All-Ireland SFC Final - team news & all you need to know

Galway skipper Sean Kelly, if passed fit, and Armagh's Rian O'Neill are likely to be key players in Sunday's All-Ireland Football Final

After the freshness of what proved to be a thrilling All-Ireland Hurling Final match-up between Clare and Cork, there is also a novelty factor to Sunday's football encounter as Galway and Armagh meet for the first time in a Sam Maguire Cup decider.

However, the sides are very familiar to each other having met in three tight championship contests over the past three seasons.

Penalties were required to separate them during the 2022 All-Ireland quarter-final as Galway edged victory after a game marred by a mass brawl at full-time in normal time.

Armagh gained a measure of revenge when winning their round-robin clash at Carrick-on-Shannon last year but the sides couldn't be separated five weeks ago when drawing 0-15 to 1-12 in the Super 16s stage at Markievicz Park.

Therefore all the portents suggest another close encounter at Croke Park on Sunday.

Match details

Sunday, 28 July - Armagh vs Galway, 15:30 BST, Croke Park

Can I watch on the BBC and who are the pundits?

Yes, you can watch the final on the BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website & BBC Two Northern Ireland with Sunday's coverage beginning at 15:00 BST.

A stellar cast of former All-Ireland winners will be part of the broadcast including Philly McMahon (eight titles with Dublin), Owen Mulligan (three titles with Tyrone), Michael Murphy (Donegal captain in 2012), Oisin McConville (2002 winner with Armagh) and ex-Derry manager Mickey Harte, who famously managed Tyrone to three All-Ireland titles.

The BBC Sport website will also have live text commentaries, clips, reports, reaction and highlights from the final.

Is extra-time possible?

If the game ends in a draw, extra-time will be played. If still tied after extra-time, a replay will be required. A replay would take place on Saturday, 10 August.

Who are the managers?

Galway and Armagh have played three tight championship games over the past three years including the 2022 All-Ireland quarter-final which the Tribesmen won on penalties

Armagh are managed by Kieran McGeeney, who captained the Orchard County to their sole All-Ireland title 22 years ago.

McGeeney is the longest-serving senior inter-county manager in the GAA having been appointed to the Orchard County job in late 2014.

During his time in charge as Ulster - let alone All-Ireland titles - remained elusive despite numerous chances to land silverware, there have been regular murmurings about his future in the job and McGeeney had to win a vote of confidence from the county's executive and clubs to retain the position last August.

Galway boss Padraic Joyce was the county's star forward as the Tribesmen clinched All-Ireland titles in 1998 and 2001, the latter being the county's last success.

After being Galway minor boss, the Killererin club-man was appointed senior manager in late 2019.

While Joyce's side suffered Connacht final defeats by arch-rivals Mayo in the Covid-hit straight knockout championships in 2020 and 2021, the Galway GAA board kept faith with him.

After winning the provincial title in 2022, he guided the county to the All-Ireland decider where they were narrowly edged out by Kerry in a thrilling game.

Mayo ended Galway's hopes at the last-12 stage in 2023 but Joyce avenged that defeat by guiding the Tribesmen to a third successive Connacht title in May before his side plotted a route to the county's second All-Ireland Final in three years.

Team news

Kieran McGeeney has made one change to the Armagh starting line-up from the dramatic semi-final win over Kerry as Connaire Mackin replaces Peter McGrane in defence.

Stefan Campbell, who played a crucial role as an impact sub against the Kingdom, again starts from the bench, which also includes Jarlath Og Burns, Ross McQuillan and Aidan Nugent.

Galway also make one change as Sean Kelly, who missed the narrow semi-final win over Donegal because of injury, returns at midfield in place of Cein D'Arcy.

Armagh: B Hughes; P Burns, A McKay, B McCambridge; Connaire Mackin, T Kelly, A Forker (capt); N Grimley, B Crealey; J McElroy, R O'Neill, O Conaty; R Grugan, A Murnin, C Turbitt.

Subs: E Rafferty, G McCabe, P McGrane, C Higgins, R McQuillan, S McPartlan, J Duffy, O O'Neill, S Campbell, A Nugent, J Og Burns

Galway: C Gleeson; J McGrath, S Fitzgerald, J Glynn; D McHugh, L Silke, S Mulkerrins; P Conroy, S Kelly (capt); M Tierney, J Maher, C McDaid; R Finnerty, D Comer, S Walsh.

Subs: C Flaherty, J Daly, E Kelly, D O'Flaherty, K Molloy, C Sweeney, C D'Arcy, J Heaney, L O Conghaile, T Culhane, N Daly

Who is the referee?

Tyrone man Sean Hurson is taking charge of Sunday's contest.

Hurson refereed the 2022 decider when Galway were left somewhat irate by his late call to award a late free against defender John Daly when the sides were level at 0-16 to 0-16 with just under 10 minutes remaining.

David Clifford pointed the free on the 20-metre line and the Kingdom went on to clinch a 0-20 to 0-16 victory.

Hurson's championship games this year have included the drawn group stage clash between Armagh and Galway in Sligo.

All-Ireland Football Final ticket information

Tickets for the All-Ireland Football Final are not available through general sale.

Each county receives an allocation of tickets which is filtered down to their clubs.

Earlier this year, the GAA announced an increased pricing structure for the All-Ireland football and hurling finals.

Stand tickets now cost 100 euros (£85), an increase of 10 euros from 2023. Hill 16 tickets are 55 euros (£46), an increase of five euros from last year.

How did Armagh and Galway reach the final?

After comfortably winning their Ulster SFC opener against Fermanagh, Armagh snatched a fortunate one-point semi-final victory over Down.

However, despite looking set to triumph in normal time and extra-time in the provincial decider, McGeeney's men were eventually beaten by Donegal on penalties as the county's wait for a first Ulster title since 2008 went on.

Many wrote off Armagh after that latest devastating reverse for the side but they recovered impressively to beat Westmeath and then thump Derry in the All-Ireland group stage before a tense draw with Galway secured direct progression to the All-Ireland quarter-finals.

The Orchard men weren't overly impressive in beating Roscommon in the last eight but then produced the performance of their summer to date by overcoming big favourites Kerry 1-18 to 1-16 after extra-time in a thrilling semi-final.

Galway also endured some nervous moments in the Connacht campaign as they needed a late goal to beat Sligo after being three behind late on before hitting three injury-time points to edge out big rivals Mayo 0-16 to 0-15 in the provincial decider.

Despite their All-Ireland group stage wins over Derry and Westmeath, the draw with Armagh meant they had to negotiate a preliminary quarter-final with Monaghan where they had to work hard to clinch a 0-14 to 0-11 win.

Few gave them much chance of upsetting champions Dublin in the quarter-finals but 0-7 from Shane Walsh helped Joyce's side clinch a shock 0-17 to 0-16 victory and they followed that up by holding off Donegal 1-14 to 0-15 in another tight semi-final.