Ulster SFC Final: Armagh win first provincial title since 2008

Ulster Senior Football Championship Final

Armagh 2-28 Monaghan 0-25

After extra-time

By Steve Malone at St Tiernach's Park, Clones

Armagh ended an 18-year wait to win the Ulster title.

A Jack McCarron inspired Monaghan came storming back from being seven points down to force the game into extra-time, but that’s a position that has become second nature to this Orchard men and they came into their own to completely put the Farney men to the sword.

Armagh’s fitness and depth of squad came to the fore as they outscored Monaghan 1-7 to 0-1 over the 20 minutes of extra-time to secure the coveted crown.

There was less than a kick of a ball between the teams at the break in an action-packed first half.

It was a thrilling contest with some stunning scores, super saves and wonderful turnovers as well as a decent share of missed chances.

Monaghan made late changes to the team announced during the week with big Bobby McCaul coming in for Cameron Dowd, while young Oisin McGorman got the nod ahead of Darragh McElearney at corner back and David Garland replaced Stephen Mooney.

Played in St Tiarnach’s Pairc in Clones, the decibels rose with every score, block and indeed wide in what was a closely contested battle between the neighbours.

Armagh’s Oisin Conaty finished the first half with five points from play.

At the other end, Michael Bannigan and Stephen O’Hanlon had Armagh back peddling on occasions as this was a game with no clear cut winner after the first 35 minutes.

The game was a minute old when Conor McCarthy stroked over and Andrew Woods set the tone when he landed a two-pointer less than 60-seconds later.

Micheal McCarville bagged Monaghan’s fourth point with five minutes gone and while Oisin Conaty had opened Armagh’s account it was the Farney men that were making early hay. McCarthy again and the lively McGorman stretched their lead, but then Armagh made short work of reeling them in.

Cian McConville steered over his 40-metre free and as the heaven’s opened, Conaty snatched his second point, Andrew Murnin nabbed his first and then Jarly Óg Burns pulled the trigger for a two-pointer before adding a single point. So, before you could even blink, Murnin was on target again and Armagh led by three.

Michael Banigan and O’Hanlon traded scores with the livewire Conaty before Beggan’s 40-metre free levelled the score on 11-points each with 31 minutes played. There was still time for more and Conor Turbitt would have bagged a goal but his low-daisy-cutter shot clipped the post and somehow stayed out.

At half-time Armagh led 0-13 to 0-11.

Armagh returned to pitch like a juggernaut and scored 1-3 in the opening nine minutes of the restart. Turbitt, who still had his eye on a goal, chipped over a free and his deflected effort for the net went over two.

The Orchard men were winning the breaking ball, moving swiftly with quick hands and even faster feet and Jason Duffy extended Armagh’s and then on 43 minutes Tiernan Kelly lashed into the Monaghan net.

Armagh led 1-16 to 0-12, but Monaghan responded with Banigan, McGorman and McCarthy finding the target but the Orchard lads weren’t finished as Darragh McMullan tagged on a point after he was denied a goal by Beggan to lead by seven.

The Orchard looked to be shifting through the gears, but instead Monaghan became the spokes in their wheels with an almighty comeback.

As they did against Derry, Monaghan found a way back, thanks to the introduction of Jack McCarron and he sprung from the bench to kick a beauty of two-pointer and he was on target again and with 60-minutes played the sides were level following O’Hanlon’s magnificent two-pointer.

This was tense, absorbing and exhilarating and the scores went tit-for-tat with Oisin O’Neill and O’Hanlon trading points before Ross McQuillan’s fisted point edged Armagh ahead and subsequently McCarthy levelled once more.

Armagh had possession as the clock displayed 68 minutes and then 69 minutes and they had the right man Conor Turbitt on the ball to grab the late winner, but he slipped and the chance was gone, for the game to go into extra-time, Armagh 1-21 Monaghan 0-24.

Stephen O’Hanlon and McConville (free) traded scores but Oisin O’Neill’s goal on 76 minutes put a bit of distance between the sides and Turbitt and Rory Grugan (free) were on target to give Armagh a 2-24 to 0-25 lead at the break.

Armagh kept their foot on the pedal as Grugan and Conaty posted points. Ultimately, the day belonged to Armagh after another titanic Ulster Final battle.

Armagh: Blaine Hughes; Peter McGrane, Aaron McKay, Paddy Burns; Greg McCabe, Tiernan Kelly (1-0), Jarly Óg Burns (0-3, 1 2pt); Joe McElroy (0-2), Jason Duffy (0-2); Darragh McMullen (0-1), Conor Turbitt (0-5, 2f), Tomás McCormack; Cian McConville (0-2f), Andrew Murnin (0-2), Oisin Conaty (0-6).

Subs: Oisin O’Neill for Burns (Blood sub 22, reversed 31), Gareth Murphy for P Burns (HT), Ross McQuillan (0-2) for Duffy (56), Oisin O’Neill (1-1) for McConville (59), Rory Grugan (0-2, 1f) for McElroy (66), Daniel Magee for Kelly (FT), Cian McConville for McMullen (FT), Jason Duffy for Murnin (FT), Darragh McMullen for McConville (80), Barry McCambridge for McCormack (88), Aidan Forker for Turbitt (89).

Monaghan: Rory Beggan (0-2tpf); Oisin McGorman (0-2), Ryan O’Toole (0-1), Dylan Byrne; Killian Lavelle, Dessie Ward, Aaron Carey (0-1); Michéal McCarville (0-1), Karl Gallagher (0-2tp); Conor McCarthy (0-4), Mícheál Bannigan (0-2, 1f), Stephen O’Hanlon (0-6, 1tp); Bobby McCaul, Andrew Woods (0-2tp), David Garland (0-1),

Subs: Darragh McElearney for Ward (HT), Jack McCarron (0-3, 1tp) for Garland (45), Ryan McAnespie for McGorman (45), Stephen Mooney for McCaul (51), Max Maguire for Lavelle (76), Robbie Hanratty for Woods (HT ET), Gary Mohan for Gallagher (74).

Referee: Paddy Neilan (Roscommon).