Armagh hero McCambridge says new status is 'crazy'

Armagh All-Ireland victor Barry McCambridge says it's "crazy" to perceive him being described arsenic favourite for nan footballer of nan twelvemonth grant aft not moreover being a regular starter for Kieran McGeeney's broadside astatine nan opening of nan campaign.

McCambridge scored Armagh's match-turning extremity successful their astonishment semi-final triumph complete Kerry successful summation to subduing nan Kingdom's prima David Clifford.

The Clann Eireann man followed that up pinch superb show successful nan last triumph complete Galway erstwhile he again sewage connected nan scoresheet and he has been nominated for an All-Star successful summation to being 1 of nan 3 contenders for nan subordinate of nan twelvemonth grant pinch Galway brace Paul Conroy and John Maher.

"It's very different now," said nan schoolhouse coach of nan nickname he is receiving.

"Usually I'd beryllium happy capable slipping astir erstwhile no-one knows you but arsenic I've said before, it comes pinch nan territory pinch what we achieved. It's amazing.

"I wouldn't alteration this because we're All-Ireland champions and really astonishing it is for nan full organization of Portadown, wherever I'm from successful Lurgan and nan full of Armagh," said nan Armagh defender who was speaking astatine St John nan Baptist Primary School successful Portadown wherever he teaches, arsenic he was joined location by a number of region team-mates connected Thursday.

McCambridge says that winning an All-Star was a puerility dream but admits being a prospective subordinate of nan twelvemonth was "something I've ne'er really thought of".

"When you look astatine nan database of players who've achieved [that honour], you deliberation they're legends of nan crippled and I someway sewage connected nan list."

Despite that, nan Clann Eireann man insists that he "always believed successful myself and knew I was bully enough" to correspond Armagh.

"Just astatine nan clip location were group playing amended than maine aliases nan guidance thought location were players amended suited to those games.

"It's not conscionable maine successful that situation. You've sewage Niall Grimley who only started his first crippled against Derry successful nan title and is nominated for an All-Star.

"Joe McElroy has been 1 of our champion players each twelvemonth and he didn't play excessively galore games past year. It shows nan value and calibre of our squad that anyone tin measurement successful and do nan job.

"I conscionable happened to get fortunate and it fell for maine astatine nan correct time."

McCambridge does consciousness that his caller recovered position confers a work to beryllium a "role model" for his students and nan younger procreation successful his nine and county.

"I dream I do it correct and conscionable and animate group to look for dreams and execute them. You ne'er cognize erstwhile you'll get your break and you person to beryllium fresh for it.

"That's why you request to judge successful yourself and activity hard. If I'd person fixed up, Armagh whitethorn still person won an All-Ireland but I wouldn't person been playing."

McCambridge's Armagh team-mate Oisin Conaty, who has been nominated for nan young subordinate of nan twelvemonth grant and is besides among nan 11 Orchard County contenders for an All-Star, describes nan Clann Eireann man arsenic a "great lad" who tin "do thing really" connected nan field.

"He tin score, he has an engine, he tin people nan champion forwards successful nan region and going by what we've seen this year, I consciousness he decidedly does merit nan subordinate of nan year."