After all the talk and the hype, in the end it was old legs that cost Armagh a place in the All-Ireland semi-finals.

The problem for Armagh against Wexford on Saturday was that they couldn’t get the ball up to their two star forwards in the closing stages, where Wexford’s greater hunger took over.

How many times in the past have we seen Armagh grind out a result in tight matches? On Saturday they were leading by two points with 10 minutes left but, amazingly, they lost by five.

It’s the end of the road for many of these players. Full-back Francie Bellew has been one of Armagh’s best but sadly his best is past him. Add in Aidan O’Rourke, Enda McNulty, Paul McGrane, Oisin McConville and possibly Stephen McDonnell and it will be a different Armagh side we see next year.

Armagh have been a superb team and a wonderful bunch of individuals. Joe Kernan led the way for all Ulster sides in that never-to-be-forgotten All-Ireland victory of 2002 against Kerry.

But that was six years ago and it’s difficult to see them getting back there for some time to come.

They were beaten, okay, but all of Armagh — and indeed Ulster — should be very proud of this team.