ARMAGH’S Niall Grimley paid tribute to his late brother Patrick by dedicating his team’s victory in the All-Ireland Football Championship final to him.
The midfielder starred as the Orchard County secured the Sam Maguire for the second time in their history on Sunday.
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Niall’s brother Patrick Grimley, a father of three, tragically passed away in a car accident shortly after his 40th birthday in November.
Speaking to RTE’s Marty Morrissey, Grimley said: “Look, everyone knows my story by now.
“There was three angels looking down on us there today or tonight.
“When you lose someone so close to you there’s not a minute goes by that you don’t think about them, so for me, I said in an interview earlier, it’s not about the medal or the cup or whatever.
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“Patrick and Ciara had three beautiful kids, and for me the motivation night after night was basically just to put a smile on their faces, because they’ve been true enough.
“And you know, I don’t know, maybe they helped me with my last score!”
Grimley did not feature early in the season due to injury and had to wait to make an impact in 2024.
He scored from play in Sunday’s one-point win, building on an even more impressive display against Kerry, and made a crucial block on Shane Walsh in the closing stages.
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Grimley said the perseverance of both players and supporters who travelled to Dublin in big numbers over the last two seasons have finally been rewarded.
The 29-year-old continued: “It’s a wee bit like a dream here now, but look, we’re absolutely delighted.
“We’re buzzing. The Armagh fans are unbelievable and days like this make up for a thousand bad days.”
Asked how it all came right for him and the county in the latter stages of the All-Ireland series, he believes it was all down to head coach Kieran McGeeney.
Grimley explained: “We never say never, we never give up, we keep going.
“It just shows the character of the lads, the manager.
“It all comes from Geezer.
“He’s the sheriff, he’s the boss and what he says we do. He’s unbelievable.”
