Ciaran McKeever has served Armagh for pretty much his entire adult life, first as a player with a career spanning from 2003 to 2018, and now as a coach.
McKeever has played alongside Kieran McGeeney, he has played under him as a coach, and now he is standing by his side as part of the backroom team.
Few understand the sensitivities of being an Armagh player like the Cullyhanna native, and fewer still really know the real Geezer and just how much he does for the county.
When the management was being hit with criticism from every corner after they lost to Donegal in the Ulster final on penalties, McGeeney took it on the chin.
People have a perception of the 2002 All-Ireland winning captain as being a taskmaster who is very intense, and serious, but McKeever reveals that nobody understands the needs of this group better than the manager, and that he actually encourages them to let their hair down.
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Geezer let us off the leash for 48 hours," McKeever said.
“We went drinking. We went and enjoyed each other's company Sunday and Monday. We got together Tuesday night and we were ready to go again and this was the target, to see could we get here."
Drowning their sorrows isn't the only time that players are allowed to enjoy a tipple, and it might surprise a few to know that the team are encouraged to enjoy a drink throughout the season.
“Every away match, we stop the bus in some random pub and go in and have a pint together. When we drew with Galway and coming out the road we stopped the bus and had a pint in each other’s company and enjoyed each other’s time and were on the bus home again.
"People don’t see that side but he has a really good relationship with players and, look, that’s just the environment he has created."
McKeeever and the rest of the Armagh panel will be hoping that they aren't drowning sorrows on Sunday evening, and will instead be enjoying some celebratory drinks on the road from Croke Park to Ulster.
