WATCH: Armagh's experienced players deserve an Anglo Celt medal says Aaron McKay

However, not having won an Anglo Celt title since 2008 means that the job isn’t finished, and full back Aaron McKay says the Orchard men will be hungry to change that on Saturday evening – when they face Donegal at Clones.

“The Provincials are still as important as they ever were,” he said.

“I know that in terms of challenging for Sam Maguire, once the Provincials are over everyone's back to scratch in terms of their groups. But an Ulster medal and an Ulster title is still very important to us anyway.

“I don't think that's a secret in Ulster to all the counties. I don't want to devalue any other Provincials there by saying that, but Ulster's still a massive thing.

“Especially in our group, the likes of Rory [Grugan] and Aidan Forker and Soupy [Stefan Campbell] and Andy [Murnin] - those boys who've soldiered for so long definitely deserve one.”

​The last time McKay lined out for Armagh he achieved every Gaelic Footballer’s dream – scoring the winning goal in the All-Ireland final.

The Dromintee man has spent the entirety of the 2025 season on the side-lines with injury, but having warmed up ahead of the Ulster Semi-final with Tyrone, he isn’t far away from a return.

As for whether that return comes against Donegal this Saturday in the Ulster Final? McKay says that he’s ‘hopeful’ but he’ll get behind the team whether he plays or not.

“Well, I'll tell Geezer that I'm fit, whether I am or not is a different story.

“Whether he decides to have any faith in me is another question as well, but hopefully he does. As long as Armagh win, I don't care if I play or not.”

Outside of Rian O’Neill stepping away from the panel, McKay is the only player from last year’s All-Ireland final win over Galway who has yet to feature for Armagh in 2025.

However, Joe McElroy, Niall Grimley, Ben Crealey, Tiernan Kelly, Aidan Forker, Paddy Burns, Connaire Mackin and Conor Turbitt have all suffered from injury problems at one stage or another throughout the campaign.

The ever-changing injury list will have provided manager Kieran McGeeney with a selection headache, but it has provided chances for new faces to impress: namely Tomas McCormack, Callum O’Neill and Darragh McMullen.

“We made a big deal about that last year, the impact from the bench,” said McKay.

“I suppose when you have so many lads who maybe had been starting last year out injured, the lads who had been making the impact are now starting. So you're looking to replicate the impact off the bench again and the young lads have stepped up.

“So in one sense it's a bad thing, as lads are carrying niggles, but in terms of the whole progression for the team, young lads have stepped up and have played really, really well. Callum O'Neill was sensational this last two games, and he's not alone in that.

“It's very hard to displace those fellas for the guys who had been starting last year. They won't just walk back in the team because if they are, it's not showing good signs of progression as a group. So, we're in a healthy place I think.”

McKay is now one of a number of players who have to work hard in training to earn their spot in the team back, and he says that the high level of competition within the squad leads to a very high standard of in-house training games.

And that, he believes, means the team are well prepared for the challenges that come their way on gameday.

“To say our in-house games get feisty would be a bit of an understatement,” he said.

“There would be some rows or arguments over it anyway. The B team has given the A team some skutchings over the weeks, even last season as well.

“You were maybe going into a big game against Kerry or whoever and you're panicking going, 'jeez our own boys are whipping us, how are we going to beat Kerry with the Cliffords?' or whatever it is. But that's what keeps the whole group so competitive and pushing the whole thing on.”

As mentioned, it has been a year of instability to this point for Armagh. However, after winning just two of their first six games, they have now won three-in-a-row, with the most recent win a one-point victory over Tyrone.

The Orchard County will be hoping that result can be the launchpad for another successful summer.

“It nearly felt like we had to win it twice. We had went six up at one stage in the second half.

“You're sort of thinking, 'right, we'll just kick for home here or keep Tyrone at arm's length' but in fairness to Tyrone, they kicked back at us and obviously went ahead. That game in previous years gone by, we might have lost or let it slip. To now have the experience in bigger, tighter games over the last few years, I think it definitely stood to us.

“We were able to clutch it back again with the likes of Rory [Grugan] and Soupy [Stefan Campbell] playing a big part in it, Turbo [Conor Turbitt] actually scored a point as well. You had a good mix of older and younger lads providing clutch moments to get us over the line.”

Armagh showed tremendous experience to come out on top, as they looked to be in serious trouble trailing by two points with five minutes to go.

However, they have been no strangers to the big games over the last number of years, and that – alongside their hard work in training – is paying off now.

“It's probably down to the management as well,” said McKay.

“They're coaching us and running drills and set plays in different game scenarios so that when it does happen on game day within a game, it's not something new. You've been there and worked on it.

“Nothing in training can replicate what it's like playing at Clones with 30-odd thousand watching and the pressure of maybe you having to hit the last shot to salvage the draw or whatever it is. We try to make training as intense as possible to try and replicate as close as we can. Hopefully it keeps paying off.”

Awaiting Armagh in the Ulster Final is a tough test against Donegal.

Armagh have faced Jim McGuinness’ side four times in league and Championship since the Glenties man returned to the dugout and haven’t been able to claim victory over him yet.

“Donegal have been very competitive. They weren't far away last year either in terms of an All-Ireland,” said McKay.

“They took us to penalties and ultimately they got the win that day in penalties. We know each other really, really well. You can't see a whole pile different in terms of tactics and that.

“I don't want to give away too much but hopefully we come out on the right side of this one.”

As previously mentioned, Armagh are no strangers to the big days, but 29-year-old McKay says that the team can’t take them for granted.

“When you're young growing up, you were going to games with 40,000 plus people at matches.

“For how I started off as my Armagh career (in Division 3), to now finally have Armagh back where we are with big following and big crowds to games, it's a great place to have the whole county.”