By Michael McMullan

ARMAGH manager Kieran McGeeney agrees that the tough days his team endured on the way to lifting Sam helped their cause.

After losing four high pressure games on penalties, the Orchard County kept on trucking and were crowned champions for a second time after a semi-final win over Kerry – after extra-time – and hanging tough in the face of Galway’s comeback.

A hallmark of their progress this year was how they dug in when the tough got going. In the first half against Kerry, they needed to battle to keep themselves in the game. On Sunday, after a three-point lead was cut to the bare minimum, Joe McElroy’s block prevented an equaliser.

“Sometimes your strongest steel is forged in the fire there’s no doubt about it, that it affects you,” McGeeney said. “When your own personality is entwined in a victory or defeat, it’s the impact that it can have on you and what it can do.

“In those moments that we lost on penalties and we sat in there (the Armagh dressing room) with our heads in our hands…did that have an impact in the last 5 minutes?” McGeeney asked.

“Definitely…and they refused to be beaten even though we were trying our best to beat ourselves in that five or six minutes.”

McGeeney, who stressed the joy he had for his players, pointed to the importance of men simply throwing their bodies on the line for the cause.

He also said Sunday’s victory to land the biggest prize possible will quieten “all the noise” directed at his squad for not being able to close out tight games in the past.

“It feels quiet…it’s like I’m wearing a pair of earmuffs for a change,” ‘Geezer’ said opening his post game interview.

“To be honest, I’m just delighted for these boys. Back when we were playing, we got a couple of carrots to keep us going…in the Ulster championship,” said the Armagh manager of how the team he played on tasted Ulster success first.

In the three years before he captained Armagh to the All-Ireland title in 2002, they were knocked out by the eventual winners – Meath (1999), Kerry (’00) and Galway in 2001. His current squad had to keep coming back to the well without any jingle in their pockets.

“These fellas have got knockback after knockback after knockback and they just keep coming. Penalty shoot-outs, everyone telling them they can’t win tight games, that they can’t beat teams above them.

“They have given them (doubters) the perfect answer…All-Ireland champions 2024,” McGeeney said, flanked by Oisin O’Neill and Tiernan Kelly in the Croke Park press centre.

“I’m delighted for them, absolutely over the moon. I couldn’t be any happier for them. They’re a great bunch of fellas. To do what they’ve done over the last four or five years has been outstanding, to come back and win that one today.”

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.