Joe Kernan (left) hopes to be celebrating again on 28 September

Armagh manager Joe Kernan has predicted that the All-Ireland decider against Tyrone will be an "exciting final".

The Crossmaglen told the BBC that he couldn't believe the warnings emanating from some quarters that the all-Ulster final could prove to be a bad advertisement for gaelic football.

"When this final is over, people are going to be looking back and wondering what all the talk was about," insisted Kernan.

"The two best teams in Ireland are playing in this final and with the forwards that both teams have, I think there are going to be goals in this match. Everybody will enjoy it".

A week ahead of the final, Kernan's body language indicated a man who firmly believes that his players can carve themselves out as a truly great team by winning back-to-back titles.

Looking back to May, Kernan believes the opening shock defeat by Monaghan in the Ulster Championship may have benefited his team's ambition to reclaim the Sam Maguire.

"If we needed a reminder of what can happen, certainly that was it.

"Probably looking back to that day, it has helped us get where we are today.

In the second half against Dublin, we played better than I've ever seen an Armagh team play Joe Kernan

"We didn't perform on the day and we were missing a few leaders.

"It was going to happen some day and I'm glad that it happened on that day.

"Some people would have doubted that we would be back in an All-Ireland Final.

"We were lucky that we had a month to get over it and then we had a couple of easy enough matches in the qualifiers to get us back into the groove".

Kernan agrees that it was the epic qualifier victory over Dublin which convinced him that his players were greedy for more success this season.

"In the second half against Dublin, we played better than I've ever seen an Armagh team play and it told the management and the players that there was a lot more in this team.

"Good chance"

"Against Laois, it was a tough hard game and we were up against a big strong team who were going well under Mick O'Dwyer.

"In the semi-final against Donegal, for all our shooting problems, I thought we played well and stuck to the game plan.

"For sure, we will have to play better than any of our performances this year to beat Tyrone.

"You pick your team and you do look at the opposition and any strengths of weaknesses that they might have.

"But fundamentally, we have to go out and perform.

"We have to play to our strengths and if we do that, I think we'll be in with a good chance".