After 18 long years, Armagh fans have every reason to believe the Anglo-Celt Cup is finally coming home. Seven-time Ulster Championship winner Oisín McConville certainly thinks so—but he's warning everyone not to count out Monaghan just yet.

McConville, who was part of the last Armagh team to lift the Ulster title back in 2008, believes the current squad has the grit to shake off the heartbreak of three previous final defeats. The Orchard men have been building momentum with each game, starting with a narrow escape against Tyrone in the preliminary round. They then blew past Fermanagh in the quarter-final before delivering a stunning 28-point demolition of Down in the semi-final—a performance that had fans dreaming of glory.

But McConville isn't getting carried away. "Nobody in Armagh thinks it's going to be as easy as the Down game ended up," he said on the GAA Social. "Monaghan will cause them plenty of problems, like they always have." He pointed to past battles, including the 2023 All-Ireland quarter-final decided by penalties, as fuel for Armagh's fire. "The good thing is Armagh feels like they owe Monaghan one. I think Armagh will win, but it won't be easy."

Monaghan's path to the final has been anything but smooth. Their semi-final against Derry was a thriller, requiring a sublime two-point sideline kick from Jack McCarron at the death to force extra time. With just 13 seconds left in extra time and Derry up by one, Rory Beggan drilled over a two-point free to complete a stunning comeback. This after a league campaign that saw seven straight defeats and relegation from Division One. But key players have returned, and Gabriel Bannigan's side has rediscovered its fighting spirit.

McConville admits the case for a Monaghan victory isn't hard to make. "They have players coming back, and they've shown real character. You don't have to dig too deep to see how dangerous they are." Still, the former star is backing his native Armagh to end the drought—but he knows the Farney County won't go down without a fight.