Armagh claim quarter-final place after titanic tussle with Galway

Armagh 0-16 Galway 1-12

Armagh secured a spot in the last eight of the race for Sam Maguire with a cracking win over Galway in Carrick-on-Shannon.

Kieran McGeeney’s side edged an incredible encounter, with one-point the difference between the teams in the end.

The game was level over ten times, but it was Armagh who got their noses ahead at the right time with a late Rory Grugan free.

A breakaway move saw Andrew Murnin up ended and Grugan stepped up to slot the posts and put Armagh in front.

Galway had one last chance to salvage a draw, but Shane Walsh’s swinging effort was well off the mark, although admittedly from a tight angle.

The Tribesmen held the initiative at half time, thanks to a goal from full back and captain Sean Kelly.

They could have had an earlier three-pointer, but Ethan Rafferty denied Walsh from the penalty spot.

Armagh rallied at the start of the second half and the game was level by the end of the third quarter, 0-12 to 1-9.

It was nip and tuck at the end before Grugan popped over his third score of the evening and the crucial match winner.

Armagh scorers: Rory Grugan 0-4 (3f), Conor Turbitt 0-4 (2f), Andrew Murnin 0-3 (1m), Aidan Forker 0-2, Stefan Campbell 0-2, Jason Duffy 0-1.

Galway scorers: Shane Walsh 0-5 (3f), Sean Kelly 1-1, Peter Cooke 0-2, Cillian McDaid 0-2, Matthew Tierney 0-2.