'Hopefully we can give our travelling fans something to cheer about' says Armagh's Blaine Hughes ahead of away day in Cork

There mightn’t be a whole lot at stake in Saturday evening’s game between Cork and Armagh, but Blaine Hughes is hopeful that the large number of Orchard County supporters travelling south this weekend, return home with something to celebrate.

“I’ve heard that there are a lot of people going down to Cork and hopefully we can get a win and give them something to cheer about and to celebrate,” Hughes told Armagh TV after his side’s recent 2-21 to 0-12 win over Cavan.

In achieving that victory, Armagh earned promotion back up to Division 1 for next season, and can go into tomorrow’s fixture under no real pressure – with a tantalising league final against Donegal on the horizon on Easter Sunday.

“We’re delighted to get promoted,” said Hughes.

“That’s what our main goal was at the start of the year, to get up and back into Division One where we should be, so we’re delighted to get across the line.

“It’s where we should be and where we wanted to get to. Even leading into championship after being in Division One in previous years, the amount of energy you have coming into a championship campaign is massive, we want to play the best to be the best.”

Hughes was Armagh’s first-choice goalkeeper between 2017 and 2021, but as he stepped away from the panel, Ethan Rafferty kept a hold of the number one jersey.

However, Hughes came back into panel this year and hasn’t done too bad – keeping clean sheets in each of his six league games.

With Rafferty close to returning from injury, he will have to earn his place in the side, with Hughes in fine form.

“I’m loving it now; I love being back there,” said the Carrickcruppen man.

“Probably halfway through the league last year, I was itching to get back. Once this year came, the first thing I wanted do was get on the phone to Kieran to hopefully come back. Thank God, he took me back!”