All-Ireland SFC semi-final
Armagh v Kerry (Saturday, Croke Park, 5.30pm)
THE narrative of this weekend’s first All-Ireland semi-final is all about the footballers of Armagh and breaking Gaelic football’s glass ceiling by reaching the last four for the first time since 2005.
Kerry, on the other hand, are Kerry. By no means a vintage team in 2024 – but nevertheless one containing a generational talent in David Clifford.
During those 19 barren years for the Orchard men, Kerry only failed to make the semi-finals on four occasions – 2010, 2012 and 2018 and 2020.
Down and Donegal sucker-punched them at the quarter-final stages in 2010 and ‘12, respectively, they were undone in the Super 8s in 2018 and in 2020 - a Championship badly truncated by the COVID pandemic - Cork knocked them out in a provincial semi-final.
All this illustrates the differing traditions and expectations in both counties ahead of today’s semi-final meeting, their first Championship encounter since Kerry beat Armagh in a 2006 All-Ireland quarter-final.
Ironically, it was Kieran Donaghy’s goal at Croke Park that afternoon that went some way to sinking Joe Kernan’s ultimately forlorn hopes of winning a second Sam Maguire with Armagh.
“There’s a memory, the story of the whole season,” Jack O’Connor writes in his 2007 book ‘Keys to the Kingdom’.
“Francie Bellew on the ground behind Donaghy, the ball flying to the Armagh net past poor [Paul] Hearty. Donaghy in Hearty’s face with the immortal words: ‘Who’s crying now, baby!’”
That All-Ireland quarter-final defeat was Armagh’s last rage against the dying of the light.
Eighteen years on, Donaghy is now helping Armagh plot the downfall of his native county.
The evolution of this current Armagh team has been a fascinating if uncomfortable watch at times since Kieran McGeeney took over as manager in 2015 after working with Paul Grimley the previous year.
After Donegal narrowly beat them in a 2014 All-Ireland quarter-final, Armagh lost around a dozen players the following season.
And although they were knocking around Division Three, it was keenly – and somewhat naively - felt that Armagh could still be contenders, if only by virtue of ‘Geezer’ assuming control.
Donegal ate them alive in Ulster at The Athletic Grounds.
“In the cold light of day, we thought it would be difficult for a Division Three team to beat us,” said the-then Donegal manager Rory Gallagher.
“The dynamic was different last year because Armagh had five or six Championship games going into last year’s All-Ireland quarter-final, and there was a totally different dynamic this year.”
In subsequent years, there was a keen sense that Armagh were on the cusp of making a serious assault on Ulster. But every time expectations went northwards in the county, which was often, the team went spectacularly south.
The bald truth of it was Armagh were never ready in the first half of McGeeney’s tenure. For starters, they were no-where near Division One.
They were always lacking in too many areas. In the latter half of McGeeney’s time in charge, Armagh have been getting closer, but they still weren’t ready.
They rued those penalty shoot-out losses to Galway (2022), Derry and Monaghan (both 2023) – but they still couldn’t close out the deal in open play.
Likewise in this season’s Ulster final against Donegal.
“Donegal have been talked about as All-Ireland contenders, Derry as well,” Ciaran McKeever said back in May.
“People have talked about the fact that as much as we haven’t found a way to beat them [in the last two Ulster finals], they haven’t found a way to beat us.”
Most encouraging of all about Armagh’s Championship campaign in 2024 was their hugely impressive scoring efficiency in the Ulster final – they don’t suffer from a dose of the yips as they once did.
They weren’t at their best in the All-Ireland group clash with Galway in Markievicz Park - but they didn’t lose.
They produced their “worst performance in Croke Park” under McGeeney against Roscommon in their All-Ireland quarter-final meeting, but an Armagh win never looked in danger.
In the past, if Armagh played badly, you could bet they’d lose every time.
They were a predictable equation. Not so anymore.
Over the last two seasons, the tetchy personality, that crudeness in the tackle and those occasional bouts of indiscipline have generally been purged from their psyche.
Armagh are in a different head space.
They are as ready as they’ll ever be for the stress test that awaits them in Croke Park at tea-time today.
So where are Kerry at?
Jack O’Connor’s men were cautious in their All-Ireland quarter-final win over Derry. Probably too cautious as it turned out, with Derry a team running on sand.
Still, Kerry mirrored the tactics of the Ulstermen and played the percentages brilliantly in the last quarter.
Turnovers were like gold dust. Paul Cassidy was turned over along the Cusack stand and the resultant Kerry possession was transferred onto the scoreboard.
When Lachlan Murray and Shane McGuigan missed the target at the Canal End, Kerry patiently funnelled the ball back up the field and Killian Spillane and Sean O’Shea (free) both converted.
Physically, Derry didn’t look capable of winning the ball back off Kerry. Armagh can.
They are high energy without the ball in their own ‘45 and are likely to hunt down Kerry better than Derry’s disappointing attempts. They can also counter at pace.
Conor Turbitt has been Armagh’s go-to man all season, with Jason Foley’s athleticism looking a good man-marking fit.
Kerry will also want the speedy Oisin Conaty, a regular scorer from play, going the other way with either Gavin White or Brian Ó Beaglaíoch expected to try and pin the Tir na nOg man back and limit his scoring opportunities.
Rian O’Neill was subbed off after a poor showing against Roscommon.
From an Armagh perspective, it is hoped the ignominy of his 50th minute withdrawal the last day will see him bring his ‘A’ game to Croke Park.
In the clutch moments that inevitably occur this evening, the Crossmaglen man will be crucial to Armagh’s prospects.
David Clifford could have the savvy Aidan Forker for company while Paddy Burns may shadow perpetual mover Paudie Clifford.
Both benches have catalysts too.
Tradition tells us Kerry footballers were born for days like these. After years of waiting, Armagh are ready too.
The Orangemen could just be on the march...
Armagh: B Hughes; P Burns, A McKay, P McGrane; B McCambridge, T Kelly, A Forker; N Grimley, B Crealey; O Conaty, R O’Neill; J McElroy, R Grugan, A Murnin, C Turbitt Subs: E Rafferty, C Mackin, J Duffy, A Nugent, G McCabe, O O’Neill, S Campbell, S McPartlan, R McQuillan, J Og Burns, D McMullan
Kerry: S Ryan; P Murphy, J Foley, T O’Sullivan; B Ó Beaglaíoch, T Morley, G White; D O’Connor, J O’Connor; T Brosnan, P Clifford, D Moynihan; D Clifford, S O’Shea, P Geaney Subs: S Murphy, D Casey, C Burke, M Breen, S O’Brien, A Spillane, B Dan O’Sullivan, K Spillane, S O’Brien, D Geaney, G O’Sullivan
Referee: D Gough (Meath)
