I don’t think we are miles behind on the club scene. Like you say some counties have Division 2 reps featuring at JFC level (Fermanagh, Cavan & Donegal). I’m sure if Armagh changed our 2B to “Junior” let some of those clubs represent us at Junior level we’d see some progress.
We are miles behind, especially at intermediate and junior level.
There has never been an Armagh winner of the Ulster Intermediate Championship - the only county in the province to fail to provide at least one winner over the 20 odd years of the competition's existence. Worse than that, no Armagh club has even won a game at this level since Cullaville all the way back in 2011 - 12 seasons ago!
The county preforms little better at Junior level, with APM's success in 2012 the only achievement of note. Clubs from the county have managed a combined total of 3 wins in the 9 seasons since then, with 6 first round exits.
The county (read Cross) used to compete well at senior level, but even at this level we've slipped back significantly. Senior clubs have won just 6 games between them in Ulster over the last decade, with 3 of those coming in Cross' 2015 provincial success. There have been 5 first round exits in that time, with Clann Eireann (2021), Cross (2018) & Maghery (2016) all on the end of big semi-final beatings even after managing to edge through a first round game.
It's gone beyond failing to compete with counties like Tyrone & Monaghan with strong club scenes, Armagh clubs have barely competed with anyone in recent years. This across the board drop off is alarming, and would leave you wondering where the county side is headed in the medium to long term.