McGeeney: Our calmness stood to us on home straight

ARMAGH manager Kieran McGeeney hailed his side’s composure in the dying embers of an absorbing contest as they manufactured three unanswered scores to book their spot on Ulster Final day for the third successive year.

Jarly Óg Burns left only a single point between the teams with four minutes remaining, and after Ross McQuillan forced a turnover with 67.20 on the clock, Tyrone were only able to muster one more touch of the ball – a Niall Morgan kick-out, which didn’t meet its intended target.

The Armagh manager believes his team shouldn’t have found themselves in such a precarious position in the first place, but they wrestled back control of the contest at the opportune moment, meaning their impressive record of not having lost a championship game in 70 minutes since 2023 remains intact for another day.

“I don’t think it should have been as tight. You just have to react to whatever punches are thrown. I thought the boys did really well under the circumstances.

“They stayed really calm, I thought we played well and controlled most of the game.

“Tyrone were good too. We put ourselves in a good position with about 20 to go and then there was just the raft of frees but we kept calm near the end and were able to take off the shots.”

Booked for dissent after kicking a sideline flag in the second-half. McGeeney also expressed his misgivings with the reminder issued from the Football Rules Committee last week that there is evidence of overcarrying and only four steps are permitted. He is, however, content with the addition of the hooter system, which very much worked in their favour on Saturday with Rory Grugan slotting the winner with the last kick of the game.

“People like to be in the picture. You just have to roll with those things. Referees don’t call the rules, let’s be honest.

“Four steps? If we counted out four steps every time, if we counted an open hand tackle, this is what happens in these exchanges.

“Everybody goes back and says, ‘Well they were technically right’. Everything is a foul in Gaelic football, everything we do is a foul so the referees will always be right. You just have to take that on the chin and accept it and move on.

“The buzzer actually acts as a good thing. People tend to let other teams have chances –  you never know when it’s going to be up. It’s good to have a rule in Gaelic football that’s definitive, whether we like it or not.”

Armagh came out second best in last year’s Ulster final on penalties but picked themselves up off the canvas and marched all the way to the All-Ireland.

They’d love to win a first provincial championship since 2008, but McGeeney already has one eye on the All-Ireland series and says he won’t be rushing his injured players back for the Ulster final.

“We all play football, I love my Ulster championship medals, they were tough earned.

“But I suppose things have shifted towards the super 16, even though they’re getting rid of those for some unknown reason. I’m not allowed to talk about that, I still can’t understand it.

“The provincial championships were pushed back to get it, but I still think it’s a mistake. But listen we have an Ulster championship final to look forward to.

“We’ll be going for it, but like everybody else we’ll not be taking any unnecessary chances with players if they’re not fit to do it.”