This afternoon's game between Galway and Armagh had everything. It featured two teams who approached the game in the right way, with no shortage of quality scores, mistakes, and moments of pure madness.
While much of the post-match conversation will be dominated by the melee that took place at the end of normal time, it could almost be lost how dramatic the end to the match was.
Galway would via a penalty shootout, the first time such a method of victory has been required at this stage of the All-Ireland championship.
Matthew Tierney scores the winning penalty to book @Galway_GAA's spot in the All-Ireland Semi-Finals. pic.twitter.com/xplDy0qV1H
— The GAA (@officialgaa) June 26, 2022
Padraic Joyce would have taken a victory by any route possible before the throw-in, although he couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for Armagh on this occasion.
Padraic Joyce slams use of penalty shootouts in GAA
Speaking to the RTÉ Radio after the game, the Galway manager said that penalty shootouts have no place in the GAA despite his team coming out on top on this occasion.
I'll be straight up, my heart goes out to Armagh, Kieran McGeeney, and all the boys.
They've put in savage work the last couple of weeks and have been the form team. Their supporters took fantastic colour and support down here today. The roar there when Rian O'Neill equalised the game in normal time was deafening.
It's a horrible way to lose it but it's not the fault of the Armagh players, it's the fault of the GAA. This condensed season, it's beggar's belief why we couldn't go and play a replay next weekend. I know that's simple for me to say because we won the game, but that was my overriding feeling at halftime.
No matter what team won, it's no way to win a championship match. For the hard work they have put in over the last couple of years, Kieran has put a lot of work in, Galway have put a lot of work in.
We're flat out training since last December on a Tuesday, Thursday, on the weekends, four or five times a week. To have to decide the outcome on a penalty shootout?
We're not soccer, we're GAA. It's disgraceful that that had to happen.
Galway will now look forward to an All-Ireland semi-final against Derry in two weeks, a game which should be plenty of intrigue of its own.
However, it will do well to live up to the drama on show at Croke Park this afternoon.
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