DEEP into the dying embers of the Connacht senior football semi-final at Markievicz Park last April, Galway footballers were in a whole heap of bother. Their hosts Sligo had thrown everything at the Tribesmen and were on the brink of a rare victory over the province’s most successful team.

Sligo had raced into a 0-5 to 0-1 lead midway through the opening-half; were three clear at the break, and clinging onto a one-point advantage as the semi-final drifted into stoppage time. Galway were on the rack and needed something spectacular from someone to save their bacon.

Up stepped substitute Damien Comer to win a hard ball; bravely taking on the Sligo cover before setting up Galway’s best player on the day, Rob Finnerty, for a dramatic winning goal to break Sligo’s hearts.

We can only speculate how Galway’s championship season would have subsequently transpired if they hadn’t limped over the line, but it’s a reasonable to speculate that they wouldn’t be in Sunday’s All-Ireland final against Armagh at Croke Park (3:30pm).

And the margins have been that tight throughout Galway’s campaign. Sligo should have beaten them, while Mayo, Westmeath, Dublin, and Donegal could have beaten them, not forgetting some hairy moments against Monaghan in Salthill last month.

As it transpired, the only game Galway didn’t win was an All-Ireland group qualifier against Armagh at Markievicz Park as it had been a relatively stress-free afternoon for the men in maroon, going five points in front in the second-half, until a short kickout malfunction led to them conceding their only goal of the championship to Tiarnan Kelly.

In summary, Galway have been taken to the wire in nearly all of their summer tussles, but continually found a way not to lose. That is the ultimate tribute to the team’s bottle, character and game management.

This is a seasoned bunch now. Most of the players who will face Armagh lined out against Kerry in the All-Ireland final of two years ago. You can’t buy that experience, especially coming up against a county which is only playing its fifth final ever and first since 2003.

A critical aspect of Galway’s nine-match unbeaten run to the decider has been an almost impenetrable defensive structure – at least when it comes to not conceding goals. Connor Gleeson has been excellent between the posts, with his monster winner against Mayo in the Connacht final gone into local football folklore.

Dylan McHugh, who is in pole position to be chosen as Footballer of the Year, has been one of the team’s driving forces in a defence where Johnny McGrath is another nailed-on All-Star. Jack Glynn, Seán Mulkerrin, who has blossomed since being moved to the half-back line, Liam Silke – what a second-half he had against Donegal – and Seán Fitzgerald are also integral parts of the thriftiest rearguard in the country.

Galway’s spiritual leader, 35-year-old Paul Conroy, remains a dynamic force around midfield where John Maher’s lung-bursting charges up and down the pitch have often been inspirational. Up front, on different days, Finnerty, Comer, Shane Walsh, Cillian McDaid, Matthew Tierney, Cein D’Arcy and Johnny Heaney have come up with priceless scores.

And that leaves team captain Seán Kelly, who has typified Galway’s wretched luck with injuries in 2024. He is clearly not 100% and didn’t feature at all against Donegal in the All-Ireland semi-final. Looking at the Maigh Cuilinn’s man’s movement in the warm-up for that game, it’s hard to see him starting on Sunday – a cruel scenario for a player so identified with the team’s path to the 2022 decider.

After that draw against Armagh, it left Galway having to take the long road for the second year running. In 2023, they fell at the first hurdle against Mayo in a preliminary quarter-final and though Monaghan threatened an upset at the same stage of this year’s championship, Galway carried the day by 0-14 to 0-11, with Conroy their star man.

Pictured: Galway’s John Maher is chased by Rian O’Neill of Armagh during the All-Ireland round-robin clash at Markievicz Park in June. Photo: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile.