Armagh created history at Hyde Park this afternoon as they won through to their first TG4 All-Ireland Ladies SFC final, beating Galway by 1-13 to 1-12.
The Orchard women became the first side to win the junior championship and then qualify for the following year's senior final as Sharon Duncan stroked over a last-gasp free.
Galway, last year's beaten SFC finalists, led 1-08 to 1-06 at the break thanks to Lisa Cohill's 26th-minute goal and the brilliant point-taking of Gillian Joyce (0-05).
Maria O'Donnell's goal had sent Armagh into a 1-05 to 0-06 lead, and they bounced back with Aileen Matthews tallying up 0-06 before Duncan's late winner.
Galway opened up a 0-03 to 0-01 lead before the excellent running of Mairead Tennyson and Caroline O'Hanlon began to open up holes in the westerners' defence.
Tennyson (0-02) and Matthews dinked over successive scores to push Armagh in front for the first time at 0-04 to 0-03, but Galway bounced back with a trio of thrilling scores from free-taker Joyce (0-02) and hard-running captain Patricia Gleeson.
The nip-and-tuck nature of the tie continued when full-forward Patricia McAvoy shot over and that was quickly followed by O'Donnell's opportunist goal – the Crossmaglen forward pounced on O'Hanlon's point attempt, which had bounced up off the crossbar, to slide home her finish past Una Carroll.
But Galway managed to cancel out the effect of that goal as Joyce traded points with O'Hanlon before the unmarked Cohill rifled home to the Armagh net. A further Joyce free – her third of the evening – pushed the 2004 champions two points in front for the break.
The sides were level four times in the second half – points from Matthews and Duncan, who profited from another blistering run from Tennyson, initially squared it up at 1-08 apiece.
Galway, again, showed their experience with substitute Niamh Duggan and Joyce (free) firing over. Fine fielding from Alma O'Donnell and O'Hanlon then laid the platform for three Armagh scores on the bounce.
Matthews (0-02) and Tennyson, with a clinical finish, stole the lead back for the Ulster side. Drama followed when two Joyce frees – taking the St Brendan's clubwoman's haul to 0-08 – nudged Galway 1-12 to 1-11 ahead.
With six minutes remaining, Matthews sent over a sizzling score off her right boot. Her worse nightmare followed when she was punished with a yellow card after a mistimed challenge on Caitriona Cormican.
Down to 14 players, Armagh dug deep and although Galway substitute Barbara Hannon was found in acres of space – the Dunmore attacker shot badly wide – the reigning junior champions raced up the other end to win a free for Duncan to gleefully point.
Cork, who were first time champions last year, will be Armagh's opponents in the October 1 final at Croke Park.
Galway: U Carroll; M O'Connell, M Glynn, AM McDonagh; C Cormican, A Daly, E Flaherty; A Clarke, P Gleeson (0-01); L Cohill (1-00), N Fahey, E Concannon; G Conneally, G Joyce (0-08 (0-06f)), L Joyce (capt) (0-02).
Subs used: N Duggan (0-01) for Conneally (28 mins), Conneally for Cohill (41), B Hannon for Conneally (50).
Armagh: F McAtamney; C Marley, F Quinn, A Murphy; R O'Mahony, B O'Donnell (capt), S McCleary; A O'Donnell, C O'Hanlon (0-01); M Tennyson (0-03), S Duncan (0-02), S O'Hagan; M O'Donnell (1-00), P McAvoy (0-01), A Matthews (0-06 (0-04f)).
Subs used: for M McAlinden for McAvoy (45 mins), O Murphy for O'Hagan (58).
Referee: Peter Daly (Westmeath).
