Armagh’s Triumph: Gilligan Praises Team’s Perseverance and DepthArmagh’s Triumph: Gilligan Praises Team’s Perseverance and Depth After their historic All-Ireland victory, Conleith Gilligan, a newcomer to Armagh’s management team, expressed immense gratitude for the team’s relentless pursuit of success. “It was very, very satisfying,” Gilligan said of the mood in the dressing room. “As a group, they’ve been together for a long time. There were so many difficult days and days where they were really, really close, but ultimately didn’t make it across the finish line.” Armagh’s resilience shone through in their Ulster final losses on penalties, as they bounced back with victories over Roscommon and Kerry before securing the All-Ireland against Galway. Gilligan attributed this success to the unwavering confidence instilled by manager Kieran McGeeney and his support staff. “All the Kierans (Kieran Donaghy, Ciaran McKeever, Ciaran McKinney) and Julie (Davis) and (Kieran McGeeney’s wife) Maura… they have been there for so long and still they wanted to come back. To get the victory today is just a barbaric reward for all those people.” The bench played a pivotal role in Armagh’s momentum, with Stefan Campbell scoring crucial goals and Ross McQuillan, Jarly Óg Burns, and others contributing with vital points. Gilligan emphasized the importance of maintaining a cohesive squad. “Sometimes you think you have a big panel and a lot of players are sidelined, but in the end you have a mountain of injuries. From that perspective, the impact of the bench has been crucial all year… you wouldn’t have been there without the points from Nugent and Jarly Óg.” Gilligan concluded by highlighting the adaptability and versatility of Armagh’s players, which allowed them to overcome challenges and ultimately lift the Sam Maguire Cup.
By Michael McMullan
CONLEITH Gilligan was the last person to board the Armagh team bus before it left Croke Park on Sunday evening.
Gilligan, who was new to the management team this season, paid tribute to those who struggled before reaching the other end of the pitch.
“It was very, very satisfying,” he said of the mood in the Armagh dressing room behind him.
“As a group, they’ve been together for a long time. There were so many difficult days and days where they were really, really close, but ultimately didn’t make it across the finish line.”
After losing two Ulster finals on penalties, Armagh bounced back this season to beat Roscommon in Croke Park before beating Kerry in extra time. Sunday’s win over Galway was the highlight. For Gilligan, the confidence Kieran McGeeney instilled in the players was a major factor.
“I suppose all the Kierans (Kieran Donaghy, Ciaran McKeever, Ciaran McKinney) and Julie (Davis) and (Kieran McGeeney’s wife) Maura.
“They have been there for so long and still they wanted to come back. To get the victory today is just a barbaric reward for all those people.”
A hallmark of Armagh’s momentum in the latter stages of the Championship was their impact from the bench, with Stefan Campbell scoring 0-5 after three appearances before the final after coming on at half-time.
Seconds after coming on Sunday he scored the crucial goal for Aaron McKay. Ross McQuillan, Jarly Óg Burns, Jason Duffy, Aidan Nugent and Oisin O’Neill all scored vital points.
It was keeping all 42 players on board that allowed Armagh to create the depth that set them apart when the tough questions were asked on the way to Sam being lifted. Gilligan agrees.
“Sometimes you think you have a big panel and a lot of players are sidelined,” he said, “but in the end you have a mountain of injuries.
“Look, from that perspective, the impact of the bench has been crucial all year and you wouldn’t have been there without the points from Nugent and Jarly Óg, and that’s magical.
“I think you have to be able to change, you have to be able to adapt. Once you have that, then you have all the different moving parts and everyone can do something different and that’s the magic of it.”
Watch our review show on Monday as we look back at Armagh’s historic win on Sunday, the key moments and the special atmosphere during the home game.
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