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Armagh GAA legend backs Kieran McGeeney's men to relive historic All-Ireland win over Dublin that ‘remains in my memory'

BETWEEN all the highs and lows with Armagh, Stevie McDonnell remembers Dublin in the rare auld times. The Orchard legend enjoyed a glittering inter-county career, picking up three All-Stars, the 2003 Footballer of the Year prize, seven Ulster titles and an All-Ireland medal between 1999 and 2012. 3 Steven McDonnell won the All-Ireland with Armagh in 2002 Credit: Brendan Moran / SPORTSFILE 3 Armagh beat Dublin in the 2002 All-Ireland semi-final Credit: Pat Murphy/Sportsfile McDonnell put in a summer for the ages when Armagh lifted Sam in 2002, with the Killeavy great firing 0-3 in the seismic 1-12 to 0-14 win over Kerry on the big day. His county's fierce rivalry with Tyrone dominated the northern landscape and the Red Hands knocked them off their perch in the 2003 showpiece. But across all those years and games, the 2002 semi-final win over the Sky Blues tops the lot for atmosphere. Tommy Lyons' Sky Blues meant business as they hunted their first crown since 1995, and the dream Kerry-Dublin final loomed large. Read More on GAA In a rip-roaring second half in front of 79,386 fans, Paddy McKeever bundled into the net at the Canal End before Ciarán Whelan's strike caused Hill 16 to erupt. Ray Cosgrove's sixth point of the afternoon had the teams level before Oisín McConville fisted over to steer Armagh ahead. Cosgrove was the darling of the Hill, and a banker to level the game in front of the old terrace when Enda McNulty fouled him well within range with seconds to go. But the Kilmacud Crokes man was stunned when the ball came off the post, and was eventually cleared by Francie Bellew. It was all over. McDonnell told SunSport: 'I don't think I'm alone in saying this, you're often asked what was the best atmosphere you played in front of and without a shadow of a doubt it was the 2002 semi-final against Dublin . Most read in GAA Football 'Dublin hadn't won Leinster in seven years leading up to that, and Tommy Lyons had them going really well. There was a lot of hype and aura around them at that particular time, and obviously they carried massive support as well. 'The Armagh supporters travelled the length and breadth of the country and were well renowned for the volume that they would take to the occasion, but what an occasion it was. It was just an electric atmosphere and a game that always remains in my memory. Tipperary GAA star 'had to do live apology on RTE' the day after cursing during All-Ireland interview - 'We had that large bit of luck for us at the end with Ray Cosgrove kicking the ball off the post. 'From the season that he had, there was no way we would have thought that he was going to hit the post. Absolutely no way. You never win an All-Ireland without a certain amount of luck, and we got it that day.' Armagh finished the job against the Kingdom, but McDonnell knew they were unstoppable after beating the Dubs. And he says their hunger and desire to win the ball after Cosgrove's miss summed it all up when they bagged Sam for the first time three weeks later. He said: 'With luck, there has to be a desire and a drive to get you over the line as well. 'When the ball broke off the post, there were three Armagh players waiting for it, there were no Dublin players waiting for it and that won us the game. 'We weren't happy or content to watch a ball go over the bar or maybe come off the post. We wanted to make sure that we were the ones reacting to it, and I think it was Justin McNulty that reacted first to getting it. 'If you beat Dublin any given day at all, it's always going to instil belief and particularly that Dublin team at that time, there was just a whole lot of hype about them and they had so many quality players — Stephen Cluxton obviously was starting his career at that stage. 'Alan Brogan had a fantastic season, Bryan Cullen, Jason Sherlock , 'So that definitely gave us the belief and confidence going into the final. 'But the atmosphere we played in for the semi-final, we didn't believe that it could have been outweighed and it certainly wasn't.' ORANGE ONSLAUGHT The buzz of that day was infectious, and over 54,000 turned up at Croker when the counties clashed in the NFL the following year. Armagh won that game, and would repeat the dose all over again in a sizzling All-Ireland third-round qualifier. Croker heaved once more as McDonnell and Cosgrove fired 0-5 each and Cluxton and Paddy McKeever saw red. But the Dubs failed to cope with a second-half orange onslaught, which McDonnell hails as their finest hour. He said: 'I mentioned earlier the best atmosphere I played in front of was the 2002 semi-final. 'And then you're often asked which was the best performance, and for me it was the second half of that qualifier game against Dublin. I think we went in at half-time three or four points down and not playing particularly well — but we came out and gave a masterclass in the second half. 'We just ran riot. I know Stephen Cluxton ended up getting sent off, but that didn't make much of a difference on the overall scheme of things in that game. 'It wouldn't have mattered even if Dublin had 16 players on the field, I think we would have won the game just the way we performed that particular day and that's the way it was. We had the capability and the belief from the previous year of stepping it up when we had to — and that's what we were able to do.' 'I could be eating my words, but I think it will be Armagh by a couple of points.' Dublin finally got one over on the Orchard in a 2010 qualifier before McDonnell called it a day in 2012 — and today's first Championship meeting in 15 years has a familiar ring to it. Armagh are champions, while Dublin are itching to get back to the top and McDonnell knows anything can happen at Croke Park . He said: 'It would take a fairly foolish person to write Dublin off. 'Not too long ago they were going for seven in a row, so what a team they are. They've got quality throughout that squad and if you underestimate them you're going to get caught out. 'I really believe that there's about six teams with realistic chances of going and winning the All-Ireland this year. 'Obviously Armagh and Dublin are in the mix and this has all the raw materials of being an absolute classic. 'Dublin got off to a fantastic start against Galway , I think they were totally the dominant team on that particular day. 'Ciarán Kilkenny was back to his best, pulling the strings from start to finish and really controlled the game at his tempo. 'Armagh, likewise, I thought for 55 minutes of the game against Derry were extremely positive in their performance and then they switched off. 'If they're going to switch off against a team like Dublin they're going to be severely punished. 'I could be eating my words, but I think it will be Armagh by a couple of points.' 3 The Armagh team form a huddle prior to the Bank of Ireland All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Semi-Final against Dublin Credit: Damien Eagers/Sportsfile