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Belfast Telegraph
4 days ago
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Armagh have taken heed of big wake-up call in All-Ireland mission: Ben Crealey
The passage of time has now seen Maghery clubman Crealey blossom into one of the best engine-room technicians on the island. Further evidence of just how far he has come is likely to be provided on Sunday when he will find himself pitted against Dublin's imposing midfield machinery at Croke Park as the reigning All-Ireland champions continue their bid to retain their hold on 'Sam'. Crealey's fierce commitment, relentless effort and willingness to call the shots in the middle third of the park have transformed him into a workaholic who invariably plays himself to a standstill. It goes without saying that these qualities will be needed against a Dublin side that just managed to overcome Galway by a single point in their only fixture to date. Peadar O Cofaigh and Killian McGinnis are again likely to form the Dublin midfield pairing for a match that has created a huge stir within the ranks of the team's followers. But Armagh have learned how to cope with difficult situations and when they were dicing with danger in the Ulster Semi-Final against Tyrone it was Crealey who whisked over a vital score to rescue the situation. 'We were very lucky to get over the line in that game but it came as a warning to us. We are taking nothing for granted. We will just keep pushing on and hope that we can make the most of the chances that come our way,' states Crealey. Armagh have found themselves up against it on more than one occasion over the course of the past year but the panic button has not been pressed as yet. 'We are lucky in that we have a good substitutes' bench with players who can come on and maybe turn a game in our favour,' points out Crealey. 'This shows the spirit that is in the side and their determination to close out matches.' Crealey is in no doubt that two-point scores can bolster a team's comeback and he is conscious that Armagh have players who are capable of trimming opponents' leads in Conor Turbitt, Stefan Campbell, Rory Grugan and Oisin Conaty. 'There is no doubt that trying to stage a comeback after you have conceded the lead to opponents can be difficult but we always apply ourselves in such situations,' points out Crealey.
The Irish Sun
10-05-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Armagh savouring being the hunted says Ben Crealey as Orchard aim to finally bloom in Ulster final
BEN CREALEY can feel the target on Armagh's back. That very same target used to inspire him — so he knows what it is all about. Advertisement Crealey always rose his game when he came up against reigning All-Ireland champions in the past. And he had a campaign for the ages last summer to ensure Armagh became the current kingpins. The Maghery clubman, 27, made his SFC debut in 2017 and the Sam Maguire was his first piece of senior Championship silverware. Kieran McGeeney's men are preparing for their third Ulster final in a row against Donegal in Clones. Advertisement Read More On GAA And while Jim McGuinness' men are among the favourites to ascend the throne at Croke Park in July, they will be desperate to take down the All-Ireland champions tonight. Crealey was playing when Armagh knocked out then-champions Tyrone in the first round of the 2022 qualifiers — so knows what is like when the hunters become the hunted. He told SunSport: 'The All-Ireland champions, you always have a pep in your step when you play against them, whether it was Tyrone's 2021 team or whoever it was through the years. 'Teams are going out to beat you more so than they were previously but having a strong squad is something we've prided ourselves on. Advertisement Most read in GAA Football 'We've struggled with injuries the last month or two through the league but every county squad is the same. "We're definitely getting more bodies back every week and our squad is getting stronger. Owen Mulligan teases Lee Keegan over hilarious contrast in how their inter-county GAA careers ended 'It'll be tested in the Ulster final and it'll be tested in the All-Ireland series. So we need everybody.' Armagh are without a provincial crown since 2008 ahead of today's crunch sell-out clash. Advertisement Derry dismissed them on penalties in 2023 and Donegal inflicted the same spot-kick pain a year ago. But Armagh had the last laugh when they claimed All-Ireland glory against Galway last July. Crealey bagged an All-Star in midfield and says missing out on the Anglo-Celt Cup again would be no big deal — even if it means a spot in the group of death alongside the Tribesmen, Dublin and Derry. He said: 'It was good to get the result and good to get into another Ulster final and we're trying to right last year's wrongs. Advertisement 'But as you've seen from last year, winning it isn't going to define your season. Everyone wants to win an Ulster Championship. "You want to win the game of course. We'll prepare well and see how it goes and figure out how to get over the line. 1 Going up high against Brian Kennedy of Tyrone during their semi-final win at St Tiernach's Park 'I thought we were going to extra-time again against Tyrone but luckily got the last possession and got over the line, so that was brilliant.' Advertisement Losing tight games haunted Armagh in the past. But in the 0-23 to 0-22 Ulster semi-final win over the Red Hands a fortnight ago, they proved they can win them, too. Crealey's score put them 0-17 to 0-11 ahead ten minutes into the second half before their neighbours turned the game on its head. McGeeney's resources were vital last year when Stefan Campbell was used as an impact sub and 'Soupy' made a huge impact in the All-Ireland final win, creating Aaron McKay's crucial goal. Campbell had a similar impact against Tyrone, scoring the equalising point off the bench before Rory Grugan's last-gasp free after the buzzer won the day. Advertisement Crealey said: 'With the two-pointers, a five-, six-point lead isn't really a big lead anymore. Teams are always going to get their purple patch, Tyrone got theirs and got ahead. 'It's definitely a bit tougher in the body, there's a lot more transitions, more possessions, so it's tougher. 'You're just trying to get your hands on the ball and get the next score. 'We were stuck on 19 points for a long time, so we're just trying to get our hands on the ball and get the next score. Thankfully we did. Advertisement 'We started to get a bit of momentum at the right time, just that last couple of minutes. The momentum swung to us and thankfully it did, we got over the line.'
