Paddy O'Rourke wants Armagh's twelve intercounty rookies to stake a claim during the McKenna Cup.

A dozen new players have been called into the Orchard County's first squad of the 2012 calendar year as Armagh find themselves lacking an army of key personnel and manager O'Rourke has urged the newcomers to show what they've got during the McKenna Cup, which commences with Sunday's derby clash with Down in Newry:

"It's an opportunity for other lads to stand up, make their name and claim a place," he says in the Irish News.

"They can make it so that these other players will have to work very hard if they want to get back into the team.

"There is always one year when a player steps up and does it. There are plenty of good young players about there.

"Some of them have to step forward and produce the goods. If they are in there playing regular games, then they have a better chance of doing that." Tweet

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