PREVIEW: It’s up for grabs as Armagh and Donegal lock horns again

Ulster SFC final
Armagh v Donegal
Saturday, Clones, 5.25pm

By Michael McMullan

IF we get half of the drama of last year’s final, Clones will be rocking on Saturday evening as two heavyweights slug it out once again.

The margins were small. When Jemar Hall decided to drop off Odhrán Doherty to defend the middle, there was the smallest patch of green grass and a sight of the posts.

The patch got bigger. Doherty sliced towards the Roslea Road end. A spinner to take a blockbuster to penalties.

Armagh’s had to take their hands off the Anglo Celt Cup. If Doherty was forced to recycle the leather, the clock might have beaten Donegal.

Five crisp penalties, each to the net. Sudden death and Aaron Doherty nailed his second kick before Shane McPartlan was denied by Shaun Patton.

Elation and dejection there for all to see. The sight of the Armagh players battling through the hordes of Donegal fans towards the dressing room tunnel told a lot. The looks on their faces said the rest.

The outstretched Donegal hands offered some comfort. A show of respect. There wasn’t anything words would heal.

In the days that followed, Armagh reached for the reset button before stepping on another roller-coaster, all the way to the steps of the Hogan Stand and Sam.

“They have a cup we want and we have a cup they want,” Aaron McKay said at last week’s launch for the final. The men in orange hope they have both by Saturday evening.

Whatever happens, last Wednesday’s All-Ireland draw has brushed an unwanted layer of tomorrow over Saturday’s eagerly awaited rematch.

It’s only a thin layer. Saturday matters. Donegal have lost just one Ulster game under the watch of Jim McGuinness. They totally value it. McKay agreed there is unfinished Armagh business.

Then you have the fans. If the sun comes out, Clones will be a championship picture postcard.

From a long way off, there was a feeling Donegal would navigate their path and it would be Tyrone and Armagh wrestling to see who would join them.

After total control, Armagh were reeled in by Tyrone’s second wind and their two pointers. With Dáire Ó Baoill and his nine so far this season, Kieran McGeeney will have a tweaked approach to their shuffled defence.

It has worked a treat so far, but whoever is tasked with tracking the Gaoth Dobhair man will be handed a warning. Every minute. Every inch.

They might even watch the footage of Odhrán Doherty’s aforementioned equaliser for a reminder to keep all the doors closed.

Armagh must take so much from how they saw out the Tyrone game. They were helped by Niall Morgan’s shanked kick-out at the end, but hitting the last three scores of any game is important. Against a Tyrone team with victory within reach, it was colossal.

Then you have Ross McQuillan’s tackle on Darragh Canavan. An inches moment. One step out of position and he doesn’t quite make it.

One overzealous swing of the arm and it’s a scorable free. A two-point margin. Lights out. Instead, Stefan Campbell’s wand levels the game.

Small moments, but absolutely massive. Even more significant when there are more 2024 starting All-Ireland finalists looking over the white line that are actually inside it. Strength in depth that is more than words.

Donegal will have had their microscope out too. Ethan Rafferty’s kick-outs and Armagh’s use of every inch of the St Tiernach’s Park’s width.

It could be a day for Donegal to spread their biggest toys across the mat. Michael Langan. Jason McGee. Michael Murphy, if he starts. Hugh McFadden. Ciarán Thompson.

They might let Rafferty see five giants in a row, between the nostrils of Gerry Arthurs and Pat McGrane. Go ahead, where is the green grass you had against Tyrone?

They have Caolan McGonagle as the bouncer on the back door if Rafferty finds the pitch to land a missile over the yellow wall. The fence around the pitch in Convoy will be useful this week.

Both teams have made it their business to defend the arc. Sit deep. Shuffle left, shuffle right. A look at the Donegal u-20s and it’s a similar trend. Amagh minors and u-20s the same. That’s the baseline.

Down showed a template of how not to give Donegal what they want – the ball coming into their yellow pressure cooker.

Once they snuff you out, they have transitional pace that really hurts. Mogan. Conor O’Donnell. Shane O’Donnell. Moore. McHugh. Ó Baoill’s vision. Down didn’t offer them much ball on a plate.

That’s why Ross McQuillan has gone from impact man to regular. Their gameplan demands pace too. They’ve Greg McCabe in the heart. Like McGonagle for Donegal.

Where there is space, he shuts it down. Had he been on the pitch in extra-time last year, when Odhrán Doherty picked up that vital possession, he’d have been the first man to push Doherty’s recycle button. That’s how little there was between the teams.

It’s hard to imagine anything else but Armagh and Donegal fans praying for a miracle, for the next ball, the next inch as Saturday’s final heads towards hooter time.

Donegal or Armagh? If you still have it, keep your Holy Communion money in your pocket. This is the toss of a coin. Was it going to be anything different?

LAST MEETING
2025 – NFL Donegal 0-21 Armagh 1-10
THIS game will go down as the day Michael Murphy made his return to kick three points as Donegal maintained their impressive record in Ballybofey.

Darragh McMullen hit an early goal as Armagh were out of the blocks early but the introduction of Murphy and Dáire Ó Baoill made a difference at half-time.

Andrew Murnin lamped over a two pointer to shave the margin back in the second half before Murphy came on to turn the heat up on the game.

When he was coming on the pitch, Aidan Forker was red carded for an altercation with Murphy and the home side made their extra man count in a comfortable win.

Donegal: S Patton; F Roarty, B McCole, P Mogan (0-1); R McHugh (0-2), EB Gallagher, M Curran; C McGonagle, C Thompson (0-2); S O’Donnell, C O’Donnell (0-2), C Moore; P McBrearty (0-6, 1f), Oisin Gallen (0-2, 1f), J Brennan (0-2)

Subs: D Ó Baoill for Roarty, Murphy (0-3, 1f) for Brennan, N O’Donnell for Gallen, E McHugh for S O’Donnell, O Doherty (0-1) for C O’Donnell

Armagh: E Rafferty (0-3, 1 tp, 1 45), T McCormack, B McCambridge, A Forker; G Murphy, G McCabe, R McQuillan; B Crealey (0-2 tp), N Grimley; J Duffy (0-1), D McMullen (1-1), J Hall; C Turbitt, A Murnin (0-2 tp), O Conaty

Subs: S Campbell for Hall, J Burns for Murphy, C McConville (0-1) for McQuillan, Callum O’Neill for Turbitt

LAST FIVE MEETINGS
2025 – NFL Donegal 0-21 Armagh 1-10
2024 – NFL Donegal 0-15 Armagh 0-14
2024 – NFL Armagh 1-9 Donegal 0-12
2024 – McKenna Cup Donegal 3-16 Armagh 1-6
2023 – NFL Armagh 0-13 Donegal 0-10

SEASON SO FAR

ARMAGH

NFL
Galway 1-12 Armagh 0-9
Armagh 1-23 Tyrone 0-18
Donegal 0-21 Armagh 1-10
Armagh 1-17 Mayo 1-17
Armagh 1-20 Dublin 1-12
Kerry 2-21 Armagh 0-17
Armagh 4-24 Derry 1-18

Ulster SFC
Antrim 1-23 Armagh 1-34
Armagh 0-23 Tyrone 0-22

DONEGAL

NFL
Donegal 0-20 Dublin 0-16
Kerry 1-18 Donegal 0-23
Donegal 0-21 Armagh 1-10
Galway 0-21 Donegal 0-14
Donegal 1-22 Derry 1-19
Donegal 0-19 Tyrone 0-25
Mayo 1-18 Donegal 1-16

ULSTER SFC
Donegal 1-25 Derry 1-15
Donegal 0-23 Monaghan 0-21
Donegal 1-19 Down 0-16

TOP SCORERS

ARMAGH
Rory Grugan 0-33 (17f, 1tpf)
Conor Turbitt 1-21 (8f, 1 sideline)
Ethan Rafferty 0-19 (4 tp, 2 tpf, 1f, 1 45)

DONEGAL
Dáire Ó Baoill 1-28 (9 tp)
Patrick McBrearty 1-24 (8f, 2 tpf)
Ciarán Thompson 0-20 (2 tp, 2f, 1 tpf)

Check this week’s preview show as former county stars Charlie Vernon and Rory Kavanagh look ahead to Saturday’s Ulster final showdown in Clones.