All-Ireland SFC Round 1: Armagh overpower Derry
Jason Duffy of Armagh in action against Conor Glass of Derry during the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Round 1 match between Armagh and Derry at BOX-IT Athletic Grounds in Armagh. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile.
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Round 1
Armagh 1-18 Derry 1-13
By Steve Malone
Armagh are one game away from an All-Ireland quarter-final after a confident five-point win over disappointing Derry.
The Oak Leafers squandered too many chances, 17 in all, in front of the posts, whereas Armagh having run riot in the opening 17, were content to manage the game out.
Armagh led by six points at the break and while Derry cut that lead to three, during which time the Orchard were down to 14 men, following Jason Duffy’s black card, they failed to really get into a position to wrestle control of the contest or snatch victory.
Kieran McGeeney’s men came flying out of the traps, perhaps the shackles were off after that big Ulster win, but certainly there was no signs of a hangover.
Conor Turbitt’s two-pointer, a brace from the lively Tomas McCormack and another from Jason Duffy put Armagh 0-05 to 0-01 ahead with a frenetic and exciting 11 minutes played. Darragh McMullan stretched Armagh’s lead and they looked in a good place when all of a sudden Derry we back in the contest.
Lachlan Murray pounced on Blaine Hughes short-kick-out and made no mistake from close-range. Niall Toner tagged on a score to make it a one-point game but a minute later Tiernan Kelly had the perfect answer. He was fouled but given advantage and let fly with a stunning shot that flew into Shea McCluskey’s top corner.
Both sides racked up their wides tally but Oisin Conaty’s two-pointer was a kick of beauty and Jarly Óg Burns wrapped up Armagh’s scoring for the half on 21 minutes.
Scoring dried up somewhat as Armagh led by six at the break and, while Derry did cut Armagh’s led, they failed to mount a serious challenge.
Murray, Shane McGuigan and Conor and Ethan Doherty landed scores for Derry but they missed more than they scored, while Armagh’s Joe McElroy, Oisin Conaty, Duffy, Hughes (two-pointer) and substitute Oisin O’Neill tapped over with Derry not offering a serious threat.
It was a strange game in the sense that the pace opened at full-tilt but it eased off after 20-minutes. Derry have one more game to keep their season alive while Armagh will have two more bites at least.
SCORERS for Armagh: C Turbitt 0-4 (2p); O Conaty 0-3 (2p); T Kelly 1-0; T McCormack, J Duffy, B Hughes (2pf) 0-2 each; D McMullen, J Og Burns, A Murnin, J McElroy, O O’Neill (f) 0-1 each.
Scorers for Derry: L Murray 1-2; C Doherty 0-3; P Cassidy (2p), E Doherty (2p) 0-2 each; C Glass, N Loughlin, S McGuigan, S Young 0-1 each.
ARMAGH: Blaine Hughes; Peter Grane, Aaron McKay, Gareth Murphy, Joe McElroy, Tiernan Kelly, Greg McCabe, Jarly Og Burns, Andrew Murnin, Cian McConville, Darragh McMullan, Tomas McCormack, Conor Turbitt, Jason Duffy, Oisin Conaty. Subs: Ross McQuillan for McCabe (53’), Oisin O'Neill for Duffy (59’), Rory Grugan for Murnin (67’)
DERRY: Shea Guckin; Diarmuid Baker, Ruairi Forbes, Conor McCluskey; Conor Doherty, Gareth McKinless, Padraig McGrogan; Eoin McEvoy, Brendan Rogers; Ethan Doherty, Conor Glass; Niall Toner, Niall Loughlin, Shane McGuigan, Lachlan Murray. Subs: Paul Cassidy for Downey (42’), Dan Higgins for Toner (48’), James Sargant for Forbes (54’), Sean Young (0-01) for Lachlan Murray (56’).
Referee: Martin McNally (Monaghan).
