Armagh survive Down scare to reach Ulster final

Armagh survived a major scare from Down to advance to the Ulster Championship final for the second year in a row winning by 0-13 to 2-6 at Clones.

Jason Duffy kicked the winner for Armagh in the third minute of stoppage time with Down missing a difficult late free to take the game to extra-time.

The sides were level at 1-2 to 0-5 after a bad-tempered first half with Ceilum Doherty goaling for Down.

Ryan Magill's 47th minute goal had Down sensing an upset, but Armagh's bench saved the day with the last three scores.

After Oisin O'Neill's free, Aidan Nugent nailed an equaliser with three minutes to go and Duffy stepped up to land the crucial winner in the 73rd minute.

Armagh will play either Donegal or Tyrone in the Ulster Final on May 12 at Clones.

With back-to-back champions Derry already out, this was a big chance for Armagh, who only lost last year’s Ulster Final on penalties, to lay down a marker but they almost fluffed their lines.

None of their starting forwards scored from play and a number of key players were subdued and off form.

Aidan Forker and Rian O’Neill showed good leadership when the team was rocking and the subs who came on dragged Armagh over the line.

Despite an unconvincing display they will be pleased to have shown the character to grind out the win.

Some Down players collapsed to the ground after the final whistle having come so close to pulling off a huge shock.

A place in the All-Ireland series would have been another significant reward for reaching the Ulster Final but it slipped through their grasp in the final minutes.

The Mournemen, beaten Division Three finalists, were poor against Antrim in the first round but this was a much-improved performance.

They were not expected to land any significant blows on Armagh, the Division Two finalists, but they played with a purpose and almost rose to new heights.

Armagh will feel relieved to have escaped with a victory on a day when they underwhelmed and they will have lots of work to do in the next two weeks before returning to St Tiernach’s Park for the provincial decider.

An uneventful start to the game, with both sides going long periods without a score, was more memorable for the chaotic moments in which Mayo referee Liam Devenney was a central character.

He drew the ire of Armagh manager Kieran McGeeney in particular, who hurled his programme on the ground after Down were awarded a free out when Armagh were hunting for a goal.

Both managers remonstrated with the referee after the half time whistle and Armagh selector Kieran Donaghy followed the official part of the way across the pitch before the temperature gauge inside St Tiernach’s Park at Clones came back down a few notches.

Ryan Magill landed the opening point for Down in the third minute but they didn’t score again for 29 minutes through Pat Havern’s free – in what was the full forward’s fourth attempt.

He dropped one free short and hit two wides in the first half, the last of which was an easy effort from 25 yards in front of the posts.

In between Down scores. Armagh hit three in a row. It took them a full 12 minutes to register their first score of the game with a monster Rian O’Neill free.

O’Neill then landed a lovely individual score, pulling off a solo dummy and outfoxing two defenders to nudge Armagh in front before Aidan Forker leaned back and stroked one over to put Armagh 0-3 to 0-1 ahead after 25 minutes.

After an ill-tempered spat which niggled on for a few moments, the upshot was a yellow card for Andrew Murnin.

Down then broke up the field through Pierce Laverty and the ball was slipped to Ceilum Doherty whose near-post shot was half blocked by Blaine Hughes yet still trickled into the net.

It was a huge score in a tight game and put Down 1-2 to 0-3 ahead in the 34th minute.

Armagh finished the half strongly with a Rory Grugan free and a second point from play from Aidan Forker, who showed great leadership to ride the challenges and draw the Orchard men level at 0-5 to 1-2 on the stroke of half time.

Armagh had a bit more intent about them in the early moments of the second half with Rian O’Neill landing an inspirational point from play.

But they lacked direction again and when Ryan Magill plundered a second Down goal, after Havern’s initial shot was blocked, it was game on.

Ryan Johnston’s point had them leading 2-5 to 0-9 after 51 minutes and Armagh looked in real trouble but Down only managed one more score for the remainder of the game with Kieran McGeeney’s side hitting four of the last five points in the final quarter.

It was the subs O’Neill, Nugent and Duffy who came up trumps and showed the leadership and fortitude to save the day for Armagh.

Armagh: B Hughes; P Burns, A McKay, P McGrane; J McElroy, Ciaran Mackin, A Forker (0-2); R O’Neill (0-3, 1f), B Crealey; S Campbell, R Grugan (0-5, 5f), O Conaty; C Turbitt, A Murnin, J Og Burns

Subs: J Duffy (0-1) for Crealey (49), O O’Neill (0-1, f) for J Og Burns (53), D McMullan for Campbell (59), A Nugent (0-1) for Conaty (63)

Down: J O’Hare; P Fegan, R McEvoy, C Doherty (1-0); M Rooney, P Laverty, S Johnston; J Flynn, O Murdock; D Guinness (0-1), R Magill (1-1), R Johnston (0-1); F McElroy, P Havern (0-2, 2f), J Guinness

Subs: L Kerr for J Guinness (HT), D Magill (0-1) for Flynn (41), B O’Hagan for Rooney (52), O Savage for Havern (59), S Annett for O’Hagan (64)

Referee: Liam Devenney (Mayo)