WAS it ever really in doubt? Armagh have been a force of nature all year, a tidal wave that no team could stop.
Yes, there were roadblocks along the way – losing to Donegal in the Ulster final, injuries to Ciaran Mackin and Conor O’Neill – but the momentum that has been building in the county over the last three years swept them down the road to Croke Park and up the steps of the Hogan Stand were a smiling Jarlath Burns was waiting.
The former Armagh skipper presented the Sam Maguire, which never gleamed brighter, to the current Armagh skipper after a deserved one-point victory over Galway.
“Let today be a lesson to anyone who has a dream in life,” said Aidan Forker.
“With hard work, faith and belief anything is possible… UP ARMAGHHHHH!!”
The roar around the ground was extraordinary and Kieran McGeeney, whose legend as a player and captain was already guaranteed, is now an All-Ireland-winning manager too.
“To be honest, I’m just delighted for these boys,” said McGeeney, nodding left and right at Oisin O’Neill and Tiernan Kelly who accompanied him to the press conference.
“Back when we were playing, we got a couple of carrots to keep us going – a couple of Ulster Championships (in 1999 and 2000).
“We had a couple of knockbacks, but these fellas have got knockback after knockback after knockback and they just keep coming.
“Penalty shootouts, everybody telling them they can’t win tight games, can’t beat teams above them…
“They gave them a perfect answer. All-Ireland champions 2024… I’m delighted for them, absolutely over the moon.
“I couldn’t be any happier for them now, a great bunch of fellas. But to do what they’ve done over the last four or five years has been outstanding, to come back and win that one today.”
How did it compare to winning Sam as a player? McGeeney says the years have made him more of a “happy fella” and he intends to enjoy every minute of this success.
After 10 years at the helm of his native county, who could deny him that?
“Listen, when you play, you actually have an influence on it,” he said.
“You don’t when you don’t cross the white line. All the stuff is done before.
“I probably wasn’t such a happy fella back then! So I probably feel happier now!
“No, I’m going to enjoy this one, I’m going to enjoy this week. I really am. I’m over the moon for these fellas, I hope they have a ball this week, because the county’s gone mad and I’ve been trying to keep them away from it. So, I’ll let them loose on it this week.”
Armagh never led in the first half but it was six-all at the break and, although Galway had dominated possession, Armagh always looked dangerous with the ball in their hands.
Oisin Conaty and Ben Crealey both scored a couple each.
“It’s a nip and tuck game, it always has been with Galway and ourselves,” said McGeeney.
“That’s our sixth game, three draws, another three have been decided by a point, so there’s not much in it.
“They (Galway) probably have the best defensive structure in the country, they’re able to stop teams…”
Oisin O’Neill interjected: “Except ours!”
And a smiling McGeeney continued: “Except ours, good point!
“They’ve great depth to their defence and they’re able to stop runs.
“We knew it was going to be tight and we prepared the fellas knowing that. The third quarter they’re usually very strong, and we had our goal in that quarter to keep ourselves well in the game.
“And then the last quarter we’ve great legs coming off the bench. Gave a couple of balls away – which will happen when you haven’t won it before. Just that sort of belief, rather than self-sabotage. But brilliant tackle, I think it was by Ben (Crealey) on the far side that turned it over, changed the game.
“But they’re the thin margins. On other days we’ve been on the wrong side of it; today we got on the right side of it.”
