Galway and Micil∅n; it is a curious and compelling sporting romance. The fine details of the closing passage of this Bank of Ireland qualifier are famous by now. The classicists from the west were on the ropes with time lagging and Armagh, gallant and rampaging in the final 15 minutes, had the scent of a win.

Yes, poor Justin McNulty's kick was sign-posted and yes, the Mullabawn man's cleverness and street savvy makes the error all but unforgivable. But he most likely would have escaped with it had any player other than Donnellan the younger been in the vicinity. Great players always hang around the lucky street corners.

So Donnellan rescued the ball and all in Croke Park sat mesmerised as he glided forward and flicked a pass to Paul Clancy. The Moycullen sharp-shooter drilled the winner high and true, and the Dunmore enigma took on a fresh hue.

"There was a great unity of purpose out there today and that was the significant thing for us," said John O'Mahony in the aftermath.

"Those lads got a lot of slagging - early on, people were raving about them winning All-Irelands and things like that and I knew you just can't think that way. Then they were written off. Well, they will be competitive anyway the next day and that's it."

The westerners were on the edge here, no doubt. Had McNulty's late kick found an Armagh forward, then the Ulster team - on the brink of dispersion now - would probably have won the game. Down 0-12 to 0-5 after 54 minutes, they looked down the funnel of the last three luckless years and, as Brian McAlinden attested, "found it within themselves" to illustrate their best qualities in one of the great rallies, firing seven points without reply.

If Armagh disband now, their courage and skill is framed for posterity in that last quarter. Marsden, the old talisman, started it with a dash and a lobbed point to bring them within six. The ascent was measured, balanced. Cathal O'Rourke floated three resuscitative frees and then Paul McGrane linked with Kieran Hughes before finding Barry O'Hagan for the momentum charged equaliser in the last minute.

"They came back," summarised O'Mahony, "because they are a good team." But so are his own. Galway established a command on this match that looked to have Armagh utterly suffocated. After the Connacht heat-flutters, the full-back line was solid and assured and Alan Keane seems the long-term successor to Michael Mac. Declan Meehan put in the work of three players, constantly roaming forward and ravenous in defence. His brilliant check on Aidan O'Rourke when his opposite number was through for an easy point after 63 minutes was arguably the pivotal moment of the match.

The Fallon-Donellan axis was prominent again, especially in the first half when the Tuam man set up the prodigy with a pair of exquisite passes. With Ger Reid just about living with the tricks of Pβdraig Joyce, Galway's attack was not as free-scoring as we have become accustomed to. Tommy Joyce, industrious throughout, sat back on his own 45 to cover the ceaseless blitz of Armagh long balls and still managed to fire two points.

But the crucial options were gradually drafted in from the bench. Kevin Walsh came in and controlled a series of throw-ins. Paul Clancy's effectiveness needs no embellishment. And Derek Savage's late cameo was significant - he twice won possession that by right belonged to the Ulster men.

Armagh's flatness throughout the risibly- poor first half ultimately cost them. Galway had them on the rack despite splaying six wides. The old stalwarts - the McEntee's, Kieran McGeeney and Paul McGrane - were on half-cylinders in comparison to the storm ing days of last summer. The scant ball delivered to their diamond attackers, Ois∅n McConville and Marsden, also contributed to their undoing. The game plan lacked adventure. And for all that, they were again unlucky on their trip south.

"We had the momentum," reflected Brian McAlinden. "We had the possession. It was up to us to score from there and we didn't." Failed scores will haunt them. Three times in the dour first half they prised half-gaps in Galway's defence, most dangerously in the 13th minute when John McEntee hoofed a point with the goal at his mercy. As the game wore on, they fell deeper into a rut. Perhaps their late charge was aided by Galway's subconscious easing off.

Just before Armagh's run, Paul Clancy lobbed a fine, speculative shot that fell just short. At the time it seemed irrelevant but had it scraped over the bar, the Ulster men might have been quenched altogether.

Although the same players might return next season, the present Armagh dynamic looks spent. It is hard not to feel their time has gently ebbed and with a bit of luck and a slightly more expansive mind-set, they might have landed the All-Ireland they so covet.

"The last two times we have come here," noted Brian McAlinden, "the team that beat us went on to win the All-Ireland. I really hope Galway do the same now." Well, the counties are dropping like flies and Galway are still standing.