By Shaun Casey

ALL-IRELAND champions Armagh meet Galway on Saturday night to kickstart their Division One campaign in a repeat of last year’s Sam Maguire decider. These two teams have built up quite a solid rivalry over the past few seasons.

It goes back to that sensational All-Ireland quarter-final meeting in 2022, which Galway won via penalties. Armagh gained revenge in the 2023 All-Ireland group stage, and nothing could separate the teams at the same stage last year.

But as fate would have it, they locked horns again on the biggest stage of all and Aaron McKay’s goal was crucial in helping the Orchard County get their hands on the Sam Maguire for the first time since 2002.

Now, their aim to is retain it and the long journey back to Croke Park starts in Pearse Stadium this weekend. There are no easy games in Division One and Armagh ‘keeper Blaine Hughes says his side are looking forward to competing against the best.

“You want to play against the best teams all the time and it’s great to be back in Division One. Just looking at the fixtures, there are a few nice ones,” said the Carrickcruppen net-minder who was nominated for an All-Star last season.

“We’re going down to the likes of Salthill and going down Kerry as well. That’s where you want to be, you want to be playing those top end teams the whole way through and then push you on towards the start of the Ulster Championship.”

The new year is a step into the unknown for everyone with the introduction of the new rules, which directly impacts the goalkeeper position. Their kick-outs must travel outside the arc while they cannot receive a pass inside their own defensive half.

“We’ve practised a few times in training at this stage,” added Hughes. “It’s hard getting used to the new arc and the different stuff like that, but the goalkeeper now is probably going to have to play more of an advanced role.

“We’re probably going to play out the field a bit more, which I don’t really mind if I’m honest. I don’t think Ethan (Rafferty) or Shea (Magill) mind it either, so you’re happy enough. It’ll be interesting to see how it all goes this year.”

While all the focus in the Armagh changing room is very much on the year in front of them, and the task they face this weekend, Hughes can let his mind drift back to that historic day last July for a brief moment.

“It hasn’t really sunk in just yet, it’ll probably be a couple of years down the road before it really does but it’s great to be back at it now and looking forward to another season,” reflected Hughes of Armagh’s All-Ireland glory.

“It was unbelievable, and words can’t really describe how it felt, it was surreal really.

“It was an unbelievable feeling and now we’re just looking forward to getting back into the new year and starting again.”