ARMAGH football was on the crest of an unprecedented wave when Colm Marley, Mattie Lennon and Peter Rafferty took on the Armagh U21 management in late 2002.
With the Sam Maguire wintering in the county for the first time the three-man management team got together to plan the 2003 campaign and their optimism was tempered only by Armagh’s poor record at U21 level up to that point.
Since the inception of the competition in 1963, the Orchard County had a sole success in The Irish News Cup at Ulster level and were without a victory in the competition since 2000.
The management team set about holding trials to assess players the length and breadth of the county and, with Joe Kernan and the majority of his senior panel away on a team holiday, the U21s played against Down in the McKenna Cup and won 1-15 to 3-7 with Mal Mackin, Brian Mallon and Mickey McNamee among the scorers.
The 2003 Ulster Championship arrived after a series of challenge games and Antrim hosted Armagh at Casement Park in March. Armagh led 0-5 to 0-3 at the break but two Antrim goals turned the game on its head and there proved to be no way back for the Orchardmen who lost 2-8 to 0-10.
For the 2004 season a backroom team of Colm O’Neill, Donal Ferris, Dr Shane O’Neill, Sean Donnelly and Brendy McCann joined the management and a squad of 29 players was assembled.
Antrim were again the opponents for the opener, this time in Crossmaglen. A workmanlike opening half saw the sides turn around level at 0-5 each, before two early second-half points gave Armagh a lead they would never lose. Splendid point-taking by Gregory Loughran was a pivotal feature of the closing 20 minutes during which Peadar Toal, vice-captain Andy Mallon and substitute Peter Stevenson were outstanding.
Armagh won 0-12 to 0-8 and the entire squad, management included, breathed a sigh of relief after the previous year’s loss and in the next few training sessions the team began to grow in confidence.
Two weeks later, Armagh faced Tyrone, a county that had dominated the competition and were unbeaten over the past five years.
The two groups of players had met three years previously in the Ulster minor championship when Tyrone claimed victory in a close game and went on to win the All-Ireland title with a comprehensive win over Dublin.
The Red Hands led by two at the break and although Armagh came out renewed and invigorated after the restart, it took a last gasp Brian Mallon point to force the game into extra-time.
Armagh forged ahead with super-sub Peter Stevenson goaling after an Aaron Kernan pass to leave Armagh four ahead with 10 minutes to play. Tyrone battled back with three points in-a-row to create a grandstand finale but a Stephen Kernan goal with two minutes remaining meant Armagh went through to the Ulster final.
A highly-fancied Derry team lay in wait in the decider on April 24 at Casement Park but not even a blowout on the motorway – which left the team bus engulfed by smoke – could shake the focus of the Orchard County.
Ronan Austin came into the starting line-up at full-forward and netted two goals in a first-half purple patch which helped Armagh to an unassailable 12-point lead at the break. Points from Brian Mallon and Mal Mackin and Paul Wilson’s penalty save meant there was no way back for the Oak Leafers and Ciaran McKeever became only the second Armagh man to lift The Irish News Cup.
The All-Ireland series was not scheduled until September so the players returned to club football before they came together again to prepare to face the Munster champions whose decider wasn’t played until August 19.
No stone was left unturned in preparation for the challenge ahead and the Armagh management team travelled by helicopter to view their prospective semi-final opponents in Tralee.
A Kerry side without the injured Colm Cooper, found an inspired Cork side to be a difficult assignment and Kevin O’Sullivan secured a one-point success for the Leesiders.
Any concerns that Armagh might be rusty after a five-month lay-off without competitive action were dispelled by a blistering start at Salthill against the Rebels in the last-four clash. Mickey McNamee scored a second-minute goal and Armagh led by seven points after nine minutes. However, a Cork goal just before the break cut Armagh’s lead to 1-8 to 1-6 at the whistle.
A whirlwind start to the second-half with immediate points from Stephen Kernan, Ronan Austin, Gregory Loughran and a collectors’ item from Andy Mallon saw Armagh drive ahead and the Orchardmen reached the All-Ireland U21 final for the first time.
A crowd of 14,000 flocked to Breffni Park, Cavan, on October 2 as Armagh and Mayo crossed swords for the Tom Clarke Cup. Armagh’s passing game kicked in early on and when Brian Mallon was pulled down, Stephen Kernan cooly slotted home the resulting penalty.
Then Ronan Austin finished an Aaron Kernan pass to the net as Armagh took a 2-3 to 0-4 lead.
Mayo reduced the deficit to a goal, before scores from Peadar Toal and Brian Mallon restored Armagh’s five-point cushion. But the momentum swung Mayo’s way during injury-time (six minutes) and they drew level.
However, Armagh would not be denied. A long ball from John Murtagh found Mickey McNamee who was fouled and the resulting Stephen Kernan free sent Armagh ahead again. Minutes later, Dromintee’s Shane O’Neill, who had been introduced in the second half, scored his first point of the campaign and it secured a first-ever All-Ireland U21 Football title for Armagh.
Captain Ciaran McKeever collected the trophy amid jubilant scenes as players and supporters celebrated an unforgettable victory for the Orchard County.
Armagh squad: Ronan Austin, Paul Duffy, Ryan Henderson, Aaron Kernan, Stephen Kernan, Gregory Loughran, Kieran O’Brien, Shane O’Neill (Culloville) Shane O’Neill (Dromintee), Mal Mackin, Conor Mackle, Andy Mallon (vice-captain), Brian Mallon, Michael Moore, Finnian Moriarty, Kevin Morris, John Murtagh, Damian McCann, Barry McDonald, Ciaran McKeever (captain), Michael McNamee, Joe Quigley, Gareth Richards, Gareth Smyth, Gareth Swift, Peter Stevenson, Peadar Toal, Barry Toner, Paul Wilson