This year’s All-Ireland Senior Championship Football final is a “novel pairing” as Galway squares off against Armagh in Croke Park this afternoon. 

The match will kick off at Croke Park at 3.30pm, with warm spells and sunshine forecasted for the afternoon. 

This is only the seventh final with teams from Ulster and Connacht competing. 

Both Armagh and Galway have a lot to play for today – Armagh has lifted Sam Maguire just once in 2003, while Galway has not won since 2001. 

Ryan McHugh of Donegal in action against John Maher of Galway during the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship semi-final match between Donegal and Galway at Croke Park in Dublin, 14/07/2024 Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile

This is also the first All-Ireland final since 2010 that doesn’t include Dublin, Mayo or Kerry. 

Galway are currently the favourites to win after a tough road to the final, having to come through the preliminary quarters after finishing second to Armagh in Group 1. 

They overcame defending champions Dublin in the quarter-finals before squeezing past Donegal in the last four to make it to Croke Park. 

Armagh have a chance to make history with a second All-Ireland win – with fans hopeful after their defeat against Kerry in the semi-finals. 

Off the Ball GAA Correspondent Tommy Rooney said Armagh and Galway are a “novel pairing” for the all-important final. 

“It’s a little bit like having no Limerick in an All-Ireland hurling final,” he told The Anton Savage Show. 

“It's just nice when it's going to a county that isn't used to winning.” 

Both Galway manager Padraic Joyce and Armagh’s Kieran McGeeney were at Croke Park when their teams last won an All-Ireland final – and they’ll both be hoping to lift the cup again. 

Tommy noted Armagh has “been in the mix” for a Championship win for the last 25 years – but with only one win under their belt, the team rarely have made it to a final. 

He said at their last win in 2003, Armagh manager Joe Kernan presented the players with a ‘loser’s plaque’ and smashed it in the dressing room. 

Aidan Forker of Armagh during the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship semi-final match between Armagh and Kerry at Croke Park in Dublin, 13/07/2024. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile

“Kieran McGeeney was in the dressing room that day,” he said. “McGeeney is an unbelievable character, very charismatic and inspirational. 

“[But] he has his arm in a sling... he hasn’t been able to play for the last 10 weeks. 

“I wonder has he been able to get out that kind of aggression and frustration that's in him all the time.” 

Tommy said there is “dynamism” in both Galway and Armagh today. 

“The benches are both stacked with quality players that are going to come on at some stage and make a difference,” he said. 

“It will be as tense and chaotic as [the All-Ireland Hurling final] but in a different way.” 

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