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18th Jul 2024

Kieran McGeeney explains colour blindeness reason behind jersey selection

Callum Boyle

Armagh wore a black jersey in their All-Ireland semi-final win

Kieran McGeeney has stated that he has no control over what jersey Armagh will wear in the All-Ireland final.

Armagh beat Kerry in the semi-finals wearing the black jersey instead of their traditional orange look but this may cause a problem in next weekend’s final against Galway.

Kieran McGeeney

‘They are very funny about that’

McGeeney revealed that two of his players suffer from colour blindness. Their last three championship matches against the Tribesman have seen them wear orange and the west coast county wearing maroon – which has proved to cause issues for the two in question.

But the 52-year-old stated that in order to wear a different jersey they will require permission despite not being entirely clued up on the whole procedure.

During an All-Ireland media launch he said: “They are very funny about that, don’t ask me why – you have to get special permission.

“We have two players with colour blindness, that’s an issue at different times, so when you have full block colours it can be an issue for two of them.

“Listen, I don’t know, that sort of stuff goes way over my head. You’d think it’s a simple enough thing, like wear what you want as long as you can distinguish between the two teams.”

McGeeney renews Joyce rivalry

Finals always create several storylines and next weekend’s All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final is no different when McGeeney reacquaints with Pádraic Joyce, who even sent him a text after Armagh’s win over Kerry.

“He told me after the thing, he says, ‘we’ll meet in the final’,” he said.

“He actually predicted two or three things that have all come [true]. I have asked him who did he see winning the final but he hasn’t told me that one yet! Joyce is a good fella, I know him a long time, an unbelievable player in his day and he’s a competitor through and through.”

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