Armagh goalkeeper Blaine Hughes celebrates at the final whistle after his side's victory in the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship semi-final match between Armagh and Kerry at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile.
All-Ireland SFC semi-final
ARMAGH 1-18 KERRY 1-16
By John Harrington at Croke Park
When the final whistle finally blew to confirm Armagh’s progress to the 2024 All-Ireland Senior Football Final, the roof was nearly lifted off Croke Park such was the roar of relief and joy that exploded from the Armagh supporters.
Once again their team had put them through the emotional wringer in yet another game that went to extra-time, but this time they came out on the other side delirious with joy rather than devastated by despair.
When the Croke Park DJ belted out ‘Freed from Desire’ by Gala to give the celebrations an extra oomph, it seemed as though every Armagh person in the stadium sang along in a bouncing sea of orange.
“Freed from desire, mind and senses purified’…the perfect lyrics to capture the joy they all felt at watching their team win through to an All-Ireland Final for the first time since 2003.
And what a way to do it. This was an epic match of football that Kerry played a full part in, but there was no doubt either that the better team won.
They always believed in themselves even through periods when Kerry were on top, and when the game was there to be won in extra-time they had the resolve to really go for it. Let no-one ever doubt their mental strength again.
The game started off at a serious clip with Sean O’Shea opening the scoring after just 11 seconds and Peter McGrane replying for Armagh before the first minute had elapsed.
After that frenetic start the game settled, and it was Kerry who put together the more convincing body of work in the first quarter.
Though Armagh were getting a lot of bodies behind the ball, they were struggling to cope with Kerry’s slick handling and off the shoulder running.
Ton Brosnan and Dara Moynihan kicked sweet points from play, David Clifford converted a free from a ridiculously tight angle, and O’Shea landed his second to push the Kingdom 0-6 to 0-2 ahead.
But then Armagh finally started to force some turnovers, and the balance of the game shifted.
Aidan Forker of Armagh celebrates after his side's victory in the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship semi-final match between Armagh and Kerry at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile.
Powerful midfielder Niall Grimley clipped two points in quick succession and then Rian O’Neill landed his first of the day to reduced the deficit to the minimum.
Kerry came with another burst, the most eye-catching score a booming effort from Diarmuid O’Connor. Armagh nearly blew the game open when they created a glorious goal chance but Andrew Murnin’s close range shot was brilliantly saved by Shane Ryan.
Kerry had the last say of the half, a Sean O’Shea free, and took a 0-10 to 0-6 lead into the dressing-rooms at the break.
Armagh survived a couple of goal scares early in the second-half and looked like they were gaining momentum when points from Rory Grugan and Aidan Forker reduced the gap to two.
But then Kerry did manage to raise a green flag when David Clifford’s attempted point was battled down on the edge of the square by Diarmuid O’Connor to the onrushing Paul Murphy who palmed the ball to the back of the net.
Armagh’s response was impressive as Turbitt (f) and Rian O’Neill landed points with one in return by Sean O’Shea from a Kerry ’45.
Then came an almighty clap of thunder, an Armagh goal from out of nowhere, when Shane Ryan fumbled a high ball by Rian O’Neill and Barry McCambridge rushed in to fist the spill to the net.
McCambridge played a big part in this Armagh win. Not only did he score that crucial goal, he also did a superb man-marking job on David Clifford.
Kerry showed their experience by doing their best to kill Armagh’s surge of momentum with a long period of keep-ball that eventually ended with a Paudie Clifford point from long range that pushed them two points ahead.
But Armagh kept pushing, much to the delight of their raucous supporters, and substitute Stefan ‘Soupy’ Campbell kicked two classy points to tie the game up at 1-13 apiece.
On 66 minutes Rian O’Neill landed an absolute monster of a point from 45 yards out, and by now the stadium was bedlam such was the noise from the Armagh support.
Armagh manager Kieran McGeeney after his side's victory in the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship semi-final match between Armagh and Kerry at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile.
It looked like Kerry were running out of ideas, but as the game ticked into injury-time Armagh retreated further and further into their own half and eventually the Kingdom finally forced an opening and sub Dylan Geaney did really well to kick the equaliser.
The same man had a chance to win it in in the final minute of injury-time, but he missed to the left and into extra-time we went.
What team now had the greater energy and ideas? Armagh immediately put their hand up when substitute Jarly Óg Burns pointed three minutes into extra-time.
Kerry struggled to muster a response. They were looking tired, a fact underlined by three poor wides in the first half of extra-time.
Armagh sniffed a weakness, and came with one last surge in the final play of the first half of extra-time to point through Conor Turbitt and move two ahead.
Ross McQuillan stretched the gap to three early in the second period of extra-time, but the Armagh supporters couldn’t relax just yet, as Kerry hit back with two points in a minute through Cillian Burke and Paudie Clifford.
They came hunting for the leveller in the final minute of extra-time too, but their last effort fell short and Armagh broke out, raced down the field, and sealed it with one last point by Turbitt that sent Hill 16 into a frenzy.
Moments later the final whistle blew and the party began.
Scorers for Armagh: Conor Turbitt 0-5 (3f), Barry McCambridge 1-0, Rian O’Neill 0-3, Aidan Forker, Niall Grimley, Stefan Campbell all 0-2, Peter McGrane, Jarly Óg Burns, Ross McQuillan, Rory Grugan (f) all 0-1
Scorers for Kerry: Sean O’Shea 0-4 (1f, 1’45), David Clifford 0-4 (2f, 1m), Paul Murphy 1-0, Paudie Clifford 0-3, Tony Brosnan, Dara Moynihan, Diarmuid O’Connor, Cillian Burke, Dylan Geaney all 0-1.
ARMAGH: Blaine Hughes; Paddy Burns, Aaron McKay, Peter McGrane; Barry McCambridge, Tiernan Kelly, Aidan Forker; Niall Grimley, Ben Crealey; Oisin Conaty, Rian O'Neill, Joe McElroy; Rory Grugan, Andrew Murnin, Conor Turbitt. Subs: Stefan Campbell for Peter McGrane (ht), Jason Duffy for Oisin Conaty (49), Aidan Nugent for Ben Crealey (57), Ross McQuillan for Aidan Forker (60), Oisin O’Neill for Andrew Murnin (62), Jarlath Burns for Conor Turbitt (70), Conor Turbitt for Aidan Nugent (80), Oisin Conaty for Rory Grugan (85)
KERRY: Shane Ryan; Paul Murphy, Jason Foley, Tom O'Sullivan; Brian Ó Beaglaíoch, Tadhg Morley, Gavin White; Diarmuid O'Connor, Joe O'Connor; Tony Brosnan, Paudie Clifford, Dara Moynihan; David Clifford, Sean O'Shea, Paul Geaney. Subs: Cillian Burke for Dara Moynihan, Killian Spillane for Paul Geaney (both 48), Dylan Geaney for Tony Brosnan (59), Graham O’Sullivan for Brian Ó Beaglaíoch (65), Barry Dan O’Sullivan for Joe O’Connor (70), Mike Breen for Gavin White (70), Dylan Casey for Tom O’Sullivan (74), Tom O’Sullivan for Jason Foley (78), Stephen O’Brien for Diarmuid O’Connor (80), Sean O’Brien for Paul Murphy (84)
Referee: David Gough
