Inside Track with John McIntyre

IF someone predicted six weeks ago that the Armagh footballers and Clare hurlers would end up as the All-Ireland senior champions of 2024, they’d probably have been dismissed as a GAA fantasist. After all, football heavyweights Dublin and Kerry were still standing, while Kilkenny, Limerick and Cork remained in the hunt for the Liam McCarthy Cup.

Galway were in the football mix as well and when they subsequently took out All-Ireland champions Dublin and backed it upped by defeating Ulster title holders Donegal, it appeared most of the hard work was done, especially as only luckless Armagh now stood between them and a tenth championship triumph.

Just like Cork hurlers the previous Sunday, there was a general expectation that Galway would carry the day. Armagh, for all their resolution and staying power, just didn’t possess the in-depth quality or as many game-breakers as the Tribesmen. Sure, they would never give up or throw in the towel, but being strangers to All-Ireland football day was bound to count against them.

Well, after what unfolded at Croke Park on Sunday, perhaps experience is over-valued. Armagh didn’t look nervous at all and their well-structured defence continually forced Galway to try their luck with shots just on the scoring range border line. It didn’t stop Paul Conroy – what a game he had at 35-years-of-age – and Cein D’Arcy from landing six points between them, but with their inside line frustrated and living off crumbs, that haul wasn’t enough to compensate.

If you were told beforehand that Shane Walsh, Damien Comer and Rob Finnerty would finish with only one point from play between them, you’d have feared the worse. Finnerty was gone after 10 minutes with a leg injury; Comer didn’t possess that trademark power surge the few times he was in possession, while Walsh had a nightmare final with his shooting.

He generally hasn’t been the same player for Galway since that controversial transfer to Kilmacud Crokes. Injuries have been no help and anybody who accuses him of not trying last Sunday is talking nonsense, but his final experiences of 2022 and 2024 were poles apart. With Matthew Tierney failing to fire in the half-forward line, it meant Galway were flying on one wing up front.

Pictured: Galway defender Seán Fitzgerald is tackled by  Aidan Forker of Armagh during Sunday’s All-Irelannd Senior Football Final at Croke Park. Photo: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile.