Armagh endure more Ulster Final pain losing out to Donegal after extra-time

Armagh endured heartbreak in the Ulster Final for the third consecutive year this evening, falling to Donegal 2-23 to 0-28 after extra-time.

It was another epic encounter with so little between the teams, but ultimately it was Donegal who were victorious, with Niall O’Donnell scoring the winning point after an absorbing 90 minutes of football.

Armagh would have been content to only be three down at the half-time whistle, having been second-best to Donegal throughout the opening period. The early stages were frantic, despite both sides taking some time to score. Armagh hit the post twice through Oisin Conaty and Jarly Og Burns, whilst Ethan Rafferty was needed to deny Michael Langan in a one on one.

Patrick McBrearty was the first name on the scoresheet, before a Rafferty ’45 got Armagh up and running for the day.

Both sides were trading scores back and forth at this stage, with Langan having a score cancelled out by Andrew Murnin, before a Ciaran Thompson two-pointer restored Donegal’s advantage.

Ben Crealey finished off a patient attack for the Orchard County, and although Donegal briefly moved three ahead after points from Daire O’Baoill and a McBrearty free, Oisin Conaty made his mark on the game with two points in quick succession.

In between those Conaty points, Rafferty once again pulled off a crucial save to prevent Peadar Mogan from taking the roof off the Armagh net.

However, the signs were ominous and Donegal began to dominate the middle third and went on a 0-8 to 0-2 run, to pull 0-14 to 0-7 clear.

Oisin Gallen grabbed four of those points, with Armagh unable to contain the 2024 All Star no matter who they switched onto him. Veteran Michael Murphy also got in on the act and everything Donegal were touching was turning to gold, with a second two-pointer from Thompson and a Langan score seeing them well ahead.

Ross McQuillan was the only Armagh man to score during this run, but the Orchard County were under the cosh.

However, Kieran McGeeney’s side mustered something of a fightback to pull themselves to within a score heading into the changing rooms. Conaty grabbed his third, Oisin O’Neill nailed a two-pointer, and the fingertips of Donegal goalkeeper Shaun Patton turned a further two-point shot from the Crossmaglen man into one, but couldn’t prevent the ball from going over his bar.

Despite Murphy opening the second half’s scoring, Armagh started well and pulled themselves to within one. Conaty started that process and his point was added to by Callum O’Neill, before Mogan responded for Donegal.

Oisin O’Neill and McQuillan found the mark to make it 0-16 to 0-15, but then Donegal found the back of the net on 44 minutes. Conor O’Donnell was almost in one on one, but Armagh got enough defenders around him to turn him over. The ball broke for Hugh McFadden though, and he finished superbly into the roof of the net.

When Donegal tagged on further points from Murphy, Conor O’Donnell and Ciaran Moore to move seven clear once again, it looked like there would only be one winner.

But to Armagh’s credit, they fought back and hit the next five points, with Conaty hitting his fifth of the day, Stefan Campbell making an immediate impact off the bench, and Oisin O’Neill scoring 0-3, with a two-point free making it 1-19 to 0-20 with 15 minutes to go.

Jason McGee and Campbell then traded points, before another Rafferty save – this time denying McGee – before a fisted score from Jason Duffy left just one point in it with five minutes to play.

The closing stages were nail-biting and tense, but Armagh were able to win a turnover late on, and worked the ball to the in-form man Conaty who split the posts and took the game into extra-time.

The first half of extra-time was split at two points apiece, with Jarly Og Burns – which gave Armagh their first lead of the day - and Duffy scoring for Armagh, but Donegal responded on each occasion with McBrearty (free) and Niall O’Donnell on target.

It was the walking wounded during extra-time, as Conaty could no longer continue for the Orchard County, whilst Murphy and Ryan McHugh had to make way for the Tir Chonaill.

Campbell restored Armagh’s lead in the opening exchanges of the second period of extra-time, but it was the Donegal fans celebrating moments later when Langan set-up Moore, and he slotted past Rafferty and into the Armagh net.

However, the Orchard fans were in full voice a minute later when Rafferty drilled a two-point free to level it up at 0-28 to 2-22.

However, Niall O’Donnell was the hero, as he grabbed the last point of the game which proved decisive.

MATCH STATS

Armagh: Ethan Rafferty (0-3, 1’45, 1tp); Paddy Burns, Barry McCambridge, Aidan Forker; Ross McQuillan (0-3), Greg McCabe, Jarly Og Burns (0-1); Callum O’Neill (0-1), Ben Crealey (0-1); Darragh McMullen, Rory Grugan, Oisin Conaty (0-6); Tiernan Kelly, Andrew Murnin (0-1), Oisin O’Neill (0-7, 1tp, 1tpf).

Subs: Conor Turbitt for Kelly (42), Stefan Campbell (0-3) for C O’Neill (50), Peter McGrane for McCabe (55), Jason Duffy (0-2) for O O’Neill (60), Niall Grimley for Forker (61), Connaire Mackin for Murnin (ET), Cian McConville for Conaty (ET’9), Shane McPartlan for Grugan (ET’13), Tomas McCormack for McQuillan (ET’18).

Donegal: Shaun Patton; Finbarr Roarty, Brendan McCole, Peadar Mogan (0-1); Ryan McHugh, Hugh McFadden (1-0), Ciaran Moore (1-1); Ciaran Thompson (0-4, 2tp), Michael Langan (0-2); Daire O’Baoill (0-1), Caolan McGonigle, Shane O’Donnell; Patrick McBrearty (0-3, 3f), Michael Murphy (0-3), Oisin Gallen (0-4).

Subs: Conor O’Donnell (0-1) for McBrearty (43), Jason McGee (0-1) for McFadden (50), Jamie Brennan for O’Baoill (52), Eoin McHugh for Moore (55), Aaron Doherty for Gallen (64), Niall O’Donnell (0-2) for A Doherty (ET), Odhran McFadden Ferry for McGee (ET), Ciaran Moore for Brennan (ET), McBrearty for Murphy (ET’6), O’Baoill for R McHugh (ET’9), Stephen McMenamin for McCole (ET’14).

Referee: Brendan Cawley (Kildare).

Attendance: 28,788