Armagh ear-splittingly smashed it. Absolute and utter pandemonium. What a day in Croke Park.
A day of high drama and raw emotion. Crushing despair for Galway and unbridled joy for the Orchard County.
Twenty-two years is a long time to wait for glory. Right to the very end, the game could have gone either away. Nerves all round in shreds as the destination of this year’s championship hinged on a few last kicks of the ball.
On the millisecond of that final whistle, the orange-plated multitude unleashed a primal roar. The noise was deafening.
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Armagh, by a single point.
Team captain Aidan Forker confirmed it on the steps of the Hogan Stand with the Sam Maguire trophy now firmly in his possession.
“Today, we’re not dreamin’. We are 2024 All-Ireland champions!”
There are always scenes of wild celebration in Croker when the winning county is crowned. But even allowing for that, the response of the ecstatic Armagh supporters was on another level. And it was a joy to behold.
Vanquished Galway were chasing a 10th title and the end of a 23-year search for silverware. In the west, hearts were aching just as much for victory.
Before this special Sunday, Armagh had just one All-Ireland title. The visceral reaction of its supporters to finally landing a second said everything about their pride in their homeplace and their love of the game.
There were other compelling strands to this exhilarating drama.
Jarlath Burns, the president of the GAA, would not only be watching his beloved Orchard County contest the final but also cheering on his son, Jarly Óg, who joined the action as a substitute in the second half.
And team manager Kieran McGeeney completed an exquisite full circle when his charges climbed those steps to collect their prize, retracing his own history for him. Back in 2002, “Geezer” was the Armagh captain who led the county to its first title.
Perhaps the recent dominance of teams like Dublin and Kerry dulls the senses just that little bit. Yes, they deliver great days out, but on Sunday, the depth of passion and fervour on the terraces and stands went deeper.
The madness of the customised cars and painted sheep and orange-wrapped houses took root in Armagh weeks ago and their supporters joyously brought it to Dublin for the day. Galway’s supporters gave them a run for their money but in the huge crowds outside the pubs around the ground, the prevailing mood and colour was orange. This was carried through to the stadium, where pockets of Galway maroon were surrounded by the flaming swathes from across the Border.
At Jones Road, Noleen King from Drumintee in Armagh waited at the security barrier with her daughter Teresa O’Gribin in the hope of getting a last minute ticket. “Are you selling tickets?” Noleen asked us when she saw us talking to a garda. Unfortunately, no. “I go to all the club games as well as the All-Ireland matches but I can’t get a ticket. I’m still hoping against hope we’ll get something. Somebody handed at least one in to this garda so we might be lucky.”
Teresa said they had a limit of €250 each on what they would spend. They were pinning their hopes on the very pleasant guard. “The best looking guard in Dublin.”
Meanwhile, outside the stadium, Taoiseach Simon Harris was on selfie-duty, posing for photos with members of the crowd. He was mobbed, with people queuing up for their close-up and just stopping short of flinging their toddlers and babies at him.
“I wore this green tie to keep everyone happy,” he told the crowd as his handlers tried in vain to steer him inside. Apparently he arrived straight off the flight from Paris, changing his suit at Dublin Airport before heading to the match.
Two middle-aged men wearing Galway shirts surveyed the scene. “It’s unbelievable watching them in action, isn’t it?” said one to the other, in a non-football-related observation.
Before the match, there were huge cheers inside for President Michael D Higgins when he ventured onto the field with cheery determination to meet the teams. Michael D barrelled along on two sticks, did the honours with aplomb and got a warm and affectionate standing ovation for his efforts.
An almighty roar went up when referee Seán Hurson threw in the ball. And neither set of fans let up for the entire 70 minutes and beyond.
It was a dull, dour first half, said the experts. But the faithful didn’t think so, tortured and frazzled by the close calls, near misses and tight margins.
The scores were even at half time. Armagh just a point up at full time. Then six minutes of additional time. The noise was off the scale in the heart-stopping final minutes.
And that was it. The orange-clad army went into orbit. Smoke bombs went off again. Jubilant players diving to the ground and diving on top of each other. People crying and taking selfies of themselves crying.
GAA president Jarlath Burns hugged his family in the Ard Comhairle.
Jarly Óg Burns, with the ball in his hands, runs up the steps of the Hogan Stand to his father. They throw their arms around each other; the GAA president is crying and in their tight embrace his spectacles squish up onto his forehead.
The crowd in the stands see it on the big screen and it finishes them entirely.
And the presentation has yet to be made.
“Let today be a lesson to anyone everywhere who has a dream in life – with faith and hard work and belief anything is possible. Many of us are living our dreams here today,” cried Captain Aidan Forker. “Up Armagh!”
With that, the familiar strains of The Boys from the County Armagh filled the fizzing air and the hallowed ground was host to one huge, emotional choir.
“There’s one fair county in Ireland
With memories so glorious and grand ...”
Singing their hearts out. All the verses. Not a dry eye in the house.
It may have been a close match, but in Croke Park, the Fourth Green Field won by a mile.
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