Galway vs Armagh Preview
Galway and Armagh will compete for the Sam Maguire Cup on Sunday, July 28th at Croke Park. It’s the first-ever meeting between these teams in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final. Throw-in for this showpiece event is at 3:30 pm.
It’s fair to say that nobody expected these counties to be contesting this final. Galway and Armagh shocked the nation with wins over Dublin and Kerry. There is a general feeling that this will boost the competition because there will be a fresh winner. Fans are in for a treat because this will be a brilliant match.
Galway vs Armagh Key Stats and Head-to-Head
It’s been a long road to the final for both counties. They both have a pedigree in the All-Ireland, but it’s been over two decades since either team lifted the Sam Maguire Cup. Armagh’s only victory came back in 2002, while Galway’s last championship was in 2001.
The Tribesmen are eight-time champions, but it’s been a long time in the wilderness. They made the final in 2022, but Kerry broke their hearts. Now they have a great opportunity to right the wrongs of the past. Meanwhile, Armagh returned to the final in 2003 but lost to Tyrone.
Armagh defeated Kerry this year with an unbelievable semifinal victory. It took extra time to beat them in Croke Park, but it was a virtuoso performance. Rian O’Neill was outstanding for The Orchard Men in a major upset.
Kerry was a significant favourite to win the entire Championship. But they didn’t perform to their best in this game. Conor Turbitt was outstanding with five points, including two frees. Armagh fell behind after 11 seconds, but Peter McGrane levelled almost immediately.
It was a hard-fought first half with both teams exchanging scores. Andrew Murnin should have grabbed a goal, but Shane Ryan produced an outstanding stop. Instead, Kerry’s Paul Murphy put the ball in the net, but Armagh didn’t falter.
Ryan mishandled a long-range attempt at a point that dropped short and Barry McCambridge took full advantage, fisting the ball into the net. Armagh led toward the end of the game before Kerry substitute Dylan Geaney equalised and sent them to extra time.
The Orchard County has a shocking record in penalty shootouts. Maybe this motivated them to win the game outright. Their energy was too much in extra time for a tired Kerry with Turbitt the hero in the end.
Meanwhile, Galway overcame Donegal in a two-point victory. The Tribesmen finished strong with four of the game’s last five points to seal a 1-14 to 0-15 win. Dylan McHugh and Robert Finnerty helped Galway into an early lead, but Donegal stayed in touch.
Tír Chonaill did not take the lead in this match and bemoaned a bad call late in the game. Ciaran Thompson appeared to dive, but the referee gave Galway a free. Ultimately, Paul Conroy’s goal was the difference between the two teams, with Donegal unable to breach the gap.
This was an impressive victory for Galway, who also had a great win over Dublin this year. They’ve already beaten two of the country’s best teams. However, Armagh’s victory over Kerry was also excellent, so it’s difficult to call this game.
Galway and Armagh have never met in the All-Ireland Final before. However, they’ve played each other recently with nothing between the sides. Their last meeting was at the pool stage of the Championship at Markievicz Park. They fought to a 1-12 to 0-15 draw in a gritty game with Armagh producing an outstanding comeback.
The Tribesmen were slightly better for most of this match. They carried a two-point lead into half-time after a relatively even 35 minutes. But they dominated after the break and exploded into a five-point lead. It looked like Armagh was going to come up short, but they scored one goal and three points in three chaotic minutes.
Tiarnan Kelly scored a goal as Armagh took a sensational lead. A weaker side than Galway would have capitulated, but the Tribesmen fought back. Shane Walsh helped put them back in front before Armagh’s Stefan Campbell equalised again in injury time. It was a tremendous game that saw Armagh top the group.
What a game of Gaelic football. Armagh fully deserved that after the comeback. They are just an incredible team of athletes.
Honestly, the Championship has come alive. We are in for an all-timer in two weeks.
On to Galway vs Donegal tomorrow.
— Daniel Hussey (@DanielHussey2) July 13, 2024
These sides also faced each other in the 2022 All-Ireland quarterfinals. Galway emerged victorious after a dramatic penalty shootout. Both teams will hope to finish this on Sunday within 70 minutes. There will be a replay if the scores remain level after 20 minutes of extra time.
We’ve focused on the attack, but Galway’s Conor Gleeson could have a big say in this game. The former League of Ireland star has been brilliant for the Tribesmen. His shot-stopping abilities will be crucial to prevent Armagh from scoring. Gleeson is also an excellent passer and is a valuable playmaker for this Galway team.
This is a massive opportunity for Padraic Joyce to win his first All-Ireland as a manager. He was a three-time champion during his playing days. Now he has the chance to lead a new generation to glory.
Meanwhile, Kiaran McGeeney also knows what it takes to win a Sam Maguire. He was Armagh’s captain in their only championship win. Like Joyce, he hopes to come full circle and coach his county to the promised land.
Galway vs Armagh Predictions
Predicted score: Galway 1-16 – 1-14 Armagh
Our GAA prediction is that Galway will win this game. They’ve had a challenging road to this final and appear slightly more well-rounded than Armagh. This is likely to be a close game with only a couple of points separating the teams.
Shane Walsh, Damien Comer, and Robert Finnerty are potent attackers for the Tribesmen. Comer’s fitness has been a major boon to Padraic Joyce this year. His presence is massive if they hope to win their first All-Ireland in 23 years.
However, Armagh has superb talent in their ranks. Conor Turbitt and Rian O’Neill are two of the best players in the country. They’ve got a chance when these two men are in top form. Armagh’s midfield also brilliantly negated Kerry’s stars in the semifinal.
Armagh and Galway will look back to their earlier Championship meeting. The Tribesmen believe they threw a win away and should beat the Orchard County this time. However, Armagh will enter this final with enormous confidence because of their unbelievable comeback. Betting on the All-Ireland SFC final is a good idea as it could go either way.
Galway also has more recent experience at a cup final than Armagh. This could be a big mental factor on the day. Playing in Croke Park with a championship at stake is a massive mental burden. The Tribesmen appear to be more mature, but they have some injury concerns. They should win if they can put out their best 15, but it’s not a given.
Live betting is a great option for a close match-up like this. Expect the odds to fluctuate if one team takes an early lead. Betting on Gaelic football is exciting because one goal can turn a match on its head.
Galway vs Armagh Betting Tips
Betting on Galway is the safest option for this All-Ireland Final. It’s usually wiser to back the favourite in a tight match-up. It’s 10/11 for the Tribesmen to win this game outright and lift the Sam Maguire Cup. A €10 stake would make €9.09 if successful.
Some GAA analysts and fans have a deep mistrust in Galway’s ability to finish the job. They believe Armagh is a more dynamic and fun team. Meanwhile, several Galway players are carrying knocks. Armagh is 13/10 underdog, so a €10 wager could make €13.
Check the over-under odds for goals and points. It’s 17/20 for there to be over 33.5 points in regular time. Meanwhile, over 1.5 goals carry odds of 3/5. This correlates with our predicted score, as we expect both teams to put the ball in the net.
There is little to separate these sides on paper. It’s 17/20 for either of these teams to score the first goal on our sports betting platform. Why not consider betting on the first goalscorer or the leading team at halftime. Either market offers a payout before the end of the match.
Both teams have prolific sharpshooters in their ranks. Damien Comer is enjoying an outstanding season for Galway while Rian O’Neill is a good option for Armagh. These men are capable of moments of magic.
Another option is the Man of the Match award. Galway star Shane Walsh is the favourite to claim this accolade at 15/2. This time, a €10 stake would win €75. This could be an excellent opportunity to use our welcome bonus. Claim the promotion and you can place a wager on any sporting event, such as the Olympics.
This All-Ireland Championship Final will also have a major say on the Footballer of the Year Award. Dylan McHugh is the bookies’ favourite now at 9/10. Meanwhile, Armagh’s Conor Turbitt is available at 4/1. The winner of this prize will almost definitely come from the new All-Ireland champions.
