Battle of the benches: Should Stefan Campbell start for Armagh?

Peter Canavan thinks Kieran McGeeney might consider deploying Stefan Campbell from the start for Sunday's All-Ireland final.

Both benches this weekend have proven to be considerable weapons en route to the decider, with Armagh squadron of replacements out-scoring Kerry's 0-04 to 0-02 in the closing stages of the semi-final, while in the quarter-final, Galway's subs bench out-scored All-Ireland champions Dublin, an unthinkable notion over the previous decade.

The veteran Campbell, aka 'Soupy', a survivor from McGeeney's very first game in charge in a Division 3 league match nine years ago, has been especially impactful coming on late in games.

Campbell has come off the bench to kick 0-02 in their knockout wins over Kerry and Roscommon, and wound up fisting the late equaliser to grab a draw with Galway and seal top spot in Group A last month.

While the strategy of springing Campbell from the bench at half-time, Canavan wonders whether they might consider starting him for Sunday's showpiece, especially given that Jarly Óg Burns and Ross McQuillan have proven their worth as impact subs.

"He (McGeeney) has a few big decisions to make regarding his starting 15," Canavan said on the RTÉ GAA podcast.

"We all know about the impact of their bench and it's made a massive impact and got them over the line.

"I just wonder is he seriously thinking about starting Stefan Campbell. Because how can you leave someone of his quality on the sideline?

"He's taking a gamble by hoping Armagh are still going to be in the game in the second half. If Galway get a good start and get a big lead up, he's going to have to bring him on sooner than he expected."

Former Kerry boss Éamonn Fitzmaurice warns, however, that not everyone is suited to the super sub