Rory Grugan and Armagh galvanised by disappointment and false dawns

Before the revival came the decline – and Armagh attacker Rory Grugan felt that sinking feeling more than anyone else.

He has been around the Armagh environment a long time. So long that he shared the dressing room with a 2002 All-Ireland winner in Paul Hearty.

It wasn’t a Celtic Cross but Grugan, too, knew what it was like to win an All-Ireland at Croke Park, vice-captain on the 2009 minor side with an attacking flair that had Armagh fans truly believing their favoured saying - "the future’s bright, the future’s orange."

February 2018: Armagh v Longford

It wasn’t meant to be like this.

Nine years after that minor success, 14-man Longford are three points up on Armagh at the Athletic Grounds as the game ticks into the red.

Ethan Rafferty, an outfielder at that stage, strikes a goal out of the blue and Grugan kicks a late winner, but Armagh’s standing in the game is plain to see. If the Tailteann Cup had been in operation back then, they would have been in it that season.

July 2024: Armagh v Kerry

It wasn’t mean to be like this.

Fifteen years after that minor success, All-Ireland favourites Kerry are dumped out of the championship by big underdogs Armagh, who have had an aversion to winning tight matches.

Not today though. It takes extra-time, of course, but Kieran McGeeney’s side, with nine of the 15 that started against Longford in the matchday 26, find a way through to their first All-Ireland final in 21 years, Galway joining them the day after.

As Kerry launch a ball in for what they hope will be a match-winning goal, Grugan can’t watch. He buries his head behind Aidan Forker on the subs’ bench, hiding away.

Hiding. A word laced with connotation and one unjustifiably thrown at Grugan occasionally during the darker days. It