Burns' night at the Athletic Grounds as Armagh stave off Donegal challenge

When Armagh dumped Donegal out of the All-Ireland qualifiers last June it might’ve been an indication of two sides going in different directions.

Armagh 0-13 Donegal 0-10

Armagh, in the end, lamented their penalty shootout loss to Galway well into autumn while Donegal tried to get their house in order for even longer.

Tables, though, don’t tell fibs and both went under the lights at the Athletic Grounds on a crisp Saturday night billing on three points from four outings - a fork in the road. As it was leaving last summer, Armagh’s supporters were the ones leaving with talk of possibility.

Having seen a four-point lead whittle down to one after the interval and then the same late on, Armagh might’ve wobbled but when the game was there to be won it was they who went on and won it.

Without Michael Murphy - a mainstay of almost two decades - and his successor Patrick McBrearty, who was hamstrung with two matches, Donegal’s eagerness is there whilst their economy is not.

A succession of potshots hampered their first half and although Armagh weren't blameless on the accuracy front, they went in with a 0-7 to 0-3 lead before the crowd rose having been introduced to a familiar face Jarlath Burns, Uachtarán Tofa.

Conor O’Donnell scored the visitors’ only point from play, while Armagh managed only three, the last of which came from Andrew Murnin’s punch late in the half which put a deserved bit of daylight in it. Aidan Forker had shown the way with a stylish point beforehand, as had Stefan Campbell when cutting in. Ethan Rafferty, the Armagh goalkeeper, could’ve picked up a nixer as a tour guide he was seeing that much of the park.

With Derry’s reputation continuing to swell, Donegal and Tyrone slipping and Monaghan doing a Monaghan, Armagh know there is an inkling of opportunity this term.

Hugh McFadden was put inside for Donegal in the second half and it gave some sort of fulcrum in attack. Shaun Patton’s pierced free-kick and another point from McFadden meant it was 0-8 to 0-7 for the hosts on 50 minutes.

With Donegal pressing on and a shriek of nervous energy cutting through the air, the atmosphere was lifting in tandem with the excitement. Murnin, as in the first half, powerfully met a ball that was dropping short to punch over to edge Armagh two in front.

Donegal’s third quarter was being undone by then, giving awad cheap possession as Armagh revelled on the turnovers, with the crowd purring each time they went up the field. Rory Grugan, just on, and Rian O’Neill’s fourth free meant the four-point lead had been restored, at 0-11 to 0-7.

However, just as the stewards were called to their end of match positions, Donegal chalked up three points, with Ciaran Thompson, Jamie Brennan and Jason McGee all scoring to take it down to one, with injury time of four minutes signalled. All this came after a Ross McQuillan breakaway saw a squared pass to Murnin muddle up and Patton made a save he had right to make.

That all meant the Donegal were still in the contest and that added to the spectacle. But O’Neill popped over a free to double the Armagh advantage out to two in injury time and the Crossmaglen Ranger then made a fantastic late claim inside his own square as Armagh saw it out with Jarly Óg Burns’ who saw it out. The roar was even bigger than the one his father got at half-time.

Armagh scorers: Rian O’Neill 0-5, 5f; Andrew Murnin 0-3, 1m; Aidan Forkerm Stefan Campbell and Jarly Óg Burns 0-1 each; Ethan Rafferty and Rory Grugan 0-1, 1f each.

Donegal scorers: Shaun Patton 0-2, 1f, 45; Oisin Gallen 0-2, 2f; Hugh McFadden 0-2, 1m; Conor O’Donnell, Ciaran Thomson, Jamie Brennan and Jason McGee 0-1; 

Armagh: Ethan Rafferty; Barry McCabridge, Aidan Forker, Paddy Burns; Aaron McKay, Greg McCabe, Joe McElroy; Ciaran Mackin, Jarly Óg Burns; Jason Duffy, Callum Cummiskey, Stefan Campbell; Rian O’Neill, Andrew Murnin, Conor Turbot. Subs Tiarnan Kelly for Duffy (56), Rory Grugan for Turbot  (58), Ross McQuillan for Campbell (61)

Donegal: Shaun Patton; Mark Curran, Brendan McCole, Caolan Ward; Caolan McColgan, Stephen McMenamin, Eoghan Bán Gallagher; Caolan McGonagle, Jason McGee; Michael Langan, Daire Ó Baoill, Conor O’Donnell; Peadar Mogan, Oisin Gallen, Jamie Brennan. Subs: Hugh McFadden for Ward (34), Ciaran Thompson for McColgan (49), Rory O’Donnell for Gallen (62), Jeaic Mac Ceallabhuí for Gallagher (68)

Referee: Jerome Henry (Mayo)