What better way to start off the season than how you ended the last one? Armagh and Galway had a score to settle after the Orchardmen edged the All-Ireland final last summer.
Armagh were keen to prove this team is the real deal and can adapt to the FRC’s rule enhancements that were be enforced in a competitive game for the first time.
Galway started the game on the back foot when Armagh raced into an early lead through Oisin Conaty and Rory Grugan, who helped the Orchard race into a four-point lead after 20 minutes.
Galway pulled two points back before Aidan Forker was found to have fouled Cillian O Curraoin in the penalty area and Matty Tierney dispatched the resulting spot kick to turn the tide of the game in the Tribesmen’s favour.
It was Galway’s time to shine in the second half, with O Curraoin, Paul Conroy and Shane Walsh scoring two-pointers as the western side ran away with the game.
Armagh’s fate was sealed when Niall Grimley was shown a red card after an off-the-ball incident with O’Flaherty.
Rory Grugan’s 13m free was the only score Armagh managed in the closing stages of the game as Galway got revenge for last year’s All-Ireland final defeat.
Last year, Armagh were promoted to Division One after an unbeaten league campaign, but missed out on the second-tier title to Donegal, who won at Croke Park by a point, having also gone their league campaign unbeaten.
Galway finished just above the relegation places in sixth place in the top tier last year, just two points ahead of Connacht rivals Roscommon, who dropped down.
Read more:
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- Galway v Armagh: Match details, throw-in time and how to watch as last year’s All-Ireland finalists rekindle their rivalry in the league opener
- Our GAA Writers’ Football predictions ahead of the 2025 season
The Tribesmen could only manage wins against Tyrone and the side that ended up at the bottom of the table, Monaghan, with Pádraic Joyce hoping that the new enhancements can work in their favour and help them to push for a higher league finish this campaign.
Follow the blog for all the action from Galway’s win over Armagh in Salthill as the two All-Ireland finalists rekindle their recent rivalry.
