By Paul Kelly

THE National League can be something of a phoney war as managers jostle for position and keep their powder dry but sometimes, spin can’t hide the facts.

Armagh’s Championship credentials are still to be tested but if the league campaign proved only one thing, it was that the fire still burns brightly in Stevie McDonnell.

Injury free and fit, captain McDonnell had a wonderful league campaign culminating in a brilliant individual display in the Division Two final against Down.

He picked up six points, led the line in the absence of Ronan Clarke, and played a captain’s role with superb scores at the beginning and end of the first half.

“I worked hard in the winter months and made the decision that if I was going to go back and pull on the Armagh jersey again I wasn’t going to leave any stone unturned,” added the 30-year-old.

“Certainly it has gone great for me so far but you are only as good as your last game.

“Our next game is the Championship and I’m sure the Derry management will have ideas about how to stop me. I know going up to Celtic Park that I am going to be well marshalled.

“It’s all about the Championship from now on in and if I don’t carry my form into the Championship then basically it’s been a waste of time.”

In recent years, McDonnell’s appetite for inter-county football was questioned.

As the 2002 All-Ireland winning side was gradually dismantled his form dipped and rumours grew that he was going to follow Oisin, Paul and Tony into retirement.

28 March 2010; Steven McDonnell, Armagh, in action against Paddy Codd, Tipperary

Had he opted to call it a day, the Killeavy man would have bowed out as one of Armagh’s finest. In 11 consecutive years playing senior football, McDonnell has collected one All-Ireland, six Ulster titles, three All-Stars and competed in the International Rules.

However, as he considered his options, the sending off against Monaghan in last year’s SFC qualifier kept coming back to him.

“I didn’t want to end my county career on a bad note,” he added.

“When Paddy O’Rourke got the job and revealed his backroom team that made things a lot easier.”

Mike McGurn’s appointment as conditioning coach was the final push McDonnell required to sign up again. With McGurn’s help the zip has returned to his game.

He’s finally free of the niggling injuries that dented his confidence and he’s happy with his own progress and that of Armagh’s.

“It’s an honour to captain Armagh and it’s an honour to go to training with a group of lads who run themselves into the ground,” he added.

“My job is made a lot easier with the panel of players that we have. The group are willing to give everything that they have and empty the tank on every training session.

“We have had a couple of poor seasons there but there is a huge will to win within the camp and it is not just coming from me and the more experienced players, it’s coming from the younger lads who want to prove a point.

11 April 2010; Steven McDonnell, Armagh, gets to a high ball before Paul Durcan, Donegal, to score the first goall.

“They all know that every time they pull on that jersey that they are good enough to go out and match whoever the opposition is.”

You only have to look at his recent performances to see that McDonnell is content with life in an Armagh shirt at the moment.

He’s taken to the captaincy role with relative ease and is looking forward to the summer with a real sense of anticipation.

“My desire is even stronger than it was before, particularly as I haven’t got that many years left at this level,” he said.

“If I didn’t feel we were good enough to be up there challenging for titles, I don’t think I would be here.

“You play county football to get success and I am no different from anybody else, you enjoy it more when you feel like you have a chance of winning medals.”

And he added, “It’s amazing the feelings you get as the opening Championship game gets closer.

“I’ve been working since the start of October to get my fitness right for the Championship and I can’t wait to get started.”