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Armagh could lose home advantage in 2019 league because of warm weather training

Armagh GAA could lose home advantage in the opening game of the 2019 Allianz National League because of warm-weather training in Portugal this week.

It is understood Kieran McGeeney has taken his panel off to sunnier climes for intensive training sessions ahead of the championship opener against Fermanagh on May 19.

However, a rule introduced by Croke Park prohibits inter-county teams full-time training camps, unless they take place in the ten-day period before a county’s first provincial championship game.

The penalty for a breach of this rule is loss of home venue for one game in the following year’s Allianz League.

Armagh are scheduled to open their Division Two campaign at the Athletic Grounds in February 2019 but could lose this advantage of found guilty of breaking the rules around training camps.

The ban on training camps in April was brought in to create more room for club activity and it is understood a number of games in Armagh have been called off this weekend as a result.

“The rules about all of this are clear and if we find they have been breached by any county the agreed sanctions will be imposed,” said Games Administration manager Fergal McGill.

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