By Ciaran Woods

c.woods@gaeliclife.com

IT'S not an easy life being an inter-county footballer, juggling training, studies... and long weekends in Portugal. Well, that's the story for the Armagh boys at least as they have made a weekend escape to the sunshine destination. Sangria and sunbathing though are not expected to be very high on the itinery as the Orchard men take things to another level.

Peter McDonnell cut his squad back to 30 earlier this week, with a number of other players being kept on standby should injuries arise over the summer. The final squad members, management and backroom team jetted out to Portugal on Thursday morning and will not return until Tuesday, with five full days of intensive preparation as they build towards their championship clash with Antrim or Cavan on June 15.

Only that Armagh currently have so many players on the treatment table, with plenty of intensive rehab ahead of them in the Portuguese sunshine this weekend, they could have lined out for a friendly beach volleyball challenge against Meath, as the Royals are also on a break to the continent.

Down, meanwhile, will spend this Saturday and Sunday in Newcastle (that's county Down, not north-east England) as they take things up another notch, an overnight training camp in the Mourne county having served them well early season in their build-up to the McKenna Cup.

Tyrone also stayed in Ireland for their session, deciding to head to Kildare and the luxurious surroundings of the Carlton House resort last weekend for one of, what is expected to be, a few trips south before their opener against the Mourne county.

Antrim will train as normal this weekend, while their opponents for the Ulster Championship preliminary round clash, Cavan, were in Donegal playing Sligo last Sunday in a challenge game. Fermanagh are also on the road this weekend as they spend Saturday and Sunday in Kildare, while their opponents Monaghan will be continuing with their domestic club league programme.