Kieran McGeeney suggested that the media have underestimated his team in recent years after they beat Galway this afternoon at Carrick-on-Shannon.
The victory, coupled with Westmeath earning a late draw against Tyrone, meant that the Orchard County advanced straight to the quarter-final of the All-Ireland championship.
In doing so, they became the only non-provincial champion to do so, after Derry, Dublin and Kerry topped their respective groups.
Today's contest started slowly but it came to life after Ethan Rafferty saved a Shane Walsh penalty on 25 minutes. While the Tribesmen still led by two at the break, Armagh were able to find the scores they needed to move one ahead.
Walsh had a chance to equalise with a very late free but he pushed the effort high and wide to the right.
"It's always a tough game against Galway," McGeeney said on RTÉ's Sunday Sport afterwards.
"There hasn't been much between us in the last few years; a point either way. You'd think we were 10 miles behind Galway listening to the noise out there.
"We've had some of the best games over the last few years and it takes two good teams to have a good game. Joycer [Padraic Joyce] likes to play football the same way we do. It can be physical but it's fair. Today we got it.
"They got it in the important one last year, and we may see each other again [this year]."
Galway came into the game knowing that a draw would guarantee them top spot and a day off next week weekend.
They had beaten Armagh in last year's All-Ireland quarter-final, as well as their league meeting at the Athletic Ground in March.
But manager Padraic Joyce had no complaints about the result.
"Hats off to Armagh. I think they controlled the game better in the second half than what we did. Our turnovers killed us, gave Armagh energy and fed into their gameplan.
"Disappointed from our end but we'll live to fight another day. It's a setback for us but the good thing is we only have five or six days to lick our wounds and come back.
"We wanted to qualify directly, of course we did, and have the week off and work on a few things. We didn't get through it and we always knew that was going to be a chance. It doesn't matter about other results. We'd a chance to get a result in this game and we didn't get it."
Before throw in Damien Comer was withdrawn with Joyce admitting that he doesn't know if the forward will be available for the upcoming preliminary quarter-final.
He also confirmed that Dylan McHugh tweaked an old injury this week.
"They were fine and then picked up knocks in training on Thursday night so we had to pull them out today," he confirmed.
"Dylan missed the last game as well with a knock so it was a reoccurrence of what he had. Even Sean Kelly limped off there. That's the nature of it with the amount of games being played.
"You have to have strength in depth in your panel. They're big, big players so we'll have to see how we go."
The draw for the preliminary quarter final takes place on RTÉ's Morning Ireland on Monday morning from 8.35.
