Gaelic Games

Armagh v Galway: Throw-in time, TV details, ticket and team news for All-Ireland football final

Everything you need to know about the football decider at Croke Park

Armagh's Rian O'Neill is tackled by Cein Darcy of Galway. The All-Ireland finalists are set to renew rivalry. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho
Armagh's Rian O'Neill is tackled by Cein Darcy of Galway. The All-Ireland finalists are set to renew rivalry. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho
David Gorman
Fri Jul 26 2024 - 11:42
When and where is it on?

Armagh are playing Galway in the All-Ireland SFC final on Sunday at 3.30pm at Croke Park. It is the 137th football final and if the game is a draw after extra time then a replay will take place on August 3rd.

How can I watch it?

You can watch the game on RTÉ2, build-up from 2.15pm, while coverage on BBC Two NI starts at 3pm.

Can I get tickets?

Unlike previous games, tickets for the Croke Park final will not be available for public sale through the usual outlets like Ticketmaster and local SuperValu shops.

Each county board receives an allocation of tickets for the All-Ireland finals with the competing counties receiving the most significant allocations. These are then filtered down to their clubs and subsequently the club members. People can also access tickets if they subscribed to Croke Park’s season ticket at the beginning of the year. All clubs reserve a certain number for officer boards, team mentors and members. Players, past and present, will also be offered tickets.

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The cost of tickets is now €100 for the stands, an increase of €10 on 2023 and €55 for Hill 16, an increase of €5.

How did both teams get to the final?

Armagh began their championship with victories over Fermanagh and Down in Ulster before losing to Donegal in the final at Clones on penalties. They beat Westmeath and Derry in the group stage before drawing with final opponents Galway, 1-12 to 0-15 in Sligo. They beat Roscommon in the quarter-finals by six points before their landmark win over Kerry in the semi-final after extra time.

Galway reached the Connacht final after wins over London and Sligo then beat rivals Mayo by a point after an exciting decider to win the title. They beat Derry and Westmeath in the group stage, like Armagh, before their drawn game. Galway upset the odds to beat champions Dublin by a point in the quarter-final, before beating Donegal by two points in the semi-finals.

So it should be a high-quality final with neither team losing a match in 70 minutes all championship. Armagh are aiming to win their second All-Ireland after their win in 2002. It will be their fifth All-Ireland final. Galway are looking for their 10th All-Ireland, their last win in 2001, meaning both teams have not tasted Sam Maguire glory in more than 20 years.

What is the team news?

Armagh have made one change for Sunday’s All-Ireland final against Connacht champions, Galway. Peter McGrane, who has been an ever-present for the team this championship, drops to the bench and Connaire Mackin starts.

It is good news for the Mackin family after a difficult summer during which siblings Ciarán and Aimee have had their intercounty seasons ended by cruciate injuries.

Connaire had been drafted in for the All-Ireland group match against Derry last month to replace his brother but after an emphatic win, he was suspended for a retrospective red card infraction in an incident with Conor Glass.

Galway have named an unchanged team for the final.

ARMAGH: B Hughes; P Burns, A McKay, B McCambridge; C 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 Burns.

GALWAY: C Gleeson; J McGrath, S Fitzgerald, J Glynn; D McHugh, L Silke, S Mulkerrin; 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 Darcy, J Heaney, L Ó Conghaile, T Culhane, N Daly.

Who is the referee?

Tyrone’s Sean Hurson was named as referee for the final. He refereed the previous game between Armagh and Galway, and also the 2022 All-Ireland final when Galway were beaten by Kerry.

David Gorman

David Gorman

David Gorman is a sports journalist with The Irish Times