GAA: Armagh's momentum to carry them past Tipperary, says Peter Canavan

Peter Canavan takes a look ahead to the weekend's football action including analysing Armagh's match-up with Tipperary, live on Sky Sports.

Every year the championship swings by in a flash and it passes just as quickly. It's hard to believe that in a couple of weeks time we'll all be perched in Croke Park for the remainder of the season, watching the big guns go head-to-head in HQ.

With that in mind I think that this weekend is a kind of 'moving weekend'. Last time out, I flagged Roscommon's win. I could see it coming a mile away and I wasn't surprised they came through. This weekend, however, I genuinely don't see any shocks.

Take the All-Ireland SFC Qualifiers first. Round 3B sees Tipperary up against Armagh at Semple Stadium for a 5pm fixture that will be shown on Sky Sports. I'm looking forward to this game, I don't think there will be much between the two sides but, in the heel of the hunt, I think Armagh will pip it.

They're on a roll, they have momentum, they have weathered a couple of mini-storms and yet they are still standing. I would give them a great chance of coming down to Thurles and getting a result.

Tipp are a good side, we in Tyrone know that from underage battles, they had a great win over Cavan last weekend but they stole a win against Armagh in the NFL deciding group phase and, with the memory of that still raw, I think Armagh will be well up for this one.

They met again a few weeks later in a challenge match and Armagh won well.

Armagh were extremely poor against Down in the Ulster semi-final but they have bounced back well and, even though Jamie Clarke got a black card early against Westmeath, they still had enough about them to win in Westmeath's back yard. That was a big win and I take them to progress this weekend.

I take Monaghan to beat Carlow too in the second qualifier of the day. They will have to be patient, hold their discipline and not get dragged into a war but if they do that they will have enough about them. They may have under-estimated Down in the Ulster semi-final and Down went into that game as if their very lives depended on it.

They made every tackle a ferocious contest and they caught Monaghan on the hop. Since then Malachy O'Rourke has steadied the ship a nice bit and they will make the journey to Netwatch Dr Cullen Park with massive confidence again. The game is on at 7pm and it's another that is being shown on Sky Sports.

In some ways it could be intriguing. Carlow set up two defensive rings against Dublin in their Leinster SFC clash and I'd expect them to do the same again this time around. They have good players - Brendan Murphy, Daniel St Ledger and Shaun Murphy all caught my eye against Dublin and I would have seen them play to a high level in previous seasons as well.

Turlough O'Brien is doing well as manager but their coach, Stephen Poacher, is doing a huge job in organising them. Still, they won't have enough to beat Monaghan.

On Sunday in the Leinster SFC final, I don't think Kildare will have enough to beat Dublin either. Dublin are on the hunt for history but they don't seem to endure any pressure in coping with such burdens. I am waiting to see how they perform in this game.

They went on a team holiday quite late in the year and they took a five-week break in the middle of the season too so obviously they are looking to peak over the next two months. Does that give Kildare a sniff?

Well, I think Kildare are coming anyway. They hit Meath hard last day, they have great, fast, direct forwards and they are showing no fear.

But their record in HQ over recent seasons is terrible and many of those players would have featured in all of those defeats, some heavy and some self-inflicted.

I like what they are doing, where they are going, and how they have gotten themselves out of Division 3 into Division 1. They have a good manager who knows the sport inside out but is evolving into the art of management all the time. The players clearly rate and respect him and now the question is can they rattle Dublin?

They need a good start, they need to stay in the game and get the crowd behind them. They will have huge support but I don't know if they can contain Dublin's range of artillery. I think they will come up short but do themselves proud and either way they can build on Sunday for whatever lies ahead this season.

I also feel that if Tyrone meet Down head-on and retain the hunger that they have displayed this season they will have enough to win.

It's as simple as that. If Tyrone have the hunger to win I think they have the goods to do so. Down showed huge courage to avoid relegation to Division 3 and they are fresh from their first win over Armagh in 25 years.

They will be soaring sky high in their belief and no one will give them a chance on Sunday. I would be wary of them but I feel if Tyrone play to their own high standard they will win the Ulster SFC again.

Sky Sports' live GAA coverage continues on Saturday with Tipperary v Armagh, live on Sky Sports 5 HD from 4pm with Carlow v Monaghan following at 7pm. For those on the move you can get updates via our live blog at www.skysports.com/GAA or @SkySportsGAA

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