Armagh’s 2002 All-Ireland-winning goalkeeper Benny Tierney has fired out a message of hope and encouragement as 2025 draws ever nearer.
Tierney, a popular figure within the county since he began his playing career, may have been somewhat taken aback by occasional references to Armagh’s stunning triumph in July, but this has merely hardened his resolve to see the Orchard County reign supreme for a third time.
Never one to flinch a challenge, primary school principal Tierney has flashed a message of encouragement to the team and management in the hope that this will help negate any uncertainty and misgivings that might prevail.
“I think it was someone from Derry who mentioned to me that people like myself might be disappointed because Armagh had won the All-Ireland Final again, thus meaning that we, the 2002 team, would no longer be the only team from the county to hold that distinction,” explains Tierney.
“But I certainly gave a very firm answer to what I was hearing.
“Nothing could be further from the truth that I or anyone else would feel that we have been overtaken by another Armagh team.
“We were maybe being labelled as a county that might never win it again, but that has been put to bed once and for all. I think the way in which this current side won the All-Ireland title was just brilliant.
“Anyone who has played Gaelic football at a high level knows the amount of hard work that has to be put in before you can focus on success.”
Tierney makes it abundantly clear that winning an All-Ireland title at this point in time takes a colossal effort on the part of players and management.
“I think the work input on the part of players and management in the pursuit of success has doubled over the years but, look, you cannot buy the experiences and the emotions that players feel when they win All-Ireland Finals,” insists Tierney.
“There is nothing in this world that will ever replicate what I and the rest of all those All-Ireland winners to date from Armagh have experienced.
“My children were too young to experience the joy and emotion of winning the All-Ireland Final in 2002, but they know all about it now.
“The tears flowed with Gerard Houlahan, Stephen McDonnell and myself hugging each other at the end of the match on the last Sunday in July.
“Truly, it was a never-to-be-forgotten day.
“It was just great to see the heroes of 2024 get their share of the plaudits this time round.”
Over the course of the past 20-odd years, Tierney has played his part in spreading the gospel of football and has been prominent in encouraging young players to throw everything they have into training and match preparation.
“I like to think that young players are given every encouragement to do their bit for their club and Armagh. That’s what it is all about,” adds Tierney.
Meanwhile, manager Kieran McGeeney is hoping that his substitutes can produce the kind of form they showed this year when they played a major role in the team’s All-Ireland title triumph.
While McGeeney now has a settled squad, he is certainly taking nothing for granted as Armagh set their sights on retaining their All-Ireland title.
“Obviously the substitutes did well for us this year and played a big part in us winning the All-Ireland title,” points out McGeeney.
“Whether that remains the case will be seen over the course of time, but it’s encouraging that we know we have a depth of talent right now.”
The indications are that Armagh will have the backing of huge support in their opening game against Galway, but they will find that their hosts will parade a rather stronger line-up.