It was a famous first All-Ireland for Armagh in 22 years today, as they defeated Galway by a single point 1-11 to 0-13.
It was tense, it was cagey, it was tough watching at times for the neutral, but ultimately Armagh's bench proved superior as the Orchard County broke through a halftime deadlock and willed their way to a second-ever All-Ireland.
The palmed goal from fullback Aaron McKay - assisted by supersub Soupy Campbell - proved to be the difference between the two sides.
Soupy Campbell ignites the All-Ireland final just seconds after coming on 💪pic.twitter.com/IdH5Nb9EZI
— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) July 28, 2024
Galway will have huge regrets as their shooting abandoned them in the final quarter of the game but after a late revival from the Tribesmen, a heroic block from Joe McElroy on Paul Conroy was the difference between glory and extra time for the men in orange.
SEE ALSO: Jarlath Burns Gives All-Time Great Croke Park Speech To Mark Armagh Triumph
McConville on Armagh: 'there's new heroesnow '
The build-up to the game was long and fevered from an Armagh perspective - one of the proudest GAA counties, they hadn't contested an All-Ireland final in 21 years and had only lifted Sam Maguire a single time. The pressure was immense and it was great to hear from those Orchard greats in the days before the game: Benny Tierney, Ronan Clarke, Stevie McDonnell and others.
Wicklow manager Oisin McConville spends the most time in the public eye of any of those Armagh greats and his sense of relief and joy was obvious after the final whistle.
The BBC broadcast shared his reaction when the fulltime whistle blew and it was pure elation from the Crossmaglen great, whose face was visibly red after the game."
"In case anyone thought I spent the last half hour in a sunbed, that redness is from blood pressure. That's what sport does to people."
McConville also paid a brilliant tribute to his home county, who battled endlessly to reach the mountaintop.
People connect with them. And I think people connect with them because it's like real life. It has its ups and downs but you keep going. This is the culmination of a lot of hard work for these lads, a lot of heartache.
You know why else I'm happy? Because it consigns that 2002 team to history. Forever. There's new heroes for young people growing up. They have new heroes to look at, and they can be proud of what that team did today.
McConville famously is not a quiet observer in the punditry box while Armagh are playing, and so it was today.
On the match itself, McConville said Armagh's need was 'greater'
It felt as if our need was greater. They played with slightly more abandon.
The celebrations will be going for a long time.
