McKay goal sends Armagh to second title

All-Ireland SFC final
Armagh 1-11 Galway 0-12

By Michael McMullan

ARMAGH ended their 22-year wait to get their hands on Sam Maguire at Croke Park on Sunday.

Kieran McGeeney’s side edged out Galway to take their second title with Aaron McKay getting the all-important goal in the 47th minute.

The sides were level five times during the first half with Paul Conroy and Oisin Conaty exchanging early scores.

Galway – who hit four first-half wides – went 0-3 to 0-1 ahead with points from Liam Silke and Robert Finnerty.

The latter was replaced by Johnny Heaney with an injury before Armagh were back level with scores from Conaty and Ben Crealey.

The one sniff of goal came when Conaty’s overcooked pass nearly found Conor Turbitt one on one but it went over the end line.

Galway edged ahead three times in the second quarter with Aidan Forker, Barry McCambridge and Crealey helping tie the game at the break, 0-6 each.

Conroy and Conaty exchanged points before Shane Walsh edged Galway 0-10 to 0-9 after 45 minutes.

Then came the bench impact. Seconds after coming on, Stefan Campbell made a goal for Aaron McKay, palming to an empty net after ‘Soupy’ ran along the end line in the 47th minute.

Armagh pushed three points clear with an Oisin O’Neill point in the 66th minute, 1-11 to 0-11.

Céin D’Arcy and Cillian McDaid hit points for a wasteful Galway in the final finale.

Dylan McHugh did have a chance to level the game late only for his shot to come down odd the post.

Niall Grimley hit the post with a chance to land the insurance point but Armagh were never going to take their hands off Sam.

Armagh: Blaine Hughes; Paddy Burns, Aaron McKay (1-0), Barry McCambridge (0-1); Connaire Mackin, Tiernan Kelly (0-1), Aidan Forker (0-1); Niall Grimley (0-1), Ben Crealey (0-2); Joe McElroy, Rian O’Neill (0-1), Oisin Conaty (0-3); Rory Grugan, Andrew Murnin, Conor Turbitt
Subs: Stefan Campbell for Turbitt (45), Ross McQuillan for Kelly (45), Oisin O’Neill (0-1) for Grugan (INJ 50), Jarly Óg Burns for Mackin (60), Jason Duffy for Forker (75)

Galway: Connor Gleeson; Johnny McGrath, Seán Fitzgerald, Jack Glynn; Dylan McHugh, Liam Silke, Seán Ó Maoilchiaráin; Paul Conroy (0-3), Céin D‘Arcy (0-3); Matthew Tierney, John Maher (0-1), Cillian McDaid (0-2); Rob Finnerty (0-1f), Damien Comer, Shane Walsh (0-2, 1f)
Subs: Johnny Heaney for Finnerty (INJ 11), Seán Kelly for Glynn (45), Tomo Culhane for Comer (66), Daniel O’Flaherty for Tierney (66), Kieran Molloy for Heaney (76),

Referee: Sean Hurson (Tyrone)