All-Ireland final 'bigger than Christmas' in Armagh

Eoghan said he was going to watch the match at home with his family

GAA fans have been painting the Orchard county orange and white ahead of Armagh making their first appearance at All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final since 2002.

Local clubs and businesses across the county showed their support for the team led by manager Kieran McGeeney.

Ahead of the showdown with Galway on Sunday, BBC News NI took a road trip of Armagh, to meet some of the county's most loyal supporters.

Preparations were well under way by both those lucky enough to have secured tickets for Croke Park, and those planning to watch from home.

Fans were hoping to see their team go all the way for what would be only the second time in the competition's history, and seem to be trying to will it by sheer force of their enthusiasm.

The grounds at Ballyhegan Davitts GFC were filled with shouts of "Let's go Armagh"

Our first stop was at Ballyhegan Davitts GFC, the home of Armagh player Peter McGrane.

We were met by dozens of youngsters from the club’s junior team chanting “let’s go Armagh” and “let’s go Peter”.

The club was decked out with flags and posters and the junior members - all in Armagh jerseys - were kicking footballs around and playing with orange flares and horns.

Moya, Alana, and Emily were travelling to Croke Park to watch the final

Moya, Alana and Emily all play for Ballyhegan and were set to travel down to Croke Park on Sunday to watch the final.

Alana said “there would have been uproar” if they weren’t able to get their hands on some the tickets

She said the atmosphere in the area in the lead up to Sunday had been great: “It’s such a nice buzz like, we go from so quiet round here to now there’s flags up everywhere and everything so it’s good.”

Moya said that Galway would be tough competition: "They won the Connacht title so that's a lot and then they got past Donegal and they beat Dublin too."

But she added that Armagh are well up to the Challenge: "Hopefully they bring it home this weekend... you have to believe that they'll perform ".

Paul McGrane said the All-Ireland final was "bigger than Christmas"

Paul McGrane, the uncle of Peter McGrane and himself an All-Ireland champion from the Armagh team of 2002 said that Ballyhegan are a team that punches above their weight.

"We might be small and rural but we give our all whatever we're going to to do, on or off the pitch."

He said that the excitement throughout the county has been palpable

"If you go through Armagh's history it's not as if we get to All-Ireland finals every so often," he said.

"This is bigger than Christmas."

Barry Morgan said painting the van was "a bit of fun"

Just about a mile down the road, Ballyhegan club member Barry Morgan and his son Tommy took us to the family food storage business to show us the van they had painted in Armagh colours.

"Armagh don't get to too many finals so we're just making the most of it," he said.

"Just to sort of keep with it, cheer them on and get behind them."

"A lot of the stuff all over the county is going orange and white so we're just jumping on the bandwagon too."

"I wouldn't say we're artists now" he jokes, adding: "It's just been a bit of fun and to get everybody of all ages involved".

The bunting and colour was on display ahead of Sunday

Our next stop was Armagh city where you would be hard pushed to find a building not adorned with Armagh flags and bunting, or in the case of one pub, completely repainted in the county's colours.

Supplying the city with their flags, as well as hats and horns were, surprisingly enough, two men from Galway, Armagh's rivals in the final.

Dylan and Kevin Ward travelled up to set up stalls selling merchandise around the city.

Dylan Ward said Sunday's match would be close

Dylan Ward said they "just have to go where the money is".

"We're taking care of Galway down that side, we've people down there taking care of that and we're up here," he said.

Of the Armagh fans, he said: "They're a bit shocked to hear that I am a Galway man but listen we'll all be sitting beside each other in Croke Park anyways."

Dylan, who is heading to the final, said the atmosphere would be "electric".

"It's going to be a very good game, it's going to be close, there's nothing between these two teams in the last couple of meetings," he said.

Not to be outdone in their demonstration of county pride, in Crossmaglen people painted the kerbstones and even the road markings in orange and white.

As we drove through the town there was a queue outside the local sports shop as people waited patiently in line to get their hands on official Armagh apparel.

In keeping with the tradition of painting vehicles, Culloville had an old delivery van in the village centre in orange and white.

Next to it was a poster sending support from the local club to the county team.

The van's number plates had also been changed.

The front plate now read "Armagh 4 Sam 2024", while the back plate read "Up your ma, up your da, up Armagh".

As we approached the final destination, the rain wasn't putting fans off as they lined the sides of the streets of Middletown, making their way to the local club ground for a celebration ahead of the final.

When Armagh won their first All-Ireland in 2002, the GAA county chairman, Joe Jordan, was from Middletown. Roll on to 2024, and the county chairman , Paul McArdle, is from the same club.

By the time we got to the club the rain had eased off and a band, The Blarneys, played to a sea of orange jerseys on the pitch.

Among those enjoying the music, as well as some ice cream was eight-year-old Eoghan.

He told us he and his siblings had been getting in on the action of repainting vehicles orange and white by painting their toy car at home.

Eoghan, Eilish and Aoife painting their car

Eoghan said he and his family would watch the match at home on the TV, adding that he was "very excited".

Damien McGuiness said there was "great buzz" around Armagh

The chairman of Middletown GAA club Damien McGuiness said there had been a "great buzz around the town, around the county".

"There's a lot of this generation of kids who have never witnessed a final so for them it's massive," he said.

"There's no flags to be got, there's no bunting anywhere you're going to look for merchandise is sold out so that tells it's own story."

He said that for the kids of his club, seeing Armagh make a final "keeps them going and gives them a focus."

As to whether Armagh would win at the weekend, he said it was a "toss of a coin".

Michael and Kyle were confident of an Armagh win

Michael and Kyle from Middletown GAA club were less on the fence about Sunday's result.

Asked who was going to win at the weekend they answered in unison: "Armagh!"

Ruby and Lilly, both nine

Lily, aged nine, had made a poster for the celebrations.

"It took two weeks to do and I put really much hard work and dedication into it," she said.

"It's a picture of Croke Park and it has the sponsors and the 45 and 65 lines, and Hogan Stand and Cusack Stand."

Aisling, Ava, Grace, and Katie, all aged 11 will be cheering Armagh on

Ava, 11, hopes she too will one day make an All-Ireland final for Armagh.

"You have to train and work for it," she said.

Certainly showing the right determination was her friend Katie, also 11, who despite breaking her ankle while playing camogie, said she would stick with the sport.

"I like playing," she said, adding she would be back on the pitch soon.