FEATURE: The last time Armagh ruled Ulster

Tony Kernan recalls the Orchard County’s provincial triumph of 2008

By Shaun Casey

Armagh fans didn’t realise how good they had it. For a decade, the Orchard County had experienced more success than in any other era. Silverware was expected, and usually delivered, each and every season.

From dominating the provincial scene, winning seven Ulster titles in ten years, to collecting national honours in the form of an All-Ireland in 2002 and a Division One league in 2005, it was the golden years for Armagh GAA.

The Anglo Celt Cup took up residence in the Cathedral City, barring the odd visit across the blackwater. Big day outs to Clones were the norm and bigger days out to Croke Park were fairly frequent as well.

But that all stopped in the aftermath of 2008. The Anglo Celt is now a stranger to the Orchard County. As the 2025 championship rolls around, it’s 17-years since an Armagh captain held the trophy aloft.

Strangely, Armagh head into this campaign as the current holders of the Sam Maguire, but not one player in that changing room has an Ulster medal. Perhaps that will change this year. Only time will tell.

Tony Kernan had just broken onto the scene in 2008 and had witnessed the glory days when his father was the Armagh manager from 2002-07. Joe Kernan had delivered most of the silverware that Armagh earned back then.

Tony, one of four Kernan brothers on the panel in 2008, was drafted in for his first championship start in the Ulster final replay against Fermanagh. Having missed the boat the first day, the Erne men fell to the more experienced lads in orange and white in the rematch.

“In the drawn Ulster final, we’d missed a lot of freekicks but thankfully we done enough to earn a draw,” recalled Kernan. “Fermanagh had an even bigger meltdown and they kicked themselves out of the game really.

“I started the replay, really just to hit the frees. I had the pleasure of playing with Stevie (McDonnell) and Clarkie (Ronan Clarke) inside and they played from open play and I
was like the kicker going in for set plays!”

Earning his first championship start was a big honour for the second youngest Kernan sibling, but it was a bittersweet moment. He was taking the place of his older brother Stephen, who was dropped from the starting line-up.

Aaron started at wing back, and finished with 0-4 to his name, while Paul, the youngest of the four, was brought into action for the injured Andy Mallon around the third quarter mark, the first sub Armagh made.

“I came off towards the end of the game and Stephen came on for me,” added Tony. “Paul came on for Andy Mallon so from a family point of view, it was a nice moment that all four of us played in an Ulster final.”

In the end, it was a routine win for Armagh. Nothing more, nothing less. Fans still stormed the pitch at the sound of the full-time whistle which had marked the annual Ulster triumph that had become expected.

“From a county point of view, at that stage it had just become really normal for us because the team beforehand had been so successful and they had collected so many titles that it was just a given that we were going to win Ulster.

“Tyrone were the big team we were competing with, Donegal to a lesser extent because they hadn’t got across the line. I think Down beat Tyrone that year so we didn’t have to play them and getting to an Ulster final, there was an expectation we were going to win.”

Coming into a squad as strong as the one Peter McDonnell had at his disposal, success was almost promised, and Kernan was keen to follow in the footsteps of the legends that had gone before him.

“I remember looking out the window on the way into Clones and seeing people like Tony McEntee with his family and that was one of those pinch yourself moments. I spent so long following those boys and now they were coming to watch me,” he continued.

“I was in beside Stevie McDonnell and Ronan Clarke, they were that experienced and playing that well, I think Clarkie got an All-Star that year. We had Francie (Bellew) at full back, (Paul) McGrane was midfield.

“You had Martin O’Rourke and Brian Mallon doing all the work around the half forward line. You had Aaron and Aidan O’Rourke in the half back line, we were a really experienced team compared to the other Armagh teams I was a part of after that.

“You were just filling in really because those boys were doing most of the work and they had played in an Ulster final before. It was my first championship start but there were plenty of boys there to put their arms around me and talk me through the whole day.”

Lining out with the pressure of striking the dead balls didn’t phase Kernan. “I had for Cross in Clones at Ulster Club level so I comfortable hitting frees t. Monaghan in the league that year and I’d scored a couple of frees that day so that was grand.

“Oisin McConville was still on the tea. I don’t know why they put me on when Oisin was still on the bench, but he was really supportive and really good at talking me through my routine and how to be comfortable and confident hitting frees, so that was fine.”

By the time Kernan hung up the boots in 2016, having made 76 championship appearances, that Ulster was still the only medal he had to show for his efforts. After 2008, the Orchard County experienced a provincial barren spell that has lasted right up to this day.

McGrane, Bellew, McConville and others stepped away after that season, leaving a huge gap of experience and quality to fill.

“Those boys were freewheeling through Ulster and then when they weren’t there, the safety net was almost gone,” explained Kernan.

“They had a lot of bus journeys together and a lot of miles on the clock. With that time together, you become battle-hardened and you know who you can rely on and you know who’s going to have your back.

“For us, it was all very new and you’re trying to form those relationships and we didn’t have the positive experiences to go with it. In addition, we went through a couple of management teams, we went through a few different S&C coaches and Cross really pushed off.”

Those were the days before the split season and with Crossmaglen experiencing their own period of domination in Ulster and beyond, the All-Ireland Club series was played after Christmas, which impacted their county involvement.

“We won six Ulster Clubs in seven years so I had missed six preseasons,” Kernan reflected. “When the management team asked us, we played for Armagh. I played an u21 game between two All-Ireland Club finals at that time.

“I played the league in ’08 although Cross were in the All-Ireland series. We weren’t training with the boys and you weren’t meeting with them as often and we really struggled to build a connection as a group because it was so disjointed.

“The consistency of Geezer (Kieran McGeeney) and the backroom team has brought that about in recent years. The time spent together on weekends away and training camps, Armagh have a real tight group now and that’s where their success is coming from.”

The big question on everyone’s lips now is can the All-Ireland champions Armagh end their long wait for an Ulster title?

17-years on from their last success, Kernan hopes the Anglo Celt will once again become a familiar face in the Orchard County.

“They’ve been so close but Ulster is just that much of a minefield. Tyrone are coming good again there at the end of the league, Donegal are going to be there, Derry are still there and they have a couple of Ulster titles.

“It’s been heart-breaking as a supporter looking at the last couple of Ulster finals,” added Kernan on the recent penalty defeats.

“I can only imagine what it’s like for the boys and the management team who have put so much time and so much effort into it.

“They really deserve an Ulster title but from their perspective, they’ll just be focused on Antrim and on Corrigan Park and then please God they’ll get across the line and get ready for the next one.

“The games come thick and fast in Ulster. There is a massive expectation and a massive hope that they can get across the line this year but they’ll be focused on Antrim first and foremost.”