Armagh head coach Chris Parker looking to tick off another milestone and take a step closer to All-Ireland glory

Chris Parker’s side travel to Dublin for a clash with Old Wesley and Donnybrook has not been a happy haunting ground for Armagh in the past but the coach is pleased to have promotion destiny in their own hands.

“We can’t ask for anymore than that,” he said. “It is on us now to make sure we turn up and deliver for three more Saturday’s and that has got to start this weekend at a place we have never been able to win before.

“The task is huge. It is not a case of fifth v first in the league it’s a case of us having to go to a place we have never won before against a team that is still scraping to get a play-off spot – it should be a great encounter.

“Without sounding clichéd that is where we have been for a long time. All that matters is where we are come 4pm the next Saturday. With the way the league is and everyone fighting for a spot in the top four or to stay up it means there are no dead rubbers.

“The fact that we haven’t won there before gives us a bit of extra momentum, it is something else that we can tick off as being our first time.

“We have gone to other places this year and achieved victories where we haven’t achieved them before so it can certainly help us focus the minds a wee bit.”

Armagh finished sixth last season – 14 points off the play-offs and 33 points behind table-toppers Old Wesley.

They have already won four more games in the current campaign than they managed last season and are 16 points better off.

“I think the difference is we probably have a lot more experience in our own boys,” added Parker. “There are lads at 23 years of age that have the guts of 80 All-Ireland League caps considering there was the Covid year they missed AIL rugby.

“That is an awful lot of rugby for a 23-year-old to play at a higher level, there are guys at 25 that have over 100 AIL appearances.

“I think with the make up of the squad we have a nice blend. Those guys in that mid-20s category have an awful lot of experience and it has made a real difference to us this year. They have brought a bit more maturity and a bit more belief.

“They have always been ding dong affairs but we have always come out on the wrong side more often than not.”

Lock Frank Bradshaw-Ryan and scrum-half Michael McDonald have been released by Ulster, Shea O’Brien starts at full-back and Neil Faloon comes back into the squad.

Elsewhere, it is the proverbial eight pointer at Rifle Park as the bottom two – Banbridge and Malone – clash.

Malone prop up the table and are just a point behind their Ulster rivals.

The Gibson Park club have former Ulster and Ireland flanker Chris Henry on the bench.

The back-rower retired in 2018 but recently featured in the Ireland v England Legends game.

Angus Curtis starts at out-half while Aaron Sexton is at full-back. Banbridge have Ulster duo Greg Jones and Rob Lyttle available.

In Division 1A, Ballynahinch travel to leaders Clontarf.