Kieran McGeeney admits Armagh's loss to Louth was a 'kick in the b*******'
The Orchard chief refused to blame the loss on recalled goalkeeper Ethan Rafferty, who failed to deal with Sam Mulroy's long ball in
Kieran McGeeney admitted the last-gasp Louth goal that cost Armagh an All-Ireland SFC quarter-final place was a “kick in the b*******”.
Wee County captain Sam Mulroy pinched a fluke goal from a long delivery to steal a one-point win for Louth – and a place in the last eight. They join Cork, Galway and Tyrone in the All-Ireland quarter-finals after their 2-20 to 2-19 win.
Ulster champions Armagh could still join them but will now have to navigate another tie this weekend.
It's as much a mental battle as a physical challenge to recover in time for next weekend because Armagh boss McGeeney spelt out how tough the defeat was.
"It's a kick in the b******* but that's the way it goes," said McGeeney.
The Orchard chief refused to blame the loss on recalled goalkeeper Ethan Rafferty, who failed to deal with Mulroy's long ball in.
"Everybody makes mistakes," he shrugged. "We gave the ball a0way three or four times. If we hadn't given it away, the ball wouldn't have been kicked in. It's not Ethan, it's all of us. It's the way it goes. You win together, you lose together.
"We should have run out the game better than we did. But you have to give credit to the Louth lads, they kept hanging in there. They threw caution to the wind and it worked out for them.
"That's sport, it can be cruel sometimes. But you have to keep focus right to the end."
Louth have now won all four competitive games they have played in Inniskeen, just across the border in Monaghan.
They beat Meath and Cork there in the 2024 Championship, and Meath again in last year's League.
Armagh wanted to train there ahead of the game but were denied, although McGeeney said it wasn't a big deal.
"You ask for it and you're told no, that's as far as it goes," said McGeeney.
Asked if any other county had refused Armagh entry to a ground this year, McGeeney shook his head.
"But that's their prerogative," he said of Louth, downplaying the significance of the venue.
"It's just another pitch. It's all green grass and goal posts. Some pitches would play tight and others wouldn't but no, it's a big enough pitch and it's in good nick."
Louth manager Gavin Devlin said it was a victory for five years of hard work behind the scenes in the Wee County.
"There's no magic wand," said Devlin. "It's hard work, grit and investment over a long period of time. You're just looking for those tenths, those inches all the time."
