Armagh will be making their first All-Ireland final appearance since their 2003 defeat to Tyrone, which came a year after they beat Kerry to land the county’s sole All-Ireland title, later this month.
Former Armagh player and Wicklow manager Oisin McConville, who was part of a star-studded panel in the BBC studio at Croke Park on Saturday, said the event was a “family affair”.
His nephew Rian O’Neill was named Man of the Match for Armagh, while Oisin’s mother, Margaret (88) — who told him that she “will never, ever sit in the house again when Armagh is playing” — watched from the stands.
He told the Belfast Telegraph: “We made sure she was there, wheelchair and all, but she was a happy woman and loved every minute of it. She had a ball.
“My daughter and my boys were also there. They have never seen anything like this before, because we haven’t even been in a semi-final since 2005, so it was special to have them there.
“It definitely brought back a lot of good memories.”
Superfan Niamh Thornbury
Oisin played in the half forward line for Armagh in their 2002 All-Ireland winning year.
He said that the current team has “given a lot of commitment to the county and received very little reward for it, until now”.
“These boys have soldiered through a lot and it’s paid off,” he said.
“People still talk about the 2002 team, but that’s 22 years ago. It’s time to consign those boys, myself included, to history and move on.
“And the best way to do that is through a new team and that’s what Armagh have now.
“The county has new heroes, and it can only be good for the county in the long run.
“This is a brilliant team. It’s a lovely thing for those players and it’s a lovely thing for the sport, really emphasising just what football means to people, because I think we forgot that for a while. It was lovely to be around that atmosphere again.”
“I was as nervous as a kitten [during] the lead-up to it. I hadn’t experienced that in some time.
“I don’t think you’re as nervous as that when you are playing, because you’re just concentrating on the game.”
Gerard Quigley
Oisin compared the atmosphere in Croke Park more akin to a “rave from the 1990s” than a football match.
“I’d say Armagh fans outnumbered Kerry fans more than 10 to one — the place was packed,” he continued.
“It was just brilliant. And it was more like a rave in the ’90s than a football match.”
He concluded that, “without tempting fate, there is a brilliant chance [Armagh] can now bring Sam home”.
One of the match-goers at Croke Park on Saturday was self-confessed Armagh superfan Niamh Thornbury (36), who attended with dad Alex (66).
She said that the pair have been to every single game “from McKenna Cup right up to the league” and that she is looking forward to attending the All-Ireland final on July 28.
Niamh said that she could only compare the noise of Saturday’s match to the noise at Taylor Swift’s recent concerts — some of which generated seismic activity.
“I’ll never forget that atmosphere and the sea of orange,” she said.
“The scenes at final whistle were absolutely brilliant and I am so looking forward to the build-up to the final.”
The Lurgan woman said she remembers watching the team’s 2002 victory with her dad in a pub in Dublin.
“We didn’t get tickets, but watched it in a pub,” she said.
“I remember my dad telling me to remember days like these because they don’t come around too often, so it’s been a long time coming.
“The Armagh fans have been following them for years and years with no success, but now we have a chance to witness the biggest [win],” she said.
Life-long Armagh fan Gerard Quigley said that while he was disappointed he couldn’t attend the match on Saturday, he said the outcome was “just fantastic”.
“I was supposed to go to hospital, so I couldn’t go to the match, but I hope I can get to the final now,” he said.
“There is [such a] buzz about the town now.”
Gerard said he was 19 when Armagh were beaten by Dublin in the 1977 All-Ireland final.
“I am a big follower of the game and county and I used to run buses up and down to the matches,” he said.
“They did really well at the weekend and there is no doubt they will be bring the Sam home.”
Gerard can recall the team winning in 2002, showing the Orchard men his support by painting his house orange and white.
“My wife was out when I did it, so I knew I was going to get it from her once she got home,” he joked.
Though Armagh made it to the All-Ireland final the following year, Gerard decided not to paint his house again.
“The wife said no, so she got me a big Armagh flag, the width of the house, to put up,” he said.
Armagh will now face Galway in the All-Ireland final on July 28.
