The ball is thrown in and we're underway.

After all the build up, let's hope it's a cracker!

The players are in their huddles at Clones.

Throw-in is imminent.

Philly McMahon
Eight-time All-Ireland winner with Dublin on BBC Sport

Donegal will try and control the energy.

If Armagh are going to have a say in the start of the game, they need to do what they did against Fermanagh, push up on the kick out, go zonal and press them.

Armagh need to set the agenda if they're going to get over the line.

They need to say 'look, it's on our terms, we were here last year in the final and we'll expose that you haven't been here since 2019'.

I think that's going to be crucial

Jim McGuinness and Kieran McGeeney have crossed paths on the field and on the sideline for more that 30 years but while the occasional word may have been uttered in the heat of battle, the Donegal boss says his respect for the Mullaghbawn native has never wavered.

The duo's latest sideline joust will be in Sunday's Ulster Football Final at Clones as McGuinness 2.0 aims to deny McGeeney's Armagh the silverware they so crave.

BBC Sport NI's John Haughey has been having a look at the relationship between the two managers.

Read more here.

Image source, Inpho

Matt Gault
BBC Sport NI at St Tiernach's Park

Image source, Inpho

Armagh were on the pitch much earlier than Donegal but the players are being put through their paces now.

I don't have my binoculars with me today but I squinted enough to see Jim McGuinness deliver a high-energy talk to his players.

There he was, roaring out the instructions in the middle of the huddle. McGuinness lives for these moments.

Into the final 10 minutes at Corrigan Park, and Tipperary are still putting up a good fight.

Points from Conor Sweeny and Jack Kennedy have cut Antrim's lead to four-points.

Whenever Antrim look like pulling away, Tipp seem to find a way back into the contest.

Owen Mulligan
Former Tyrone forward and All-Ireland winner on BBC Sport

When the draw was made, McGeeney would have been licking his lips. They've played two Tailteann Cup teams and beat them, a sticky start against Down but they got over the line.

Kieran McGeeney loved the last five minutes as a player. This Armagh team has slipped up in the last five minutes in the last four games.

I've doubts about their steeliness. They're not finishing the job.

Kieran McGeeney the player would have loved those games, Kieran McGeeney the manager can't get over the line at the minute.

I think Donegal are going to win it.

Armagh corner-back Paddy Burns has been named to start after missing last year's final through injury.

"Last year I was hurt that I didn’t get the chance to play in an Ulster final," said the Forkhill native who has been playing his club football in Burren over the last two years.

"I was close to being back at that stage but hadn’t quite made it and was trying to do everything I could so I’m definitely glad that the opportunity has come [this year].

"I’ve put a number of years into this. You don’t always get what you deserve but I feel I deserved a go at it at least and I’m grateful that I’ve got a chance to go out and give it a go."

Read more.

Image source, Inpho

With five Ulster titles to his name, Michael Murphy knows a little something about days like today.

Writing in his BBC Sport NI column, Jim McGuinness' former captain is expecting "a good old-fashioned slugfest rather than a high-scoring thriller".

"It's a close game to call," he said. "This Donegal team have progressed massively this year, and as much as I'd love to see them win another Ulster title, the pressure of Armagh's need may just carry them over the line."

Read his whole column here.

Image source, Inpho

Oisin McConville
Armagh All-Ireland winner on BBC Sport

This small town in Monaghan, I don't know what it is about it. It's a special, special place.

You can't get in it, you can't get out of it. On days like this, all that pales into insignificance.

For the next two hours you won't be able to get phone signal, there'll be nobody downloading anything, there'll be nobody looking up text messages.

It's just about this game. That makes it so, so special.

The colour and the atmosphere that these two sides have brought is unbelievable. It's up to the players to deliver.

Penalty to Tipperary.

Matt Gault
BBC Sport NI at St Tiernach's Park

Image source, Getty Images

In the build-up, there's been plenty of chat about the halcyon days of this rivalry when Armagh and Donegal met every year in the championship between 2002 and 2007.

That spell yielded a single victory for Donegal, but this year's results bear more significance.

Donegal have already beaten Armagh twice in 2024 (McKenna Cup & Division Two final) while the league game at the Athletic Grounds ended in a draw.

Armagh needn't search too deeply within themselves for motivation. Not only have Donegal had their number this year, they've not lifted the Anglo-Celt Cup in 16 years.

Between 1999 and 2008 Armagh won seven Ulster titles. None since. Armagh are a fair bit off matching that early noughties lot, but a win today would be a significant step in the right direction.

A big feature of Antrim's play today has been their running game at through the centre of the Tipperary defence

Time and time again the Saffron's have found joy by going straight at the heart of the visitors defence.

Creggan's Ruairí McCann the latest to benefit getting on the end of another slick move to fist over the bar.

Faith Harper
BBC Sport NI at St Tiernach's Park

There's a lot of chat about Jimmy winning matches (again) but Armagh fans Mollie and Dara certainly hope he doesn't win today.

St Tiernach's Park has rightly filled up now and the excitement's really starting to build for throw-in!

Image source, BBC Sport

As expected, there's a couple of late changes.

In the programme, Jarly Og Burns is named to start but when Armagh named their line-up a couple of days back, Greg McCabe was named at 12.

Anyway, McCabe starts and Burns is on the bench.

For Donegal, captain Patrick McBrearty drops to the bench. Eoghan Ban Gallagher - not originally in the squad - starts in his place wearing number 25 with John Ross Molloy out of the squad.

Armagh: Blaine Hughes; Paddy Burns, Aaron McKay, Peter McGrane; Joe McElroy, Ciaran Mackin, Aidan Forker; Rian O'Neill, Ben Crealey; Stefan Campbell, Rory Grugan, Greg McCabe; Oisin Conaty, Andrew Murnin, Conor Turbitt.

Subs: Ethan Rafferty, Barry McCambridge, Connaire Mackin, Conor O'Neill, Jarly Og Burns, Tiernan Kelly, Jason Duffy, Oisin O'Neill, Shane McPartlan, Aidan Nugent, Jemar Hall.

Donegal: Shaun Patton; Mark Curran, Brendan McCole, Ciaran Moore; Ryan McHugh, Caolan McGonagle, Peadar Mogan; Jason McGee, Michael Langan; Shane O’Donnell, Ciaran Thompson, Daire O Baoill; Eoghan Ban Gallagher, Oisin Gallen, Niall O’Donnell.

Subs: Gavin Mulreany, Kevin McGettigan, Stephen McMenamin, Odhran Doherty, Domhnall Mac Giolla Bhride, Jeaic MacCeallabhui, Caolan McColgan, Jamie Brennan, Aaron Doherty, Patrick McBrearty, Charles McGuinness.

Image source, Inpho