'Everyone's on a high': Armagh gears up for final

Peadar McLoughlin is a member of Shane O’Neill's GAC in Camlough

Flags and bunting are beginning to appear across the Orchard County as Armagh gears up for the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final.

The county produced a dramatic comeback to beat Kerry 1-18 to 1-16 after extra time in a dramatic semi-final at Croke Park on Saturday.

They will play Galway on 28 July, which will be Armagh's first appearance in a final since 2003.

Peadar McLoughlin, a member of Shane O’Neill's GAC in Camlough, is part of a group from the club decorating the village.

"We’re just showing our support for Armagh," he told BBC News NI.

"Camlough is right behind Armagh."

A group from Shane O'Neill's GAC have put up flags and bunting in Camlough

Peadar was one of thousands who watched the team win on Saturday at Croke Park.

He told BBC News NI the atmosphere in the stadium was "just magic".

"People were crying, people were singing. All the emotion came out," he said.

"Today, everybody going past us here is beeping the horn and putting the hand up.

"Everybody will be in good form now for the next two weeks, getting ready for it."

Mick Mackin's sons are on the Armagh panel

The Orchard County has won the senior football title just once - in 2002.

Mick Mackin's sons, Connaire and Ciaran, are both on the Armagh panel and play for Shane O'Neill's.

"It’ll be mental round here in the build-up to the final," he said.

"This village is mad for GAA. It’s a good buzz.

"It’s not too often we get to finals. Once every 20 years, that’s the ratio at the minute."

Mick, who was at the finals in 1977 and 2002, thinks this year's match will be a "tight game".

"It’s dynamite. The younger ones don’t know what it’s like to be in a final, they can’t remember," he said.

"Now they have it for themselves and they’ll see it this week and next week."

Crossmaglen Rangers GAC coaches Jamie Luckie and Malachy Nixon took a bus of young players to the semi-final

Twenty minutes down the road, excitement is also reaching fever pitch at Crossmaglen Rangers GAC.

Coaches Jamie Luckie and Malachy Nixon took a bus of around 50 children to Croke Park to watch the semi-final.

"The highlight was the kids' faces when Armagh were coming back into the game and winning - it would melt your heart," Jamie said.

"We had the guts of 50 kids and maybe another 10 or 12 adults. Some of the adults were like kids when it came to the final whistle.

"Everyone is on a high. We’re back out training Wednesday night, and I’m sure it’ll be trying to replicate what they saw at the weekend."

Excitement is building at Crossmaglen Rangers GAC

Malachy added that the kids were all "buzzing".

"I had to peel the jerseys off my own two kids this morning to get them washed and they’re straight back on them so it’s brilliant.

"It’s great for them to get to Croke Park and see lads from their own club playing."

He said the build up to the final will be "great craic".

"The flags are going up and bunting already. It’s a great experience for the kids."

Liam plays for Crossmaglen Rangers

Liam was one of dozens of children to make the journey and said it was "brilliant" watching Armagh win.

"They played amazing," he said.

"When they scored everyone was jumping up and down. It was the first time I’ve seen an atmosphere like that."

Another young fan, Kyle, backs Armagh to win the final.

"If we can beat Kerry, we can beat Galway," he said, adding that the best part of the semi-final was "the chants on the bus on the way back".

Sarah says the match is the most exciting she's been to

Sarah said she has been to "lots of matches but this was the most exciting".

"The crowd were going mad."

She thinks Armagh will win the final because "they’re the best".

And as Crossmaglen prepares for the big match, a pop-up Armagh GAA store has been set up in its square.

Shopping for shirts are Charlotte O'Sullivan and her children, Brinan and Tiernan.

Brinan plays for Shannon Gaels youth team in New York.

She told BBC News NI that her family managed to catch the semi-final win when they were back in Ireland.

Siblings Brinan and Tiernan shopping for new shirts

"It’s their first Armagh game, it was chills," Charlotte said.

"It was amazing – people were hugging, high-fiving people they don’t know. It was amazing, something they’ll never forget.

"Going home on the bus everybody was beeping horns, it was amazing. Just to see the little kids all happy was amazing.

"Everybody is getting their jerseys and tickets for the final now."