Kieran McGeeney, the manager of Armagh GAA team, shared his thoughts on the vote over his future last August, stating he didn’t view it as a tough time. Quite the opposite, he felt reaffirmed by the overwhelming support from county clubs. McGeeney, who won All-Ireland in 2002 as captain, was backed by 46 clubs and the executive committee to continue for a 10th season, dwarfing the objection of just 16.
During the All-Ireland final media event at The Carrickdale Hotel, McGeeney addressed the vote, suggesting it was a strong launchpad for the year. Reflecting on his extensive experience in football, he believes the year had gone well, remembering just one loss in the league final. He dismissed criticism of Arkham’s ability in high-pressure games, highlighting their performance was on par with Donegal and Monaghan.
Looking ahead, the Armagh team is expected to gather at their hotel for a banquet after the All-Ireland final. Although final decisions are pending on the team’s jersey colour for the game, the likelihood is that they will adorn their traditional orange. In recent matches, including those in 2022, 2023, and the recent group game at Markievicz Park, Armagh has chosen orange, despite the potential colour clash with Galway’s maroon. McGeeney added that this choice is critical, considering two of their players suffer from colour blindness. A solid block colour, he explained, could be problematic for these individuals.
Pádrac Joyce, the Galway manager, revealed that he had dispatched a message to McGeeney after the teams played to a stalemate in the group phase last month. It was on a Sunday when Joyce stated that they’d encounter each other again in the final match. McGeeney confirmed this, explaining that Joyce had foreseen two or three things that eventually came to pass. McGeeney then noted, with some intrigue, that he had quizzed Joyce about who he thought would triumph in the final, but Joyce has yet to disclose his prediction.