By Shaun Casey

WITH just seconds remaining on the clock during the 2024 All-Ireland final, Joe McElroy dove headfirst on Paul Conroy’s boot to ensure Galway didn’t find the all-important equaliser they were searching for.

Instead, the ball fell to Aaron McKay and Armagh worked possession up to Jarly Óg Burns, who held the ball in his hands as Sean Hurson sounded the final whistle and Armagh were crowned All-Ireland champions.

Already, McElroy’s contribution has been compared to the great Conor Gormley block of 2003, when he halted a certain goal from Steven McDonnell as Tyrone captured the All-Ireland title for the first time ever.

“I can remember Céin D’Arcy was making a break from the middle and big ‘Grimbo’ (Niall Grimley) had him tagged and Grimbo was sort of pushing him out towards the side,” explained McElroy.

“I looked over my shoulder and seeing Paul Conroy just easing in. That would be his sort of sweet spot around the D. I wasn’t sure if D’Arcy had the run on ‘Grimbo’ or not, he turned back and as soon as I saw Paul Conroy get the ball, I knew he was going to pull the trigger.

“I went for his foot and if he dummy-soloed me, then he dummy-soloed me, I’m sure somebody else would’ve came in and got a tackle in. At that point it was do or die, I just had to get on his foot the best I could.

“If I missed it then someone else was going to come in and get a block or something. Oisin O’Neill was saying that he was behind me, he said he had it covered. I think I actually made four diving blocks that game, that’s the only one I actually made contact with.

“I’m not going to compare it to Conor Gormley’s, I can remember Conor Gormley’s very vividly, him running across when Steven McDonnell was running straight through one-on-one, I don’t think it was as good as that.

“I’m just delighted that it got us where we needed to be and we got the turnover and then the final whistle went, I’m just over the moon.”

McElroy returns to his club Armagh Harps as their first ever All-Ireland winner, and he has the club to thank as they “started the fire”.

“It’s all about the club,” added McElroy.

“You come up from a young age and I got to see Aidan O’Kane, Ciaran McMahon from the Harps as well, all these familiar faces and those guys started the fire with
me.

“A lot of good coaches like John Rath, Ciaran Loughran, ‘Gola’ Toner, Benny O’Kane, all these lads instilled the belief in me to go on and play at this high level and without them I definitely wouldn’t be here.

“The club is everything, it’s the grassroots of all county footballers and I’m so proud to be a Harps man, from the bottom of my heart. They’ve always had my back; they’re always supporting me and I’m just a really proud Harps man and a really proud Armagh man as well.”

Check out our  Monday review show as we look back at Sunday’s historic win for Armagh, the key moments and the special atmosphere at the homecoming.