Through the lens – a photographer’s view of a historic 2024 – BBC Sport
In July, Armagh defeated Galway 1-11 to 0-13 at Croke Park to lift the Sam Maguire Trophy title for the first time since 2002.
But when the full-time whistle finally blows and the sparks of excitement fly, where do you go as a photographer?
“I’m going to be controversial, but you follow the stars, and Ryan is the star,” Crombie said.
“Everyone in the GAA knows Ryan O’Neill and what a complete footballer he is.”
In recent years, O’Neill has played a key role in Armagh’s pursuit of All-Ireland glory after enduring a traumatic 22-year spell with injuries.
“Like when reporters do interviews after the game, you want to talk to Ryan, not the third-choice goalkeeper. That’s in the back of my mind,” he continued.
“I got a very similar photo two years ago, of David Clifford and his mum, who later sadly passed away. It was his mum and dad surrounding him. So, you like to think you’re capturing Some family history.
“It’s a wonderful moment and you can imagine the amount of work parents put in to get their son or daughter to that level of sport where the ultimate goal is, and in GAA, getting to an All-Ireland final is the ultimate goal.
“His mum put in a huge effort and then he shared this hug at the final whistle and you can imagine there were a lot of emotions.”
