Donegal withstand Armagh heat to split the points at the Athletic Grounds

The top pairing in Division 2 couldn’t be separated on Sunday as Armagh and Donegal split the spoils in a claustrophobic but engrossing encounter at the Box-It Athletic Grounds. 

In a contest where possession was king and patience the order of the day for the side without the ball, Kieran McGeeney’s men departed at the break just about in front thanks to Andrew Murnin’s 20th-minute goal. 

However, Donegal would kick six points on the bounce, split evenly either side of the midpoint, to eventually go 0-10 to 1-5 clear on 44 minutes. And, from that point on, the pendulum would start to swing wildly. 

The opening exchanges were scrappy but at the end of that eight-minute spell, Peadar Mogan showed composure around the outside to boot Donegal in front. 

Soon after, Donegal turned the hosts over deep in their own half and while Oisin Gallen did find Odhran Doherty over the top, the wide vantage point of that breakaway meant that Armagh regrouped through the centre. 

Nearing the end of the opening quarter a smart spot by Ciaran Thompson inside allowed Michael Langan to kick a second for the visitors. Armagh were off the mark soon after thanks to Conor O’Neill. 

Patrick McBrearty then made it 0-3 to 0-1 however O’Neill, hugging the touchline and cutting in from the right, again got inside on 17 minutes and was allowed to race in far too easily as Armagh tied matters up. 

On 20 minutes, an innocuous enough looking delivery from deep made it in over the heads of the Donegal rearguard and with Murnin lucking, Armagh banged in a huge three-pointer.

The Orchard men also nailed the next point through Aidan Forker but Gallen responded with a marked point. 

Another direct ball would catch Donegal out again as Rory Grugan registered and, with Oisin Conaty bursting through the middle at ease, Armagh now led 1-5 to 0-4, six minutes adrift of the midpoint. 

In a vulnerable position, Donegal showed admirable bite to knuckle down and raise a trio of white flags as Paddy McBrearty twice, one from a free and one from play, and Ciaran Thompson, landed morale-boosting efforts. 

And in a contest that now had real niggle, Armagh headed for the changing room 1-5 to 0-7 in front. 

Donegal mirrored that return on the restart thanks to a McBrearty free and a Gallen brace, one from a mark and one from a free. 

In between, a sweeping Donegal passage of play seen Odhran Doherty, McBrearty and Gallen link brilliantly but just as substitute Shane O’Donnell was pulling the trigger, a flying Armagh block came in. 

With the mercury now rising, Joe McElroy and Grugan struck to level things up at 1-7 to 0-10. O'Donnell would then nail an upright allowing a relieved Armagh to counter and with Murnin in at the other end, he fisted the hosts back in front.

Bang on the hour mark, direct running from Caolan McGonagle earned another close range free for Gallen to tie the game up once more. Then, on 64 minutes, an effort from another replacement, Jamie Brennan, came back off the woodwork and landed in the hands of Langan. 

But just as he was about to pounce he was upended inside the area by Stefan Campbell and Donegal had a glorious opportunity to jump three clear. Gallen took on the responsibility but with Blaine Hughes guessing right, Armagh stayed in contention. 

Thompson thought he’d swung Donegal back in front but even though that ambitious effort from out the park seemed to tail inside the post, it was waved wide by the umpire stationed at the foot of the frame. 

Into four minutes of added time, Donegal held possession well for over a minute and a half and, at the end of all of that, Langan was so unlucky to see his clip from distance hit a post - the third time Donegal licked wood in the second-half. 

Armagh talisman Rian O’Neill - in off the bench in the second-half - must have thought he’d won it for Armagh late on but O’Donnell would square it up on 73 minutes. 

Jarly Óg Burns got through right at the death and really should cleared the crossbar but his weak fisted effort was greatly gathered by Patton.

Armagh scorers: Andrew Murnin 1-1; Conor O’Neill 0-2; Rory Grugan 0-2; Aidan Forker: 0-1; Joe McElroy 0-1; Rian O’Neill 0-1; Oisin Conaty 0-1. 

Donegal scorers: Patrick McvBrearty 0-4, 2f; Oisin Gallen 0-4,2f,2m; Peadar Mogan 0-1; Michael Langan 0-1; Shane O’Donnell 0-1; Ciaran Thompson 0-1.   

Armagh: Blane Hughes; Paddy Burns, Aaron McKay, Peter McGrane; Greg McCabe, Aidan Forker, Ciaran Mackin; Connaire Mackin, Conor O’Neill; Andrew Murnin, Rory Grugan, Joe McElroy; Cian McConville, Conor Turbitt, Oisin Conaty. 

Subs: Jason Duffy for McConville (ht), Jarly Óg Burns for Mackin (41), Rian O’Niall for Forker (46), Stefan Campbell for Turbitt (51), Jemal Hall for C O’Neill (67), 

Donegal: Shaun Patton; Mark Curran, Brendan McCole, Stephen McMenamin; Ryan McHugh, Caolan McGonagle, Dáire Ó Baoill; Ciarán Thompson, Ciaran Moore; Peadar Mogan, Odhran Doherty, Michael Langan; Patrick McBrearty, Oisin Gallen, Hugh McFadden.

Subs: Shane O’Donnell for McFadden (40), Jeaic Mac Ceallbhuí for O Doherty (50), Jamie Brennan for Ó Baoill (53), 

Referee: Noel Mooney (Cavan).