Armagh manager Paddy O'Rourke has named an experienced squad for the McKenna Cup, insisting that he cannot afford the luxury of experimenting with young talent.

With a tough National League Division 1 campaign to come in the springtime, O'Rourke wants to have a settled team in place, although he will have to plan without members of Crossmaglen's Ulster club championship winning team for the first few rounds at least.

"I am very conscious of the first round of the National League on February 5. I don't care whether you are an experienced player or not, everybody needs game-time," he said in The Irish News.

"We need to get our players ready for that and that is what we are using the McKenna Cup for. We want everyone in the panel to get at least two games so that no-one is going into the National League feeling ring-rusty."

Goalkeeper Paul Hearty is the only Crossmaglen player named in O'Rourke's squad, while 2009 All-Ireland minor winner Rory Grugan will have the chance to impress. Ronan Clarke is included after an injury-wreaked 2010, as is Ryan Henderson, who has been playing for Belfast Celtic in the Irish League of late.

Armagh (McKenna Cup squad): C Clarke, R Clarke, K Dyas, A Duffy, P Duffy, J Feeney, R Grugan, P Hearty, R Henderson, J Lavery, S McDonnell, P McEvoy, C McKeever, D McKenna, G McParland, M Mackin, A Mallon, B Mallon, V Martin, F Moriarty, G O'Neill, M O'Rourke, G Swift, K Toner, C Vernon, C Watters. Tweet

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