It's been a marvellous 12 months for ladies football in Armagh. A year ago their captain Bronagh O'Donnell lifted the West County Hotel Cup as her county were crowned All Ireland junior champions for the first time.

This win elevated the Orchard County ladies to senior status and now O'Donnell and her colleagues are looking to capture back-toback titles in two grades, something which has never been achieved in the 32 years of the ladies football association. O'Donnell believes it was important for her county to make a positive impact on the senior stage this year.

"The ball has started rolling for us and it has just kept snowballing, " O'Donnell said. "There is a great belief among us that we are as good as any team in the country.

Because we are in our first year on the senior stage, no one really knows us and we don't have the big names.

"We have 28 girls who would do anything for the county to bring back our first senior All Ireland title."

Armagh were the success story of 2005 having taken the junior title in impressive fashion. The Crossmaglen Rangers player believes that her side weren't a flash in the pan and it was three years of hard work which culminated in that All Ireland success.

"We had aimed for the junior title three years prior to winning it. We always knew we had the potential to do it but we actually got our act together and went about it in the right way.

"Winning the junior All Ireland was a big achievement for us last year but I think this year we got greedy. We enjoyed last year so much that we said we would do everything in our power to prolong this year."

Her Cork counterpart Juliet Murphy knows not to underestimate the Armagh challenge.

"Armagh are more than an upcoming side at this stage. I think they have proven at senior level that they are a serious force, " the fitness manager said.

"We're treating them with total respect on Sunday and we realise that we have to play beyond what we have played so far in the championship in order to surpass them."

The All Ireland junior final pairs Connacht rivals Sligo and Leitrim. Both sides have been starved of success with Sligo hoping to make it third time lucky having lost the previous two deciders while Leitrim are searching for a first title since 1988.

Leitrim captain Ann-Marie Cox has been ever present since 1986 and spoke of the hunger and commitment she has continued to give to her county in order to return to Croke Park once more.

"Ever since 1988, the drive and ambition was to get back to Croke Park again and be competing in an All Ireland final." Cox is joined by another survivor of that 1988 team in Maeve Quinn and is quick to highlight the dedication of her fellow veteran.

"Maeve won an All Star in 1988 and she is certainly playing up to that level still. She is a mother of two small children so her commitment to the team and her dedication is second to none."

ALL IRELAND LADIES JUNIOR FINAL LEITRIM v SLIGO Croke Park, 1.15 Live, TG4, 1.00 ALL IRELAND LADIES SENIOR FINAL ARMAGH v CORK Croke Park, 3.15 Live, TG4