All-Ireland SFC: Louth net late goal to defeat Armagh
Darragh McMullan, Armagh, and Donal McKenny, Louth, in All-Ireland SFC action. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
All-Ireland SFC Round 2A
Louth 2-20 Armagh 2-19
By Dan Bannon at Páirc Grattan, Inniskeen
The first championship meeting between Louth and Armagh will be remembered for a long time for contrasting reasons, in both counties.
Sam Mulroy the hero once more for the Wee county.
With a last ditch effort of a two pointer, from the edge of the arc, to win the game, the shot ended up in the back of the Armagh net.
The last and only time Gavin Devlin's side reached the quarter finals was on the very same pitch in Inniskeen against Cork in 2024.
For Armagh, bright starts in both halves were not built upon and they will be in action again next weekend.
The opening goal of the game came dramatically at that same end and it was Armagh cornerback Gareth Murphy who landed his first championship green flag.
Local neighbours Louth would not go away and by piling the pressure, Devlin's team found their avenue.
Aerially, they had a handle on Rafferty's arrow, to be fair to the Grange man he was a late call up for Blaine Hughes. Louth’s Ciaran Downey and James Maguire profited handsomely with the possession to grab three first half points a piece.
Louth led by two at the break, and deservedly so. Armagh made Louth wait at the break and Oisin Conaty soon levelled after Craig Lennon’s point from the throw in.
Pouncing on a turnover Conaty finished at the second time of asking and it looked to be the key moment in the game. Oisin O’Neill added to a margin, but dogged Louth responded.
Lennon somehow kept possession, for it to fall in the path of Dara McDonnell, the centre back took the lifeline.
Yet, Ross McQuillan, son of former Louth coach Martin, and a two pointer from Jarly Og Burns had Armagh ahead.
The Ulster champions would whittle away the seconds, but when Louth found themselves with a shot at glory, Mulroy took it.
Scorers for Louth: Sam Mulroy 1-4 (1 2ptf), Dara McDonnell 1-3, Ciaran Downey 0-4, James Maguire 0-3, Craig Lennon 0-3, Conor Early 0-1 Ryan Burns 0-1 Conor Grimes 0-1.
Scorers for Armagh: Ross McQuillan 0-4, Oisin Conaty 1-1, Cian McConville 0-3 (1f), Gareth Murphy 1-0, Ethan Rafferty 0-2 (1tpf) Gareth Murphy 1-0, Jarly Og Burns 0-3 (1tp), Jason Duffy 0-2, Conor Turbitt 0-2 (1f), Oisin O’Neill 0-1, Darragh McMullan 0-1.
Louth: Niall McDonnell; Emmett Carolan, Donal McKenny, Daire Nally; Conall McKeever, Dara McDonnell, Craig Lennon; Sean Callaghan, Paul Mathews, James Maguire, Sam Mulroy, Conor Grimes; Kieran McArdle, Ciaran Downey, Ryan Burns.
Subs: Ciaran Byrne for Grimes (50), Tommy Durnin for Mathews (50), Tadhg McDonnell for McKeever (52), Conor Early for Callaghan (58), Conall McCaul for Burns (66).
Armagh: Ethan Rafferty; Peter McGrane, Aaron McKay, Gareth Murphy; Ross McQuillan, Joe McElroy, Jason Duffy; Jarly Og Burns,, Tiernan Kelly; Greg McCabe, Darragh McMullan, Tomas McCormack; Oisin Conaty, Conor Turbitt, Cian McConville.
Subs: Oisin O’Neill for McCabe (blood 30-41), O’Neill for Kelly (41), Daniel Magee for McCormack (59), Rory Grugan for McQuillan (64), Aidan Forker for McConville (67).
Referee: Conor Lane (Cork).
