John Haughey
BBC Sport NI at Croke Park

The Croke Park announcer has just described Sean Boylan as "probably the greatest ever Meath man" and who are we to disagree.

The affection and esteem in which the legendary Dunboyne man is held by Meath's class of '99 was so obvious as his former players surrounded him when he was introduced to the crowd in the final act of the 25th anniversary ceremony.

Reflecting on the journey to Armagh's first All-Ireland final in 21 years, skipper Aidan Forker says that everyone who has helped the Orchard County back to Croke Park has "their own stories" to tell.

Perhaps, it is fair to say, some have been longer than others.

While Kieran McGeeney's squad share the mutual heartbreak of four penalty shootout defeats over the past three seasons, the likes of Forker and Rory Grugan have been soldiering away for the side since the days of regular early championship exits and yo-yoing between Divisions Two and Three.

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Image source, Inpho

Matt Gault
BBC Sport NI at Croke Park

The Hill has been completely covered in orange and maroon for well over half an hour now.

You have to possess elite people-dodging skills to make your down Jones' Road.

The only thing I haven't seen so far today is the Armagh Santa. I'm sure he's out there somewhere.

This is the All-Ireland Football final turned up to 11.

Image source, Getty Images

John Haughey
BBC Sport NI at Croke Park

We're just under an hour until the throw-in and while the Meath heroes of 1999 are on the pitch now, it's the calm before the storm.

Huge Galway and Armagh flags are spread between the 45 and 65s out on the Croke Park turf.

The house is not near full yet but of those here, there is a greater preponderance of Armagh colours with Hill 16 having been annex by a sea of Orangemen. Safe to say, many supporters are still probably indulging in refreshments in some of the local hostelries.

The Meath team that defeated Cork in the 1999 All-Ireland football final are now out on the pitch as this year's Jubilee Team. Graham Geraghty, the captain that day, has brought the Sam Maguire Cup out onto the field.

Trevor Giles has resisted the urge to cut the sleeves off his suit I notice, as of course he had a penchant for doing that to his jersey during his playing days.

Neil Lennon
Former Celtic manager on BBC Sportsound

I'm very excited, it is the first final in a while and everyone knows what the county team means to the people of Armagh, the supporters are so passionate, and it is brilliant to see them back in the final.

For me the game is 50-50 it could go either way, two great teams going head-to-head hopefully it is a great spectacle. I think Armagh will win it by one or two points, I hope it doesn't go to extra-time and penalties, we're not very good at them!

Kieran [McGeeney] and I go far back, in 1989 I got drafted into the minor team and Kieran was the captain and you could tell he was a fantastic player then and he would go on to play at county level. He had great leadership qualities.

He has reached the pinnacle, and he has one game to go. He is very intense, but he is very intelligent and driven, slowly but surely, he has been improving the team each year and has built the team in his image.

In 2002 I couldn't watch the final, I was playing for Celtic against Dundee. You aren't normally allowed to use your phone, but Martin O'Neill was the manager and I ran in after the game that we won and I asked the gaffer could I ring home and he said, "go ahead pal".

I rang my father and the first thing I could hear were the horns blaring and I knew they had won.

Image source, Getty Images

Michael Murphy
Former Donegal captain and All-Ireland winner on BBC Sport

This year's football championship hasn't always gotten pulses racing, but in Armagh and Galway it has produced an entirely new All-Ireland final pairing between two evenly matched teams whose supporters crave the return of Sam Maguire to their county.

Up until 2001, Armagh and Galway had never met in the championship, but it has been fascinating to watch their rivalry develop over the past three seasons.

Most people's point of reference, of course, is the epic quarter-final battle of 2022 when Galway prevailed on penalties after 90 minutes of breathless action at Croke Park.

While I'd love to see another you-score-we-score rollercoaster like we had that day in Croke Park, Sunday's final will more likely bear all the traits of the modern-game: blanket defences, a mix of pressing and dropping off kick-outs and the methodical breaking down of mass defences.

That's not to say it won't be gripping.

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Mark Simpson
BBC News NI

The scramble for tickets is continuing right up until start of the match.

But one family from south Armagh got a surprise on Saturday night when their son turned up unannounced from Canada with four tickets.

Peter Short, 27, works for a tech firm in Toronto.

He secured tickets from a GAA club in Canada.

His father Oliver could not believe it when he arrived home.

Peter said: “I wanted to surprise everybody. I certainly did!

“Now watch out for Armagh surprising Galway.”

Armagh 2002 All-Ireland winner Ronan Clarke has spoken of the fear he felt after waking up in intensive care five days after suffering the head injury which precipitated the end of his gaelic football playing days.

In August 2015 Clarke hit his head against a post during a club championship game at the Athletic Grounds but it was only later that day when the damage caused during the incident manifested itself.

"I was walking along when I felt sick, stumbled a bit, sat down on the bench, and the next minute I was on the ground and trying to get up," Clarke told the BBC's The GAA Social podcast.

"I rang my brother and he got me off the pavement, got me to the house and then my dad came up.

"They said ‘come on Ronan we have to take you' [to hospital] and then five days later I woke up in intensive care. When I first woke up I was scared."

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Image source, Inpho

Armagh fans have been travelling from all over the world to be home for this afternoon's game.

BBC Northern Ireland has been talking to some of those who have been racking up the air miles to be in Croke Park.

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Image source, Gillian Kelly

While many of fans will not be able to attend the match in person, some are making final preparations in Armagh...

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John Haughey
BBC Sport NI at Croke Park

Tyrone's fans used to have the reputation of being the most passionate in Ulster but today confirms - if there was any doubt - that is no longer the case.

The Armagh exodus to Croke Park was already under way on the M1 just out of Belfast before - following a diversion - we reached the A1 where it seemed like every car had the orange and white fluttering, with the inhabitants inevitably bedecked in the Orchard County colours.

As we neared the Newry exit the numbers were really swelling and every flyover seemed to have an enormous good luck message with a few businesses taking the opportunity to promote their wares in the process.

The toll booths outside Drogheda were backed up for several miles although to their credit, the staff got us through the barrier remarkably quickly. As we waited patiently to pay up our two Euro and 30 cent, the car horns were being blown in a giddy gusto by the Orchard faithful with plenty of accompanying banter across the lanes in the welcome summer sun.

I finally spotted a car with Galway colours a mile or so after the toll and when I arrived in the capital, it seemed like Armagh were winning the colours battle conclusively.

Both Kieran McGeeney and Padraic Joyce have opted to make one change apiece for today's All-Ireland football final.

The Armagh boss has made the decision to bring Connaire Mackin into the team with Peter McGrane the one to make way from the team that came through an extra-time thriller against Kerry in the last four.

Much debate surrounded whether McGeeney would be tempted to start with Stefan Campbell, but has opted to hold the Clan na Gael man on the bench in order to use him in an impact role.

Jarlath Og Burns, Ross McQuillan and Aidan Nugent also much content themselves with a place amongst the subs, but they too may have a crucial role to play this afternoon.

Galway also make one change as skipper Sean Kelly, who missed the narrow semi-final win over Donegal because of injury, has recovered to take up one of the midfield roles with Céin D'Arcy making way.

Their attack is spearheaded by Damien Comer and Shane Walsh who are both capable of producing the goods and will be central to their hopes.

Armagh: B Hughes; P Burns, A McKay, B McCambridge; Connaire Mackin, T Kelly, A Forker; 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; 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

Image source, BBC Sport

Ahead of Armagh's All-Ireland football final against Galway on Sunday, one of their most legendary players - Oisin McConville - tells BBC Sport NI all about his memories of winning the Sam Maguire back in 2002.

Watch live coverage of Armagh v Galway on Sunday, 28 July from 15:00 BST on BBC Two NI, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website

Mark Simpson
BBC News NI

Thousands of fans have already gathered at Croke Park hours ahead of the start of the final.

Outside the stadium is a sea of colour with supporters in the orange of Armagh or the maroon of Galway.

They may be supporting different teams but most fans agree the outcome of this afternoon’s game is too close to call.

Image source, Inpho