Stefan Campbell netting a goal for Armagh against Fermanagh in the Ulster SFC. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Ulster SFC Quarter-Final
Armagh 3-11 Fermanagh 0-9
By Gareth Cauldwell at Brewster Park
Armagh set up an Ulster Championship semi-final clash with neighbours Down following a comfortable win over Fermanagh in Brewster Park today.
Three first goals from Conor Turbitt, Jarly Óg Burns and Stefan Campbell were key for Kieran McGeeney’s charges as they took a commanding 11-point lead in at the interval, and they remained in firm control of the contest in the second half to run out 3-11 to 0-9 winners.
Armagh, with Rian O’Neill prominent at midfield in the early stages, hit the opening two scores through O’Neill and Andrew Murnin.
Fermanagh though had a glorious goal chance in the fifth minute when corner back Oisin Smyth got on the end of a pass from Ultan Kelm in front of the goal, but he was denied by a terrific goal line save by Armagh full back Aaron McKay.
The home side suffered a big blow in the 11th minute when they lost Kelm to a black card as referee Joe McQuillan adjudged him to have pulled down Murnin and Armagh took full advantage of the extra man as they twice swooped for goals in the black card period.
Excellent play by Rory Grugan saw him cut through the Erne defence before picking out Turbitt, who fired home in the 16th minute.
And two minutes later Armagh swooped for goal number two. Fermanagh were guilty of turning over the ball and the Orchard raced forward. Murnin saw his shot saved by Ross Bogue in the Fermanagh goal, but it spilled to Burns, who tapped home to make it 2-2 to no score.
Fermanagh opened their account in the 22nd minute through a Sean Cassidy free, but Armagh were able to push further clear as Ciaran Mackin and Burns registered points before they then struck for their third goal.
Again, the away side forced a turnover and Turbitt, Joe McElroy and Murnin combined before the ball was fed across the goal for Stefan Campbell to palm home.
Fermanagh did have a Fionan O’Brien point late in the half but at the break they found themselves 11-points adrift, 3-4 to 0-2.
Turbitt notched the first score of the second half from a free before Garvan Jones did likewise for Fermanagh.
Armagh continued to enjoy the better of things though and Ciaran Mackin landed his second point before Grugan converted a wonderful free from the right-hand side line. When Campbell tagged on a point it put 14 points between the sides, 3-8 to 0-3.
Fermanagh did hit six points over the last quarter with substitute Conor Love and O’Brien slotting over two points apiece while Ultan Kelm and Conor McShea also fired over.
Even at that stage though these were only consolation scores for Fermanagh and with substitutes Barry McCambridge and Oisin O’Neill on target for Armagh they ran out comprehensive 3-11 to 0-9 victors.
Scorers for Armagh: S Campbell 1-2, J Óg Burns 1-1, C Turbitt 1-1 (f), Ciaran Mackin 0-2, R O’Neill 0-1, R Grugan 0-1 (f), A Murnin 0-1, B McCambridge 0-1, O O’Neill 0-1.
Scorers for Fermanagh: F O’Brien 0-3, C Love 0-2 (1f), U Kelm 0-1, G Jones 0-1 (f), S Cassidy 0-1 (f), C McShea 0-1.
Armagh: B Hughes; P Burns, A McKay, P McGrane, J McElroy, Ciaran Mackin, A Forker; R O’Neill, B Crealey; S Campbell, R Grugan, C Turbitt; O Conaty, A Murnin, J Óg Burns
Subs: B McCambridge for McKay (45), O O’Neill for Og Burns (48), Connaire Mackin for Rian O’Neill (56), A Nugent for Murnin (56)T Kelly for Turbitt (63).
Fermanagh: R Bogue; L Cullen, C Cullen, O Smyth; D McCusker, S McGullion, C McManus; R McCaffrey, J McDade; C McGee, C McShea, F O’Brien; U Kelm, G Jones, S Cassidy
Subs: J Largo Elis for McManus (22), B Horan for McGee (48), C Love for Jones (48), J Cassidy for Smyth (60), D McGurn for McCusker (60).
Referee: J McQuillan (Cavan).