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Dublin will look to make it two wins from two in the All-Ireland SFC when they take on reigning All-Ireland champions Armagh at Croke Park in their second group stage match this Sunday (throw-in 4pm).
The two counties have met five times in championship action going into this weekend’s fixture. Dublin have the slight 3-2 advantage when it comes to championship meetings between the counties, including our very first championship meeting with Armagh in the All-Ireland semi-final in 1904, which Dublin won 4-16 to 0-1.
Our other two victories over Armagh came in the 1977 All-Ireland final and our last championship meeting in the 2010 All-Ireland qualifiers. The Orchard County claimed a first win over Dublin in the All-Ireland semi-final back in 2002 on their way to lifting the Sam Maguire Cup for the first time that year. They also beat Dublin a year later in the 2003 All-Ireland qualifiers.
Dublin bounced back from their Leinster semi-final defeat to Meath last month with a superb win against Galway last time out.
A Cormac Costello goal and points from Con O’Callaghan were key to Dublin holding a four-point advantage over the hosts at the break.
Lorcan O’Dell kept us ahead of Galway after the Trisbesmen had found the net with the first attack after the restart through Matthew Thompson. Seán Bugler also kept our noses in front before Robert Finnerty made it a one-point game in the 62nd minute with Galway’s second goal.
It had looked like Costello had given the Dubs the win with a late point before we were pegged back by Matthew Tierney, only for Tom Lahiff to make himself a hero with an excellent effort to break Galway hearts and give Dublin the win.
2024 All-Ireland champions Armagh have already beaten Dublin this year. However, an Ulster title still proves elusive for them; despite a comfortable win over Antrim and a hard-fought victory over Tyrone, they were denied once more by Donegal in yet another classic Ulster final, losing by just a point in extra time.
Bouncing back from their provincial heartbreak, Armagh got their Group 4 campaign up and running last Saturday with a four-point win over Derry.
The reigning All-Ireland champions held an early lead over their Ulster counterparts, with Oisín Conaty kicking a lovely two-pointer. A few minutes later, Conor Turbitt followed his teammates' lead to extend their lead to six.
Darragh McMullan and Andrew Murnin helped ensure there was a goal between them and Derry by the break.
Armagh exploded out of the traps in the second-half and were 10 points to the good when Barry McCambridge rattled the Derry net in the 46th minute.
A second goal, eight minutes later, from Turbitt looked to have wrapped up the game for Orchard County.
Two goals inside a minute from Conor Glass and Dan Higgins, followed by a Paul Cassidy two-pointer, set up a semi-grandstand finish, but in reality, Derry gave themselves too much to do as Joe McElroy’s 70th-minute point helped seal the win for Armagh.
With both counties looking for a second win in-a-row and an eye on the top spot in Group 4, which would give them a direct route to the All-Ireland quarter-finals, Sunday’s game should be a cracker.
The game will also be shown live on RTÉ 2 - throw-in 4pm.
Dublin v Armagh all-time All-Ireland Senior Football Championship meetings:
17th July 2010, Croke Park, All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Qualifier Round 3 - Dublin 0-14 (14) - 0-11 (11) Armagh
5th July 2003, Croke Park, All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Qualifier Round 3 - Armagh 0-15 (15) - 0-11 (11) Dublin
1st September 2002, Croke Park, All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Semi-Final - Armagh 1-14 (17) - 1-13 (16) Dublin
25th September 1977, Croke Park, All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final - Dublin 5-12 (27) - 3-6 (15) Armagh
11th June 1904, Drogheda Park, All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 1902 Semi-Final - Dublin 4-16 (28) - 1-6 (9) Armagh