Armagh fans across the county are eagerly preparing for Sunday’s All-Ireland final against Galway, with more than 80,000 expected to fill Croke Park.
But supporters living abroad aren’t letting the distance stop them from cheering on the Orchard County.
Follow live updates of the All-Ireland final here.
Former Crossmaglen Rangers player, Aaron Cunningham, who now lives in Florida, has his preparations made for the final.
Aaron recalls “running down the steps to the field in Croke Park” in 2002 when he was only 11 and is hoping Sunday will be a chance to relieve the glory of that historic win - even if from afar.
He plans to watch the game in his local Irish pub, Tim Finnegan’s, with his best friend who’s originally from Cork.
“Last weekend we were watching the hurling final together, now this week it will be his turn to watch the football final with me,” he said.
“Being away from home you sort of miss a lot of the build up and the buzz, but I’m excited for the game and it’s not a bad setup I’ll have, you know, surrounded by other Irish folks.”
Armagh will also be drawing in support from the Iberian Peninsula with fans cheering them on from Madrid and the Algarve.
Armagh fan, Paddy Sherry, said he would usually watch games with friends from his local club, the Madrid Harps. But this year he will be watching the final from home with his wife, who is 39 weeks pregnant.
He’s hoping their baby will hold off making an appearance before Sunday.
“Normally my club would arrange an event in a pub and it’s a big club day with a good turnout. But I’ll not be going this year, I’ll be watching it from home.
“I would have loved to be at the game, but my wife is 39 weeks pregnant so I have to stay where I am. I’m hoping for a draw and a replay, then maybe I could go in a few weeks,” he said.
Portadown native Keith Wilson will be putting on a show of support from his pub The Parlour in Alvor, a small town in the Algarve.
Celebrations began when Keith watched the semi-final with former Armagh goalkeeper Benny Tierney, who played for Armagh when the team lifted Sam Maguire for the first time in 2002.
“We had a great day of craic. It was a real rollercoaster of a game, and we all had a wee damp eye at the final whistle,” he said.
As the only Armagh owned pub in the area he is expecting to be “very, very busy” on Sunday.
“We have tables that have been booked over these last two weeks since the semi-final. We don’t normally book tables but people are really hoping to catch the final,” he said.
