NIALL Grimley has swapped Madden for the blue skies and golden beaches of Miami in recent days – but, as the dust settles on a rollercoaster year, he knows the ultimate challenge for Armagh is to show their All-Ireland winning feat wasn’t a once off.
The towering midfielder was central to July’s Sam Maguire success, with the Orchard panel heading Stateside on Thursday for some final celebrations before attention turns to the defence of their crown.
But, having spent so much of the past decade watching Dublin dominate, Kieran McGeeney’s men will now experience what it is like to be the hunted – with the Dubs, and a host of others, determined to ensure Armagh’s reign is short-lived.
“That’s one side of it where you are excited to get going again - the other side of it is where you have a target on your back,” said Grimley.
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“In the same way, Man United, when they were winning all those trophies year after year, every game for us next year is going to be huge and they are going to want to beat the All-Ireland champions.
“In one way it is obviously exciting to get back, All-Ireland champions, but you are only as good as your next performance, and basically 2024 is shut.
“Okay, we have our All-Ireland medals, amazing, but it’s a clean slate basically for every single team, and the new rules as well. So we are obviously excited to get going and it’s going to be brilliant when we do get back training.
“I know it will be hot and heavy and we are going out to stop these boys and we are going out with a target on our back, which is part of being a champion as well.
“That’s why you have to admire the likes of Dublin, when they done it five or six years in-a-row. They kept doing it and doing it and doing it - that’s great champions.
“We won the All-Ireland once, so there is no point stopping now. You want more. You get selfish. You get greedy. You want more.”
The 30-year-old was speaking after being named Gaelic Writers’ Association’s Football Personality of the Year for 2024.
And while the trip to Miami means Grimley is unable to attend Friday night’s awards – which are supported by the Dalata Hotel Group - at Dublin’s Iveagh Garden Hotel, he will be represented by parents Brian and Frances.
It has been an extremely tough year for the Grimley family, and a difficult few weeks, as November 4 marked the one year anniversary of the car accident that claimed the life of Niall’s older brother, Patrick, Patrick’s wife Ciera and Ciara McElvanna, wife of Armagh 2002 All-Ireland winner, Kevin.
The joint anniversary mass took place on Tuesday, just days before Grimley headed away, and he is grateful for the roles played by so many in helping the family through the darkest of days – and getting him get back to what he does best on the football field.
“Obviously for them and my family this past year has been challenging.
“It’s been a tough week but only for my wife, my family, my friends, work, Armagh management, Geezer, the impact they have had on me in the past year and stuff I am very thankful.
“It’s been a rollercoaster year, the lows have been so low and the highs have been so high. Unusual year… unusual year.
“We are meeting all these anniversaries and stuff for the first time. Once you get over them you feel a wee bit… and obviously to be able to give my family and community and Armagh the joy of being able to bring the cup back to Madden, my club, it has been a distraction if that makes sense, and it’s kept people busy.
“It’s brought joy to people when there was sad days and there was dark, dark days. Proud and privileged to be able to bring the cup back.”
