McGeeney captained the county’s first win in 2002, and in his tenth year as manager, has led the Orchard back to the top as manager.
“I am just delighted for these boys. We had a couple of knock-backs, these fellas had knock-back after knock-back after knock-back, but they just kept coming. Penalty shoot-outs.
“Being told they can’t win tight games. Can’t beat teams above them. They gave them a perfect answer: All-Ireland champions 2024. Couldn’t be any happier for them now. Absolutely over the moon for them. A great bunch of fellas. To do what they’ve done over the last four or five years has been outstanding.”
He was asked to compare the experience to his time as a player.
Heartbreak for Galway fans watching the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final at the South Galway Bay Music Festival
“When you play, you actually have an influence on it, you don’t [have] when you don’t cross the white line. I probably wasn’t such a happy fella back then. So I probably feel happier now. I am going to enjoy this week, I really am. I am over the moon for these fellas, I hope they have a ball this week. The county has gone mad and I’ve been trying to keep them away from it. So I’ll let them loose on it this week.”
Asked about how he felt at half-time when the sides were tied at 0-6 apiece, he said it was as close as he expected.
“It’s a nip and tuck game, it always has been with Galway and ourselves. That’s our sixth game, there have been three draws. Another three decided by a point, so there’s not much in it. They have probably the best defensive structure in the county. They are able to stop teams. They have great depth to their defence.
“We knew it was going to be tight. We prepare the fellas knowing that. In the third quarter, they are usually very strong. We had a goal in that quarter to keep ourselves well in the game.
“And then in the last quarter, we had great legs coming off the bench. We gave a couple of balls away which will happen when you haven’t won it before.
“Brilliant tackle I think by Ben [Crealey], was it, on the far side to turn it over; they are the thin margins, on other days we’ve been on the wrong side of them.”
He said he had always felt he needed the backing of his players over a decade in charge. “Time is not a commodity afforded to most people these days. I am lucky with these lads here, I ask them every year whether they still wanted me about,” he said.
“They told me a few different things, like! But once Armagh wanted me to stay about that was an easy choice to make. I know what it takes in a small county and a small club to try and win something. It takes a while, it takes a lot of people. But we’ve some fabulous players.”
