DESPITE suffering setback after setback, Armagh’s character and relentless resilience can never be questioned and the Orchard County captain Aidan Forker suggests that the inner belief held by the players has been key to their run to the All-Ireland final.
The heartbreak Kieran McGeeney’s side have experienced over the past two seasons has been well documented. They’ve lost two Ulster finals via penalties and their All-Ireland campaigns were ended in the same fashion over the last two years.
But with their All-Ireland semi-final clash with Kerry in the melting pot last Saturday evening, it was the men in orange that stood tallest and battled to get over the line to make a first All-Ireland final since 2003.
“For us to take those defeats that we have and come back again and get back to work together as a group, there’s not anybody leaving the group which says a lot about our closeness and our bond and our togetherness,” said the Maghery clubman.
“We have it (resilience) in spades, and we have a spirit, we have a belief, we have individuals who are playing with a really strong purpose, and we have a group playing with a really strong purpose. I think that can move mountains. We’re there and we’re hoping that one more step we can do it.”
Forker, who made his championship debut for Armagh way back in 2012, also hailed the impact of the Orchard fanbase for helping his team over the line. Croke Park was awash with orange and white last Saturday, and he expects it to be the same for the final.
“You feel like you’re taking over the place and that’s what Armagh people think,” he added. “That’s the plan every time we go to Croke Park so we’re hoping for it again in the final.
“There’s going to be some scramble for tickets, and we want to take over and really embrace that feeling that we had at the end of the game, on a bigger scale next time.
“It’s going to be massive for the county, there’s going to be some buzz about it, that’s what it’s all about really, these big days and giving the fans big days.
“We’re absolutely delighted we can do that, but the finals are there for winning and there’ll be no stone unturned over the next two weeks to try and get us over the line.”
On defeating Kerry to reach the decider, Forker added, “I’m absolutely delighted for the boys, for the group, for the management team. It was a special day. It was emotional of course; we’ve been building for this for a long time, and we believe we can do it.
“We’re there now and I suppose the focus quickly turns to the final but, we’ll soak it up, we’ll enjoy it. Everyone put their shoulder to the wheel and our bench was unbelievable and our squad and that’s just what we have and what we bring so it’s a really happy changing room.”