By Shaun Casey

STANDING on the steps of the Hogan Stand last summer, Aidan Forker exclaimed that he and his teammates were living their dreams. Such heights seemed unimaginable for most of the Maghery man’s county career.

For Forker, Rory Grugan, Andrew Murnin, Stefan Campbell and the likes, they had given over a decade of service to the Orchard County with little return. 2024 offered that sail-off-into-the-sunset moment.

Though they’ve achieved the ultimate goal of collecting the Sam Maguire Cup, something will feel unjust if players of that ilk step away without getting their hands on the Anglo Celt.

Winning the Ulster Championship is arguably more difficult than winning the All-Ireland, which sounds like a crazy thing to say, but Armagh are the perfect case study. They’ve come so close in recent years, but no cigar.

Kieran McGeeney’s side literally couldn’t have been any closer to ending their long wait for an Ulster title than the last two years. That wee bit of luck needed to achieve on the big day has simply eluded them in Ulster.

Back-to-back penalty shootout defeats to Derry and Donegal were particularly hard to stomach, although perhaps the All-Ireland triumph has quashed that hurt slightly, but those losses still sting for Armagh fans.

But that’s the good thing about sport, there’s always another day. There’s always next year. Yes, it’s the hope that kills you, Armagh supporters don’t need to be told that twice, but it’s the hope that keeps them coming back for more.

And the Orchard County have good reason to be hopeful. While it was a mixed league campaign full of ups and downs, keeping a hold of their Division One status would have been the goal for Armagh.

Not only that, but they unearthed a couple of fresh faces that have certainly added to the competition within the squad. Darragh McMullen and Tómas McCormack in particular have really caught the eye while Ross McQuillan has been in tremendous form.

Ciaran Mackin has returned from injury, having missed out on last year’s historic run with a torn ACL, while Joe McElroy missed a huge chunk of the league but gained some game time in the final few rounds.

The goalkeeper debate is one that isn’t going away any time soon. Blaine Hughes was in All-Star form last season and didn’t put a foot wrong, but Ethan Rafferty offers so much in an attacking sense.

Perhaps it will be horses for courses and McGeeney will select his number one based on the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition. Or maybe he’ll decide to go with one of them and stick with that notion through thick and thin.

Then there’s Rian O’Neill. Simply put, Armagh wouldn’t have won the All-Ireland without him. The big question heading into the 2025 championship campaign is, can they retain it without him?

They’ll deal with the provincial competition first and there’s no doubt that Armagh would be much more confident of ending their long drought if the Crossmaglen man was lined out in the orange and white.

But he won’t be, so Armagh will just have to get on with it. They should find themselves in a semi-final. While Antrim have won the ‘Corrigan Park or nowhere’ debacle, Armagh will be too good for the Saffrons no matter where the game is played.

That leaves them one win away from a third consecutive Ulster final appearance and if they can finally claim the title after all these years of hurt, then Forker and company can relive their dreams all over again.

Roll of honour:

14 (1890, 1902, 1950, 1953, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008)

Memorable Ulster Championship match:

Ulster Championship semi-final 2019
Armagh 2-21 Monaghan 4-17
Saturday July 17, 2019
WHILE Armagh didn’t win on the day, this one was probably the best Ulster Championship clashes of the last few years. With Covid restrictions still in play, and on the backdrop of the untimely death of Brendan Óg Duffy, Armagh were without goalkeeper Blaine Hughes, who was in quarantine. Ethan Rafferty hadn’t established himself as a number one then, so Shea Magill was fired into his first taste of inter-county football. Monaghan pounced on the youngster’s inexperience and buried four first-half goals. Armagh stormed to a second-half comeback, but Conor McManus was the difference in the end and he landed the final two scores of the game.

Wild card: Ciaran Mackin
SOME of the younger crew have really impressed during the league, like Darragh McMullen and Tómas McCormack, but Ciaran Mackin’s return to full fitness is a huge boost for Armagh. He’s a guaranteed starter for Kieran McGeeney’s side and is a real utility player. Most comfortable in the half-back line, Mackin could line out at midfield or half-forward, while he can also man-mark and kick scores. The Shane O’Neill’s man tore his ACL last summer and missed out on Armagh’s historic campaign, so no doubt he’ll be highly motivated to drive his side to glory once they hit the road again.

Captain: Aidan Forker
FORKER heads into his 14th season with the Orchard County having made his debut way back in 2012. This time around however, he’s an All-Ireland winning captain and he has been one of the main driving forces behind Armagh’s resurgence in recent seasons. The Maghery man has been a bit part player for Kieran McGeeney’s side during the league but will once again be one of the key men come championship. Forker, an All-Star winner last season, has excelled in a number of different positions down through the years and is arguably best when playing at wing half-back.

Manager: Kieran McGeeney
LAST season, Kieran McGeeney joined a very unique list of people that has both captained and managed their county to All-Ireland titles. A legendary figure in the Orchard County, McGeeney will surely have his eyes set on an Ulster title now, something that has evaded Armagh since 2008. ‘Geezer’ won six Ulster titles during his playing days and would love to add one to his managerial record. Back-to-back penalty shootout defeats were hard to stomach for McGeeney and Armagh but with the added confidence and momentum from 2024, perhaps this is the season that they can end their long wait for the Anglo Celt.