All-Ireland SFC

Armagh 1-18 Derry 1-13

By Michael McMullan

ULSTER champions Armagh began their Al-Ireland campaign with victory over Derry on Saturday night in the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds.

They led by six at half-time with Derry pulling it back to three points when Armagh were down a man after Jason Duffy’s black card.

Conor Doherty’s third point after 53 minutes gave Derry the chance to flick the game but Joe McElroy and Oisin Conaty hit back.

That was enough to pour water on any Derry comeback hopes.

Paul Cassidy and Ethan Doherty hit two pointers but Armagh used their experience to see out the game.

Derry hit the front with a Conor Glass point but a electrifying Armagh were dangerous on the break all the way through the half.

Turbitt kicked a two pointer as Kieran McGeeney’s side took full control of the game.

Two Tomás McCormick points widened the gap before Jason Duffy made it 0-5 to 0-1.

Armagh added a sixth from Darragh McMullen before Derry were given a passage back into the game.

A short Hughes kick-out to Murphy was intercepted by Murray who raced through to score as easy goal and there was just a point in it.

Derry’s bright moment was short-lived when Tiernan Kelly placed a cracking shot to the top corner.

Derry were wasteful at one end with Conaty (two-pointer) and Jarly Óg Burns putting Armagh on their way to a 1=9 to 1-3 interval lead

Lachlan Murray aggravated a first half dead leg when he kicked Derry’s first score of the second half.

Cian McConville, Armagh’s link man all day, made a score for Turbitt and there was six in it again.

McGuigan and Conor Doherty (2) kicked points but Armagh were always able to have a response with Oisin O’Neill becoming Armagh’s 11^th scorer on the day.

Both teams go into Tuesday draws for Rounds 2A and 2B if the race fore Sam.

Scorers:

Derry: Lachlann Murray 1-2, Conor Doherty 0-3, Ethan Doherty, Paul Cassidy 0-2tp each, Conor Glass, Niall Loughlin, Shane McGiugan and Sean Young 0-1 each

Armagh: Conor Turbitt 0-4 (1tp), Oisin Conaty 0-3 (1tp), Tiernan Kelly 1-0, Blaine Hughes (tpf), Jason Duffy, Tomás McCormack 0-2 each, Andrew Murnin, Jarly Óg Burns, Darragh McMullen, Oisin O’Neill (f) and Joe McElroy 0-1 each

Derry: Shea McGuckin; Shea Downey, Ruairí Forbes, Conor McCluskey; Conor Doherty Gareth McKinless Paudi McGrogan Eoin McEvoy, Brendan Rogers; Ethan Doherty, Conor Glass, Niall Toner; Niall Loughlin, Shane McGuigan, Lachlan Murray

Subs: Paul Cassidy for Downey (43), Dan Higgins for Toner (50), James Sargent for Forbes (57), Sean Young for Murray (56)

Armagh: Blaine Hughes; Peter McGrane, Aaron McKay, Gareth Murphy; Joe McElroy, Tiernan Kelly, Greg McCabe; Jarly Óg Burns, Andrew Murnin; Cian McConville, Darragh McMullen, Tomás McCormack; Conor Turbitt, Jason Duffy, Oisin Conaty

Subs: Ross McQuillan for McCabe (56), Oisin O’Neill for Duffy (60), Rory Grugan for Murnin (67)

Referee: Martin McNally (Monaghan)