine well whereas McGrane and Aidan O'Rourke, although solid at centre back, lack pace, as do Charlie Vernon and Martin O'Rourke on the wings.
But the latter pair are industrious and good ball winners and it's hard to see Fermanagh punching the same holes in Armagh that became evident in the semi-final against Derry.
Armagh are a less stifling force than of old but they are more mobile in defence. They will also need attentive man-marking jobs on Ciarán McElroy and Eamonn Maguire along the left wing of the defence. Up front and in a major improvement on last year Armagh are able to call on a fit-again Ronan Clarke, which reignites the lethal partnership between him and Steven McDonnell.
It also has to be remembered when Fermanagh won the All-Ireland quarter-final four years ago just about everything that could go wrong for Armagh did so. One echo of that day that sounds tomorrow is the free-taking situation. In 2004 Oisín McConville didn't come on until towards the end and the free-kicking suffered.
McDonnell - never the most comfortable of dead-ball operatives - is again taking frees, this time sharing with Aaron Kernan, as Paddy McKeever starts on the bench. In a tight match such things can become issues.
Although this is a big chance for Fermanagh there are good reasons to expect history to proceed as usual. Armagh are more fluid than in the past and better able to cope with Fermanagh's strengths.
ARMAGH:P Hearty; A Mallon, F Bellew, F Moriarty; A Kernan, A O'Rourke, C McKeever; P McGrane, K Toner; C Vernon, B Mallon, M O'Rourke; S McDonnell, R Clarke, S Kernan.
FERMANAGH:R Gallagher; S Goan, S McDermott, P Sherry; D Kelly, R McCluskey, T McElroy; M McGrath, M Murphy; C McElroy, J Sherry, R Keenan; E Maguire, L McBarron, M Little.
Referee:J White (Donegal).
Armagh v Fermanagh
Tomorrow, Clones
Throw-in - 2pm Live on TV3 & BBC 2
GUIDELINES
In the last episode:The most memorable meeting was four years ago when Fermanagh clipped Armagh with an injury-time point by Tom Brewster but the counties have played each other three times since. In 2005 Armagh gained revenge by 2-12 to 1-7 but a year later it took a replay before Joe Kernan's team won again, by five points.
You bet:Fermanagh are 12/5, Armagh 4/9 and the draw is 8/1.
On your marks:Fermanagh's pace and movement will test Armagh particularly in the middle, where the favourites are not particularly mobile.
Fermanagh's ability to establish their fast-tempo attacks will be a significant early indicator.
Gaining ground:Clones has been restored as the Ulster final venue after the three Croke Park finals earlier in the decade but it is also a very familiar venue for Armagh, who have played nearly all of their Ulster matches there since the mid-1990s.
Just the ticket:Sold out.
Crystal gazing:Fermanagh's energetic, adventurous style and unflappable temperament make this as good a chance as they've ever had of winning the Ulster championship but Armagh offer more threat up front and that can swing it.
