Armagh GAA
Irish:Ard Mhacha
Nickname(s):The Orchard County
Province:Ulster
Dominant sport:Gaelic football
Ground(s):Athletic Grounds, Armagh
County colours:  Tangerine   White
County teams
NFL:Division 2
NHL:Division 2B
Football Championship:Sam Maguire Cup
Hurling Championship:Nicky Rackard Cup
Ladies' Gaelic football:Brendan Martin Cup
Camogie:Nancy Murray Cup

The Armagh County Board (Irish: Cumann Lúthchleas Gael Coiste Chontae Ard Mhacha) or Armagh GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) in Ireland, and is responsible for the administration of Gaelic games in County Armagh, Northern Ireland.

The county board is responsible for preparing the Armagh Gaa teams in the various sporting codes; football, hurling, camogie and handball.

The county football team won an All-Ireland Senior Football Championship in 2002; it was the fifth from the province of Ulster to win the Sam Maguire Cup, leaving only Antrim, Fermanagh and Monaghan.

Football

Clubs

The county's most successful football club is Crossmaglen Rangers. Crossmaglen have won the Armagh Senior Football Championship on 45 occasions, the Ulster Senior Club Football Championship on 11 occasions, and All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship on six occasions.

List of football clubs
Club NameIrish NameSenior Armagh TitlesProvincial TitlesAll-IrelandHome Stadium
Annaghmore Pearses GFCCPG Na Piarsaigh Eanach Mór000Páirc an Phiarsaigh/Pearse Park
Armagh Harps GFCCláirsigh Ard Mhacha2100Páirc na Mainistreach/Abbey Park
Ballyhegan Davitts GACBaile Uí hÁgáin000Páirc Baile Uí hÁgáin/Ballyhegan Park
Ballymacnab Round Towers GACCLG na gCloigthithe, Baile Mhic an Aba000Páirc na nGael
Carrickcruppen St Patrick’s GAA (Armagh)CLG Naomh Padraig Carraig an Chropain400Pairc Naomh Padraig / St Patrick’s Park
Clan na Gael GAA (Armagh)CLG Clan na Gael1430Davitt Park/Davitt Park
Clann Éireann GACCLG Clann Éireann300Páirc Chlann Éireann/Clann Éireann Park
Clonmore Robert Emmet's GFCCluain Mhor Roibeard Eimeid000Páirc Roibeaird Emmet/Robert Emmet Park
Collegeland O'Rahilly's GAACluain Mhor Roibeard Eimeid100Páirc an Athar Mhic Neachtain/Father McKnight Park
Crossmaglen Rangers GACRaonaithe Crois Mhic Lionnáin45116Páirc Naomh Oilibhéar Pluincéid/St Oliver Plunkett Park
Culloville Blues GACCLG Na Gormacha, Baile Mhic Choll000Páirc na nGael/Gaelic Park
St Mochua Derrynoose GACNaomh Mochua, Doire Núis000Páirc Naomh Mochua/St Mochua’s Park
Dorsey Emmet's GFCEiméid na nDoirse000Páirc Ruairí Mhig Aoidh
Dromintee St Patrick's GACCLG Naomh Pádraig, Droim an Tí000Páirc Uí Luachra agus Mhic Cathmhaoil
Éire Óg Craigavon GAAÉire Óg000Bruach na bPéine/Pinebank
Forkhill Peadar Ó Doirnín GACCLG Pheadar Uí Dhoirnín, Foirceal100Páirc Pheadair Uí Dhoirnín/Peadar Ó Doirnín Park
Granemore GFCAn Ghraínseach Mhór000Páirc Naomh Muire/Pairc Mhuire
Grange St Colmcille's GACNaomh Colmcille CLG, An Ghráinseach000Páirc na Gráinsí/Grange Park
Keady Michael Dwyer's GFCCeide Micheal Mac Dubhurs400Páirc Ghearóid Mhic Giolla Fhinnéin/Gerard McGleenan Park
Killeavy St Moninna's GACNaomh Moninne, Cill Shléibhe300Páirc Chuimhneacháin Chill Shléibhe/Killeavy Memorial Park
Lissummon GAALios Iomána000Entry needed
Madden Raparees GACRopairí na Madan000Páirc na Ropairí/Raparee Park
Maghery Sean MacDermott's GACSeán Mac Diarmaida an Mhachaire200Páirc Fheilimí Uí Adhmaill/Felix Hamill Park
Middletown GAAEoghan Rua000Páirc P.J. Uí Néill/P.J. O'Neill Park
Mullabrack O'Donovan Rossa GFCÓ Donnabháin Rossa an Mhullaigh Bhric000O’Donovan Rossa Park
Mullaghbawn Cúchullain's GFCCú Chullain an Mhullaigh Bháin210Páirc Chú Chulainn/Cúchulainn Park
Pearse Óg GACNa Piarsaigh Óga400Páirc na Piarsaigh Óga, Baile Chromhtha/Pearse Óg Park, Ballycrummy
Phelim BradysUnknown000Páirc scoile Dhearclaí/Darkley school field
Redmond O'Hanlon’sUnknown000Páirc Uí Anluain/O’Hanlon Park
High Moss Sarsfields GFCCLG Sáirséiligh na Móinte Arda100Páirc an Athar Dónal Mac Eoghain/Father Dan McGeown Park
Shane O'Neill's GACCLG Sheáin Uí Néill200Páirc Sheáin Uí Néill/Shane O'Neill's Park
Silverbridge Harps GFCClársigh Bhéal Átha an Airgid000Páirc Uí Chaollaí/Keeley Park
St Michael's Killean GFCNaomh Micheál , An Cillín000McKeever Park Killean, Armagh LGFA County board
St Michael's GAC, NewtownhamiltonCLG Naomh Micheál, Baile Úr200Páirc Naomh Micheál/St Michael’s Park
St Patrick's GFC, CullyhannaNaomh Pádraig, Coilleach Eanach000Páirc Padraig/Park Padraig
St Paul's GFC, LurganNaomh Pól CLG000Na Páirceanna Imearthea/The Playing Field
St Peter'sNaomh Peadar's100Páirc Naomh Peadar/St Peter’s Park
Tir na nÓg[1]To be completed000Páirc an Athar Uí Raifeartaigh/Father Rafferty Park
O'Connell's GAC, TullysaranTulach Saráin000Páirc Uí Chonaill/O’Connell Park
St Killian's GACCLG Naomh Cillian, Crois Bán100Páirc Naomh Cillian/St Killian’s Park
Wolfe Tone GAC, DerrymacashDe Bhulbh Ton Dhoire Mhic Cais agus Naomh Éanna000Páirc na Ropairí/Raparee Park

County team

Armagh has a long tradition of football. Several clubs were already in existence before the formation of the County Board in 1889.[2]

Armagh became only the second team to win the Ulster Senior Football Championship in 1890. In the early years of the GAA, a club that won its county championship went on to represent the county and would also wear the county colours. Armagh Harps represented Armagh in the Ulster final, beating Tyrone (Cookstown's Owen Roes), but losing to All-Ireland Champions Cork (Midleton) in the All-Ireland Semi-Final.

Despite early success at provincial level, national success at junior and minor level and All-Ireland final appearances in 1953 and 1977, it took until 2002 for the Armagh county team to win their first and only All-Ireland Senior Football Championship under manager Joe Kernan. The county won the All-Ireland Minor Football Championship, in 1949 and again in 2009, but lost the 1957 All-Ireland Minor final to Meath.

The current manager of the county football team (since 2015) is Kieran McGeeney, who had a five-year contract that was extended by a year in 2019 to 2020.

Hurling

County team

Like most counties outside of the game's heartland of Munster and south Leinster, hurling has tended to live in the shadow cast by Gaelic football in Armagh, with the exception of border areas such as Keady, Middletown and Armagh City.

Armagh won the 2010 Nicky Rackard Cup, defeating London by a scoreline of 3–15 to 3–14 at Croke Park on 3 July. The county's minor team won the Ulster Minor Hurling League Division One title and reached the final of the Ulster Minor Hurling Championship. The county's under-21 team also reached the final of the Ulster Under-21 Hurling Championship. In 2011, Armagh reached the Ulster Senior Hurling Championship final for the first time since 1946 and advanced to the Ulster Under-21 Hurling Championship final for a second consecutive year, the first time in team history. Armagh won the 2012 Nicky Rackard Cup, its second time to lift the trophy, defeating Louth by a scoreline of 3–20 to 1–15 at Croke Park on 9 June.[3][4]

Camogie

The high point in Armagh's camogie history was an appearance in the National Camogie League final of 1995 against Cork, beating Galway and Wexford's first teams en route to the final. It came just one year after they qualified for senior status having won the All-Ireland Intermediate Camogie Championship in 1994, the "Premier Junior" championship for the Kay Mills Cup just twelve months earlier in 1993. The bulk of that team had emerged from an under-16 squad who reached the All Ireland final of 1988.

Armagh won Division 2 of the National Camogie League four times, 1980, 1988, 1993 and 1994, and the Nancy Murray Cup in 2006.[5] Armagh qualified for the All Ireland Minor B final of 2003[6] and won the Minor C championship in 2011.[7]

Crossmaglen won the 2005 All Ireland junior club title.[8] Keady Lámh Dhearg qualified for the finals in 2006 and 2007.[9][10] Keady Lámh Dhearg and St Brenda's Ballymacnab have won divisional honours at Féile na nGael. Notable players include young player of the year for 2005 Colette McSorley.

Under Camogie's National Development Plan 2010-2015, "Our Game, Our Passion",[11] five new camogie clubs were to be established in the county by 2015.[12]

The Armagh county camogie team sang a pro-IRA song in its dressing room after defeating Cavan in the 2020 All-Ireland Junior Camogie Championship final. Upper Bann MLA Jonathan Buckley said it was "inexcusable" and Councillor Sam Nicholson said it was sectarian. The county board vowed to investigate the incident.[13][14][15] The county board later expressed regret for the incident.[16][17][18] However, North Down Alliance MP Stephen Farry said the county board's statement did not go far enough.[19]

Michael Murphy and Pauric Dowdall resigned as managers of the county camogie team; Mattie Lennon was appointed manager in March 2021.[20]

Armagh have the following achievements in camogie.

Ladies' football

Armagh has a ladies' football team.

References

  1. ↑ "Slipping through the cracks: Tír na nÓg GAA club needed for more than just sport". BBC Sport. 19 May 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  2. ↑ Newry Memoirs feature on GAA
  3. ↑ "Tyrone & Armagh earn Nicky Rackard and Lory Meagher Cup titles". BBC Sport. 9 June 2012.
  4. ↑ "Nicky Rackard final: Orchard blooms against Louth". Hogan Stand. 9 June 2012.
  5. 1 2 2006 Jun A Armagh 0-7 Laois 0-1 in Drogheda scorers in Irish Independent
  6. ↑ 2003 minor b Waterford 6-11 Armagh 1-4 report in Irish Independent
  7. 1 2 "Minor C final Armagh 3-5 Meath 1-10 report on camogie.ie". camogie.ie.
  8. ↑ 2003 Junior Crossmaglen 2-5 Drumcullen 0-6 report in Irish Independent
  9. ↑ 2006 junior club final Harps 1-7 Keady 0-5 report in Irish Independent and Irish Times Archived 21 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  10. ↑ 2007 Junior club final Harps 2-8 Keady 2-7 report in Irish Independent, Irish Times Archived 21 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine and on camogie.ie
  11. ↑ "Final goal for camogie". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. 29 March 2010. Retrieved 29 March 2010.
  12. ↑ National Development Plan 2010-2015, Our Game, Our Passion information page on camogie.ie Archived 2010-09-01 at the Wayback Machine, pdf download (778k) from Camogie.ie download site Archived 2011-09-16 at the Wayback Machine
  13. ↑ "Armagh county camogie team criticised for 'pro-IRA' chant". 7 December 2020.
  14. ↑ "Armagh County Camogie Board decides to carry out 'full investigation' into IRA chanting video". 8 December 2020.
  15. ↑ "Calls for GAA to take 'decisive action' after controversial footage of Armagh camogie team". The Irish News. 9 December 2020.
  16. ↑ "Pro-IRA singing row: Armagh's Camogie Board issues apology". 18 December 2020.
  17. ↑ "Armagh Camogie expresses 'regret' after pro-IRA chants". 18 December 2020.
  18. ↑ "Armagh Camogie Board 'sincerely and deeply regrets any offence' caused by controversial video footage". The Irish News. 18 December 2020.
  19. ↑ "Armagh Camogie apology for IRA chanting is 'weak and disappointing' says Stephen Farry MP". 18 December 2020.
  20. ↑ "Lennon named new Armagh camogie manager". Hogan Stand. 6 March 2021.
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