Kieran McGeeney Says Players With Colour Blindness A Factor In Jersey Selection | Balls.ie

Armagh wore a black jersey against Kerry in the All-Ireland semi-final last weekend, and it is a kit that seems to bring them good fortune.

Before Saturday, the last time they were seen sporting that particular jersey was back when they dismantled Derry in the All-Ireland group stages, so their two best performances to date have come in those colours.

On the last four occasions that the Orchard county have played Galway however, they were wearing their traditional orange colours, so it is likely that is what they will be wearing on All-Ireland final day.

When asked about the procedure behind picking which jersey to wear on match day, Armagh manager Kieran McGeeney admitted that he still wasn’t sure how it works.

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They (the GAA) are very funny about that, don’t ask me why – you have to get special permission”, McGeeney said at the Armagh All-Ireland final media launch.

“We have two players with colour blindness, that’s an issue at different times, so when you have full block colours it can be an issue for two of them.

“Listen, I don’t know, that sort of stuff goes way over my head. You’d think it’s a simple enough thing, like wear what you want as long as you can distinguish between the two teams.

“You’ll have traditionalists but I still think part of the thing we have now in each county is that, whether we like it or not, there has to be a commercial value to it.

“We have to make money, they are businesses and stuff, and if there is a jersey out there that sells better than the other and it’s not going against everything, I still think counties should be able to do it.

“They are too hamstrung as it is, in term of raising money, so if there is something that can help them raise that kind of finance – the black jersey is a good seller for us, as was Ethan’s (Rafferty) jersey.”

Interestingly, the All-Ireland minor final was played between Armagh and Derry earlier this month, and the Orchards opted to wear black that day, although it didn’t bring them as much luck as they ultimately lost the game.

McGeeney did go on to stress that he was in no way superstitious about matters such as this, but even if he was, the fact that Armagh’s only ever All-Ireland title win came when wearing orange should give him some comfort.

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