Armagh fight back from 11 points down to defeat Dublin at Croke Park

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The travelling Armagh supporters left Croke Park delighted on Saturday evening, after the Orchard County battled back from 11 points down to secure a crucial win over Dublin.

Kieran McGeeney’s men trailed for most of the game, but led by their full-forward line of Cian McConville, Oisin O’Neill and Oisin Conaty, super sub Conor Turbitt and telling contributions from Ross McQuillan and Tomas McCormack, they chipped away at the Dubs lead, with Conaty’s late goal proving to be the winner.

Dublin were full value for their nine-point half-time lead, as they had the better of the action in the opening 35 minutes.

Once again, Armagh were slow to get themselves into the game, and found themselves 1-5 to 0-1 down after 10 minutes. Niall Scully announced himself to the game quickly, as he notched Dublin’s first three points with Tomas McCormack grabbing Armagh’s first.

Then, for the third time in the last four games, Armagh conceded a goal inside the opening five minutes when Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne overturned a kick-out, worked the ball to Ross McGarry and his shot was too powerful for Blaine Hughes to handle and went into the roof of the net.

Killian McGinnis and Scully added to the home side’s lead before Ben Crealey got Armagh’s second. The Dubs remained on top however, with Paddy Small and Luke Breathnach pushing them into an eight-point advantage.

Armagh grew into the contest as the first half progressed, with Callum O’Neill pointing a free and McCormack getting his second. Breathnach responded at the other end, but the Orchard men were right back in the game when Cian McConville went on a bursting solo run, beat several defenders and slotted the ball into the back of the net on 21 minutes.

Jason Duffy added to that goal with a point to make it a one-score game, but Dublin wrestled back control and kicked seven of the last eight points of the period, starting with Scully and Sean Bugler.

Callum O’Neill was gifted a huge opportunity to score a goal when Dublin defenders Sean MacMahon and Eoin Kennedy had a mix-up in their own full-back line and the Belleek man found himself in on goal. However, he couldn’t apply the finish and fired wide.

Breathnach then tagged on two points either side of a Oisin Conaty score, before Small and Bugler finished out the first half’s scoring. Bugler’s score was a two-pointer, as he just beat the hooter, punishing Armagh for coughing up possession in their own defence.

The second half began in bizarre circumstances, as it opened not with the traditional throw-up but with a 13-metre free for Dublin and a black card for Jarly Og Burns, for dissent towards the referee. Scully duly converted to get the proceedings up and running and that was followed by a Bugler point.

McConville (free) and Kennedy then traded scores, before the visitors hit four in quick succession. Half-time substitute Oisin O’Neill hit a one-point free and a two-point free either side of Conaty raising a white flag.

McGinnis hit two scores for Dublin which were cancelled out by Conaty and Ross McQuillan, and following Duffy and McConville (free) points, Armagh cut the gap to five heading into the last 20 minutes.

Small was next on the scoresheet before substitute Conor Turbitt came on and made an immediate impact. First, he grabbed a one-pointer, then he set-up McConville for a goal chance. The Crossmaglen man’s shot was kept out by Hugh O’Sullivan, but McCormack converted a point on the rebound. Turbitt then grabbed the score of the night, a wonderful curled two-pointer from the left wing.

The Armagh fans were making themselves heard as they sensed the comeback was on, but with 13 minutes to go referee David Gough stopped play to issue red cards to both Tiernan Kelly and Brian Howard for repeated off-the-ball scuffles.

Oisin O’Neill cut the gap to one, and although Dublin temporarily broke the momentum with scores from Kennedy and Cormac Costello, McQuillan and Oisin O’Neill responded. Much to the delight of the travelling support, Armagh finally pulled themselves onto level terms when McConville paid off a well-worked move with a point. Peter McGrane won a turnover near his own by-line, and the Armagh men worked it from back to front.

Then, on 66 minutes came to the moment of the game. Conaty drove at the Dublin defence, got in one on one and drilled home a pildedriver into the roof of the net to put Armagh in the ascendancy for the first time all night.

A third McQuillan point gave Armagh some breathing room, but there were fingernails being bitten when Small landed a two-pointer for Dublin. However, the Orchard men held on and secured a huge win in their fight to stay in Division 1.

MATCH STATS

Dublin: Hugh O’Sullivan; Eoin Murchan, Nathan Doran, David Byrne; Eoin Kennedy (0-2), Brian Howard, Alex Gavin; Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne, Charlie McMorrow; Luke Breathnach (0-4), Sean Bugler (0-4, 1tp), Niall Scully (0-5, 2f); Paddy Small (0-6, 1tp), Killian McGinnis (0-3), Ross McGarry (1-0).

Subs: Sean MacMahon for Doran (16), Cormac Costello (0-1) for Breathnach (47), Ciaran Kilkenny for McGarry (51), Doran for MacMahon (52), Liam Smith for Byrne (66).

Armagh: Blaine Hughes; Tomas McCormack (0-3), Gareth Murphy, Peter McGrane; Ross McQuillan (0-3), Tiernan Kelly, Jarly Og Burns; Callum O’Neill (0-1, 1f), Ben Crealey (0-1); Aaron McKay, Darragh McMullen, Greg McCabe; Cian McConville (1-3, 2f), Jason Duffy (0-2), Oisin Conaty (1-3).

Subs: Oisin O’Neill (0-5, 3f, 1tpf) for Callum O’Neill (HT), Paddy Burns for McKay (43-45, temporary sub), Conor Turbitt (0-3, 1tp) for Duffy (52), Paddy Burns for McKay (61), Aidan Forker for McMullen (69).

Referee: David Gough (Meath).