Armagh are All Ireland Football champions for 2024 after a nail-biting 1-11 to 0-13 victory over Galway at Croke Park on Sunday afternoon, July 28.
In a game often lacking in attacking intent, Aaron McKay's 46th-minute goal proved decisive, giving Armagh a lead they never surrendered.
Galway, who last won the All Ireland Football Championship in 2001, will rue a number of missed opportunities, especially in the second half.
In particular, key forward Shane Walsh was wayward on several occasions in the closing stages, missing a number of kickable frees as Galway's efforts to chase Armagh down fell just short.
It was Galway who started the stronger of the two teams, racing into a 0-03 to 0-01 inside seven minutes thanks to scores from Paul Conroy, Liam Silke, and Rob Finnerty.
In what quickly became the story of the first half, however, Galway simply could not pull away from their Ulster opponents, with Oisin Conaty and Ben Crealey leveling proceedings after 10 minutes.
Galway edged back in front on three separate occasions as the half wore on, but Armagh pegged them back on each occasion, leaving the sides level at six points apiece at the half-time break.
Once again, it was Galway who started the stronger in the second half, briefly restoring their two-point advantage thanks to excellent points from Conroy and Cillian McDaid, but again the Armagh response was immediate.
Conaty closed the gap to one with a fine score after driving infield, while Rian O'Neill drew the Orchard County level with a sumptuous point from under the Hogan Stand.
Walsh, who had uncharacteristically misfired during the first half, notched his first point of the game to edge Galway back in front, firing a wonderful effort over his shoulder.
That score was quickly canceled out by Tiernan Kelly before a Walsh free nudged Galway back in front - for what turned out to be the last time.
Then came the game's pivotal moment.
Stefan "Soupy" Campbell, introduced as a second-half substitute, made an instant impact by opening the Galway defense with a precise handpass across the face of goal. Full-back McKay, finding himself deep in Galway territory, was on hand to palm the ball to the back of the net beyond the helpless Connor Gleeson.
A point from the excellent Céin D'Arcy cut Armagh's lead to one point before another game-defining moment went the way of the Orchard County.
Walsh, so usually dependable from placed balls, dropped a free into the arms of Armagh goalkeeper Blaine Hughes. Armagh made no mistake taking advantage of the let-off, breaking quickly and pointing through Niall Grimley.
A point from substitute Oisin O'Neill pushed Armagh's lead out to three before points from D'Arcy and McDaid reduced the arrears to one as the game entered injury time.
In a frantic six-minute spell, Galway's Dylan McHugh saw a long-range effort come back off the post before Conroy saw a last-minute effort heroically blocked down by Joe McElroy.
That proved to be Galway's last meaningful attack as Armagh clung on to win their first All Ireland title since 2002 - and only the second in their history.
It represents a remarkable achievement for Armagh manager Kieran McGeeney, who captained Armagh to their first All Ireland title back in 2002.
Speaking after the game, McGeeney paid tribute to a "special bunch of players".
"The fellas have been amazing, I couldn't say enough about them," McGeeney told RTÉ Sport.
"When you keep getting knocked back and knocked back, and people tell you can't do something and you can't do something, it takes a special bunch to keep coming back and looking for it. Today all that came to fruition."
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