Ulster Senior Football Championship: Armagh into the semis after win over Cavan

From KIERAN LYNCH at Breffni Park

Armagh booked their place in the last four of the Ulster Senior Football Championship, with a hard-fought 1-14 to 0-12 win over Cavan at Kingspan Breffni Park on Saturday evening.

Kieran McGeeney’s side came into the game under a lot of pressure following their relegation from Division One of the Allianz Football League, and they had to show their resolve, to see off a second half fightback from their opponents.

Conor Turbitt was in fine from, as he led the scoring charts with 0-7, following the 0-8 he scored against Antrim last week.

Ciaran Mackin was the vital cog in the midfield engine room as he covered every blade of grass, whilst Ben Crealey’s goal just before half-time gave Armagh a comfortable cushion that they never squandered, as Cavan never got within five points of them, from that point on.

Played in the lashing rain and bitter cold, the conditions were more akin to mid-winter than mid-spring, however the weather didn’t deter the crowd, as with over 11,500 spectators present, it was the best attended Ulster Championship game to date.

Turbitt was the fastest player out of the blocks, as he grabbed the game’s opening two points, before goalkeeper Ethan Rafferty converted a ’45.

Cavan answered back through points from Cian Madden and Oisin Brady, but Armagh were red hot, and two further Turbitt scores from frees, and an excellent Andrew Murnin point under pressure put them 0-6 to 0-2 to the good.

Cavan’s Paddy Lynch scored his first of the day, but Armagh continued in professional fashion, with Shane McPartlan scoring, Rory Grugan converting a free and Turbitt pointing his fifth of the half, after Ciaran Mackin turned over the Cavan kick out.

Lynch then grabbed his second point from a mark, but Armagh were in complete control when Hall pointed, before Crealey palmed the ball into the net after Ciaran Mackin laid the ball on a plate for the midfielder.

Cavan grabbed the last two points of the half through Conor Brady and Cian Madden, but the Orchard County led 1-10 to 0-6 at the break.

Cavan needed a fast start to the second half and points from Lynch and Gearoid McKiernan gave them just that. However, Armagh’s introduction of superstar forward Rian O’Neill gave the hosts reason to sweat, before Greg McCabe and Turbitt pushed the lead back out to seven.

Armagh were nine ahead with less than 15 minutes to play, after Turbitt added a seventh point in an outstanding performance and Conor O’Neill grabbed his first.

McKiernann(two) and Lynch added to their personal tallies for Cavan, but they needed a goal, which almost came, when Tiarnan Madden shot for goal, but Rian O’Neill was in the right place at the right time, to make an incredible diving save.

Raymond Galligan then reduced the deficit to five, but Cavan were plagued by wides throughout (with 15 kicked) and they rued late misses by Lynch, McKiernan, and Brandon Boylan.

However, Cavan couldn’t reel Armagh in, and the Orchard County will play the winners of tomorrow’s Down v Donegal clash, in the final four.

MATCH STATS

CAVAN: R Galligan (0-1, ‘45); K Clarke, P Faulkner, J McLoughlin; C Brady, O Kiernan, G Smith; G McKiernan (0-2, 1f), J Smith; C Brady (0-1), D McVeety, J McCabe; Cian Madden (0-2), P Lynch (0-4, 2m), O Brady (0-1).

Subs: N Carolan for McLoughlin (29), T Madden for McCabe (HT), Conor Madden for Kiernan (58), C Moynagh for J Smith (64), B Boylan for C Brady (68),

ARMAGH: E Rafferty (0-1, 1’45); C O’Neill (0-1), A McKay, A Forker; G McCabe (0-1), Ciaran Mackin, J Burns; B Crealey (1-0), S McPartlan (0-1); S Campbell, J Hall (0-1), J Duffy; R Grugan (0-1, 1f), A Murnin (0-1), C Turbitt (0-7, 2f, 1m).

Subs: R O’Neill for Hall (44), A Nugent for Murnin (55), S Sheridan for Crealey (58), C Cumiskey for Duffy (66), C Higgins for McPartlan (69).

Referee: Paul Faloon (Down).

Attendance: 11,527