Steven McDonnell stood right at the apex of where old Armagh met new Armagh.
The 2003 Footballer of the Year landed in 1999, when Armagh hadn’t won Ulster in 17 years
McDonnell (43) went on to play in seven Ulster finals in 10 years and won the lot of them.
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Prior to the advent of that legendary ‘99 outfit that would go on to land the county’s first and only All-Ireland title, Armagh had competed in 27 Ulster deciders and won just seven of them.
McDonnell, McGeeney, McGrane, McConville, Marsden, the McNulty brothers, the McEntee twins, the two Brians, Joe Kernan et all changed the course of Armagh GAA history.
From 1999 to 2008 inclusive, Armagh would only lose three Ulster Championship games, despite competing in Tyrone’s greatest ever era.
When the tide turned though, it washed everything out to sea. In the next 14 years Armagh lost 14 games in Ulster and didn’t make a single final.
“We lost to Tyrone (2001), Monaghan (2003) and Donegal (2007),” says McDonnell.
“We have a very talented group of players. We were extremely driven to try and find a way to win games.
“Once you find a way once or twice, it doesn’t become easier, but motivational wise you be more focused and driven to keep doing it.
“Our formula was, to get to the All-Ireland series you go the quickest route possible, and that was winning your provincial title.
“We always wanted to compete on the national stage.
“I came in, in January 1999 and within six or seven months I had my first Ulster (title) and that does definitely generate an appetite to kick on and win more.
“There was other players that didn't get that opportunity - Martin McQuillan, Neil Smyth, fantastic players who had just quit as I was coming in.
“They didn’t experience that. Maybe if they had been able to hang on for another year or two they might have won a few more.
“It’s like a bug. Then you don’t go to a final for 15 years, and every other Ulster county has been in a final within that time.
“It’s too long of a wait for a team that has the talent and ability that Armagh team currently have and our history and record of getting to finals in the previous 10 or 12 years before this.
“Listen, it’s about good things come to those who wait. Hopefully that’s the case.”
McDonnell was front and centre when Armagh won their last Ulster title - in 2008. He hit a goal and was top scorer in the Ulster final replay win over Fermanagh.
That year they were shocked by Wexford in the All-Ireland quarter-final at Croke Park. The Killeavy man says he didn’t feel things were on the slide around and after ‘08.
“I don’t think so,” he says. “The team of the early noughties, there were more and more retirees year on year.
“In 2009 we won the All-Ireland minor final. You would have expected a few of them guys to bolster the senior set up in the years to come.
“There are three very important players currently playing from that team - James Morgan, Ruairi Grugan and Andrew Murnin.
“I would have expected Armagh to definitely compete at provincial level more consistently.”
They met Dublin in a Championship qualifier at Croke Park in 2010 and fell by just four points.
“It was a very competitive game, a game where we were four or five points up,” recalls McDonnell, with a Philly McMahon goal line clearance from Brian Mallon crucial that afternoon.
“We were able to compete at that stage. After that the foot probably came off the gas a wee bit. I didn’t expect or foresee a barren spell in terms of getting to Ulster finals.”
This year was Armagh’s third on the bounce in Division 1, but they’ve struggled in Ulster, shipping defeats by Donegal (2022 and 2020) and Monaghan (2021).
“Once you win one it’s a wee bit easier to go back and motivate yourself to win another,” says former Ireland International Rules captain, McDonnell.
“Over the last decade Tyrone, Donegal and Monaghan have been the dominant forces and trying to beat them teams on any particular day, it really was difficult for others to get in among that.
“It wasn’t always those teams beat Armagh. We got beat by Cavan. We got beat by Down. It’s the luck of the draw as well. Manoeuvring your way around that.
“Derry broke the mould last year, which is fantastic, but I don’t want to see Derry winning another one this year - that’s for sure. I wanted them to win one last year.
“All of Ulster wanted to see the mould broken.”
Derry are going for just their second ever back to back Ulster titles.
“That’s their motivating factor, but for Armagh it’s this particular team kicking on to try and win their first Ulster title,” says McDonnell.
“Derry have lost one or two Ulster finals. Armagh have won their last seven so when they get there, you can say they have got a decent record of winning them. Hopefully that stands to them come Sunday.
“I think a win would give those players a massive, massive boost, as individuals, a team and Armagh as a county.
“You look at the level Derry were able to rise to this year so far based off the back of winning an Ulster title last year.
“Because Ulster is so competitive, an Ulster title can take a team three or four levels up the ladder.
“It has certainly improved Derry as a team and a set up and it could definitely have the same impact for Armagh.”
McDonnell was dismayed at the Whatsapp message that went around a few weeks back saying Rian O’Neill had a row with management and was dropped, when he had in fact sustained an injury.
But he thinks it has galvanised Armagh further: “You get them supporters in every club and county who just want to generate a wee bit of conflict,” he says.
“Being involved in football teams, I knew there was nothing to those messages that were being spread around.
“There is always hassle. Rian O’Neill picked up an injury. He’s Armagh’s highest profile player so that’s always going to generate headlines.
“I think that one got a wee bit out of control.
“It’s probably a case of some so-called supporters wanting to create some kind of tension among the squad. I don’t think it worked.
“Maybe it had the opposite effect and maybe unified the squad a wee bit more.
“You often hear it said the most important people are the people within the circle.
“That’s the players, management and backroom staff. They are the ones that know night to night what’s going on in the training ground and preparations.
“Us standing on the outside looking in can predict what’s going on but in reality we don’t know anything about it.
“Supporters are often saying such and such a player should be in the squad, in the starting 15, but in reality those players may not be performing in training and that’s the facts of it.
“I have never once in the nine years heard one player that’s played under Kieran McGeeney say a bad word about him. That, in itself, tells me the real story as well.
“Normally there is some level of upset among the squad.
“You can see the players love playing for that management team and why wouldn't they - four very experienced and knowledgeable lads
“Yes, they make mistakes like everyone else, and every player that takes to the field makes mistakes.
“Us as supporters, we are all experts shouting from the stands, such and such should happen.
“It’s more difficult when you are standing on a sideline trying to make a decision in minutes if not seconds, so it’s a cut throat business out there, Gaelic games at any level.
“They are under scrutiny simply for the fact we haven’t won Ulster for so long. We haven’t competed in Ulsters in so long.
“Hopefully some of that nonsense will be put to bed after this weekend, and our first valuable piece of silverware over the last nine or 10 years will be won.”
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