Player ratings: Armagh v Galway - Mackin justifies the final call
TIGHT MARKING: Galway's Cein Darcy and Connaire Mackin of Armagh Pic: ©INPHO/Bryan Keane
Went short with most of his kick-outs until late on when Galway put a heavy press on. No great drama for the man who replaced Ethan Rafferty this year, aside from one early kick that went astray, leading to a Galway point and a late kick-out that Paul Conroy caught.
Came into the contest with 2-4 from defence. Managed to add a first-half point but spent the majority of his afternoon in defence mode on Shane Walsh. The Galway man was off colour for sure but McCambridge was also excellent, holding Walsh to a point from play.
The Armagh captain went head to head with Damien Comer. That was a job in itself but he got forward for two first-half score attempts, kicking a wide and a point. Comer was eventually taken off and Forker became the first man since Kieran McGeeney to captain a winning Orchard team to Sam.
Began the game on Rob Finnerty until the Galway attacker was taken off injured. Set up a Tiernan Kelly point in the third quarter.
The one change to the Armagh team from the semi-final. Mackin's orders were to man-mark Matthew Tierney and he did just that, getting hands-on and physical whenever possible. Put Céin Darcy out of play with an inspirational hit in the 43rd minute.
An unlikely gamebreaker. The Dromintee man was detailed to protect the full-back line again in a sweeper role. Bombed forward at times in the first half and was the most advanced player for an Armagh point. That was a precursor to his memorable 47th-minute goal.
Had bad memories from facing Galway in 2022 on the same pitch. Was taken off after 46 minutes this time but still scored a point and contributed to a famous win.
Kicked a sumptuous point at a crucial stage with eight minutes to go following a great catch. One half of a superb Armagh midfield pairing.
What a battle between the two midfielders; Crealey and Paul Conroy. Both sniped two first-half points. Crealey's second was his best as he provided support on the right and kicked accurately. Made a brilliant stoppage-time interception as Galway chased the equaliser.
Should have done better with a 33rd-minute point attempt from a mark. But lasted the duration and came good at the death with a block to deny Paul Conroy a possible equaliser for Galway.
Tracked by Liam Silke. Won a 19th-minute free that Conor Turbitt wasted and set up a 33rd-minute advanced mark that Joe McElroy booted wide. His 41st-minute point was a pearler.
Caused Galway huge problems, particularly in the first half. Got on tons of ball and remained a constant outlet. Scored Armagh's first two points and added a third in the second half, finishing the campaign with 0-13. The Galway post-mortem will focus on how he had so much space.
The Ballymacnab man struggled to escape Jack Glynn for the most part. Had to be lifted off in the third quarter with a leg injury.
Not a particularly influential figure in the Armagh attack, albeit he sacrificed his own game to provide support in the middle third. Surprisingly lasted the entire game.
Got off to a slow start and then kicked a bad 20th minute wide from a free. Nothing much fell his way after that and he was taken off. Still, a bold move to withdraw a man who'd fired 3-22 in the Championship.
Came on at half-time in Armagh's previous three games. Arrived later this time but had an immediate impact, setting up the goal. Struck a wide too.
Brought vital energy in the war zone.
Etched his name in history with one of the scores that clinched the landmark win.
Marked Matthew Tierney when he came on. Burst forward to set up Oisín O'Neill for a pivotal point. 7
Jason Duffy (for Forker 76)
Ratings by Paul Keane
Connor Gleeson
All bar two of his kick-outs were retained. Could he have been quicker to get to Stefan Campbell’s floated pass that McKay fisted to the net? Broke an Armagh kick-out around halfway late on when Galway were chasing an equaliser. Should have been called forward to kick a free late on given Walsh’s misfiring. 7
Primary job was to make sure Conor Turbitt was not centre stage for a second successive Croke Park outing. Turbitt’s 46th-minute withdrawal spoke of a job very well done. Crucially, lost his replacement, Stefan Campbell, for the Armagh goal. Assisted second-half Conroy point.
His opposite number, Andrew Murnin, was anonymous. Fitzgerald was guilty of twice fouling under the high ball. Neither free ended in a white flag.
Tasked with negating the influence of Armagh link-man Rory Grugan. Glynn had minimal involvement, but then again, could you say Grugan got anywhere near the conducting levels of brilliance he performed against Kerry? Glynn was whipped on 45 minutes.
Armagh, understandably, endeavoured to keep him out of the action. Oisín Conaty would tag him when Galway attacked, but going the other way, Conaty drifted to the far side, kicking two first-half points, while McHugh held the D. More involved second period. His two point attempts were skied and hit the post.
Galway’s most effective defender, both on his toes and heels. Kicked a first-half point. Assisted three second-half white flags. Shaded Rian O’Neill in their duel.
Busy opening half as Armagh’s attacking approach of keeping possession away from Dylan McHugh’s side meant there was an overload of heavy traffic on Mulkerrin’s flank.Fine second half. Won a big turnover on 57 minutes, but it ended with a wide.
Was this a cruel swansong? Galway will hope not. Two first half points. His superb opener was the latest piece of evidence that Galway don’t do simple white flags. Added a third within two minutes of the resumption. Was blocked when trying for an equaliser at a death.
Started, as expected, in Seán Kelly’s stead. Transformed from his below-par Donegal display. His directness repeatedly troubled Armagh. Registered a first-half point. Shortly after won a throw ball that ended with Walsh sending wide a scorable free. Was successful with two of his three second-half kicks.
Poor outing. Assisted for a first-half point. In the second half, his pass to set Liam Silke away was poorly executed, while a point attempt was ballooned up into the air.
Showed up again. The third hugely influential Galway middle third man. Assisted for Galway’s fourth point, kicked by Céin D’Arcy. Then kicked their next himself. Blocked Niall Grimley's first-half-point attempt. Dispossessed Turbitt for Galway’s eighth point.
Same as the semi-final, came with a big second half. Had a direct hand in four of Galway’s seven second-half points. Kicked a wide during that crucial run of costly Galway misses following the goal. Lost possession in the very final play.
Desperately unlucky. Forced off because of injury only 11 minutes in. Had nailed the one free he was given. A free that stemmed from him disrupting a short Armagh restart.
A second-half spectator. On the ball plenty in the opening period, but no robust impact. Was fouled right before Conroy kicked his second. His end-line losing of possession late in the first half finished with Ben Crealey levelling. His double turnover at the beginning of the second half, that finished with Conroy pointing, was his last meaningful involvement.
The polar opposite of his 2022 final pyrotechnics. Seven shots, only two points. Assumed full responsibility of dead-ball duties when Finnerty departed early. Missed the first two, the first of which was an unforgivable wide. Short with a second-half free and mark. His man-marker, Barry McCambridge, as he did in the semi, stole forward to kick a point.
Johnny Heaney (6) was introduced far earlier than he and management had bargained for. Assisted a second-half point. Strong on the counter. Seán Kelly (5) picked up Grugan when he came in. Same as Heaney, also assisted a second-half point. Daniel Ó Flaherty, Tomo Culhane, and Kieran Molloy had no material impact.
Ratings by Eoghan Cormican
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