I honestly dont see the big deal with Intermediate/Junior club members making up the county squad. Virtually all will play little to no club games apart from championship anyway and at that, I dont see that improving their game. The obvious exception are the Cross boys 97-07, but we're talking about the most successful side in history there. Cross won the AI in 11 & 12 with a number of players in the county panel and Armagh won nothing. Most of the county guys will also have played top level colleges as well as being in county panels thoughout their footballing lives.
The fact of the matter is that you are picking the best individuals from across the county so it really doesnt matter what level the club is - the talent could be a 2nd generation county player who's father played senior football but now the club is in junior - is that talent inherited or down to the level they play at club grade?
Senior teams will naturally have stronger players across the board, obviously, but Forkhill aside there arent too many teams outside Senior with multiple representatives in the current panel which suggests to my that "single" players are being cherry picked. Of the team that started against Mayo, 5 came from outside Senior grade - Blaine Hughes, Paddy Burns, Brendy Donaghy, Jemar Hall, Soup Campbell. In my book the only question mark there is Hughes. Other options from intermediate - Murnin, Ethan - are they not worth their place? Of course they are.
Dont get me wrong, the notion of bringing a winning club mentality a la Cross in the noughties with a Senior club side dominating Ulster, challenging for AI again and having a core of those players through the county team is the ultimate recipe for success. However those teams dont come along very often & although we have good club teams currently, we dont have that truly exceptional team to choose from so its natural that other players will get a look in. On the flip side, that success isnt always a guarantee, see Slaughtneil/Ballinderry & Derry in the last 6 years.
In terms of the Tyrone argument, it doesnt stack up in my opinion. Tyrone senior club football (in fact their club football in general) is so much more competitive than Armaghs its untrue and its that competition across the board that drives their selection process. Since 2008 there have been 7 different winners of the Tyrone championship, no team has successfully defended it. In the same period Cross have won 8 Armagh championships interspersed by wins for Harps, Maghery and Pearse Ogs (which was 10 years ago). If we want more Senior club players in the Armagh County panel then we have to have a more competitive Club Senior championship - again, only in my opinion.
