Armagh edge out rivals Tyrone after extra time

By Shaun Casey

Armagh 1-17 Tyrone 1-16

IN a typically tight and tense Ulster Championship clash, Armagh edged out their Red Hand rivals after extra time to book their place in the quarter-finals, where they will face Fermanagh.

Ben McDonnell’s late goal in normal time ensured an extra 20 minutes of play, but it was Armagh’s impressive bench that eventually squeezed Kieran McGeeney’s men across the line.

Oisin O’Neill not only finished as their top scorer on the day, kicking 0-6, but he also set up Tomas McCormack’s extra time goal while Conor Turbitt nailed 0-2, including the winning score.

For Malachy O’Rourke’s men, Conn Kilpatrick and Michael McKernan were simply outstanding and didn’t deserve to finish on the losing side. Mattie Donnelly made a great impact too, coming in early on for the injured Darragh Canavan.

Armagh were 8-4 ahead at half time, with Darragh McMullan running the show inside the first 30 minutes, but Tyrone fought back after the turnaround.

Four on the bounce late on from O’Neill looked to have sealed the deal for the Orchard County, but again Tyrone were impossible to shake off, and McDonnell fired home a major to bring extra time.

McMullan picked up a red card before the final whistle, so Armagh started extra time with 14 men but they burst out of the traps with a Ross McQuillan score before McCormack found the net.

Again Tyrone replied with a brace of two-pointers from Kilpatrick and McKernan before Turbitt nudged Armagh in front. Niall Morgan had the chance to bring the game to penalties, but his free dragged wide of the post, and Armagh survived.

Armagh: Blaine Hughes 0-1 (1f), Peter McGrane, Aaron McKay, Callum O’Neill 0-3 (2f), Ross McQuillan 0-2, Gareth Murphy, Jarly Og Burns, Tiernan Kelly, Ben Crealey, Greg McCabe, Darragh McMullan 0-1, Tomas McCormack 1-1, Cian McConville 0-1, Jason Duffy, Oisin Conaty. Subs: Conor Turbitt 0-2 for T. McCormack, Oisin O’Neill 0-6 (1tpf, 3f) for C. McConville, Joe McElory for R. McQuillan, Rory Grugan for J. Burns (blood sub), Rory Grugan for C. O’Neill. ET Subs: Paddy Burns for R. Grugan, Tomas McCormack for J. Duffy, Ross McQuillan for B. Crealey, Cian McConville for J. McElroy, Joe McElroy for O. Conaty, Jason Duffy for G. McCabe.

Tyrone: Niall Morgan, Cormac Quinn, Peter Teague 0-1, Niall Devlin, Ciaran Daly 0-1, Joey Clarke, Michael McKernan 0-3 (1tp), Brian Kennedy, Conn Kilpatrick 0-4 (1tp), Seanie O’Donnell 0-1, Ronan Cassidy, Ben McDonnell 1-0, Darren McCurry, Ethan Jordan 0-2 (1f), Darragh Canavan. Subs: Mattie Donnelly 0-3 for D. Canavan, Kieran McGeary for B. Kennedy, Eoin McElholm 0-1 for D. McCurry, Lorcan McGarrity for E. Jordan, Ciaran Bogue for R. Cassidy. ET Subs: Aodhan Donaghy for C. Daly, Ben Cullen for K. McGeary, Aidan Clarke for C. Quinn.