Kieran McGeeney and his colleagues were in La Manga last year

Armagh footballers will travel to the University of Bath's human performance and fitness centre later this week.

Track and field athletes Colin Jackson and Jason Gardener are among the top sports people who regularly use the facilities in Bath.

The Armagh squad, who depart for England on Thursday, will be using gym and swimming pool facilities in addition to a specially converted pitch at the university campus.

Armagh had a pre-championship training camp in the Spanish resort of La Manga last year and the trip evidently did the squad no harm, as they claimed the All-Ireland title later in the year.

Joe Kernan's side take on Laois in the Allianz National Football League semi-finals on 20 April.

Meanwhile, Derry boss Mickey Moran is attempting to remain optimistic for the championship despite his side's flop against Longford in Sunday's Division Two promotion game.

Longford's surprise five-point victory means Derry will again be without Division One status next season.

"It was a nightmare day when they fates conspired against us," Moran told the Irish News.

We will stay at home and get on the pitch and do our work there Derry boss Mickey Moran

"In the first minute Paddy Bradley had a point-blank shot at the keeper and he saved it.

"The same happened to Benny Murray twice after that and again to Paddy Bradley.

"Paddy then missed a penalty and I think if we'd scored one goal we have scored 10".

Unlike a number of county managers, Moran will not be taking his squad abroad on a pre-championship training camp.

"We have only been together three-and-a-half months with a lot of new faces in the panel so we will stay at home and get on the pitch and do our work there".

Moran remains cautious about the chances of Anthony Tohill being involved in the next month's Ulster opener against Tyrone.

Tohill resumed light training last week but Moran insisted that the Swatragh man has not returned to the panel.