High-scoring Armagh power past Fermanagh to secure Ulster Semi spot

Armagh booked their place in the Ulster SFC Semi-final following a high-scoring encounter away to Fermanagh, which they won 2-32 to 1-24.

The game was effectively over by the half-time whistle, with Armagh 1-17 to 0-4 to the good. Fermanagh only had themselves to blame, as they notched 14 misses in the opening 35 minutes – nine wides and five shots dropped short.

It was the home side who scored first through Jonathan Cassidy, but Armagh settled quickly and grabbed the next seven points. Darragh McMullen got them up and running with a two-pointer, Jarly Og Burns pointed and Conor Turbitt – back into the starting line-up for the first time in four games – nailed a two-point free.

Further scores came from Turbitt and Oisin Conaty before Fermanagh finally stopped the rot through Darragh McGurn. Indeed, the two sides were creating the same amount of opportunities, but it was Armagh who were the much more clinical.

Turbitt and Conaty added to their tally before Garvan Jones slotted over a free at the other end. But Armagh pulled eight clear following a monster two-point free from some 60 metres out by Ethan Rafferty, who made his first start in the league or Championship this year.

Jarly Og Burns and Joe McDade cancelled each other out with points before Armagh hit 1-5 in the final moments of the half to take a commanding lead into the break. Tiernan Kelly, Turbitt (free) and Conaty got three points in quick succession before any faint hopes of a Fermanagh comeback were surely dashed by Jason Duffy hitting the back of the net.

He finished off a slick move, which involved Andrew Murnin, Aaron McKay and his clubmate Ross McQuillan by palming the ball into the back of the Erne net. McQuilan put the icing on the cake for a great half of football for Armagh by splitting the posts with a sumptuous two-pointer off the outside of his right boot from the right wing.

Armagh picked up where they left off to start the second half, by adding three points via Cian McConville (free), Jason Duffy and Turbitt. Fermanagh’s McGurn made his impact on the game by scoring five points (two two-pointers and a one-pointer) in a matter of minutes, but at the other end the Orchard County hit the net for a second time, with Turbitt palming home Jarly Og Burns’ fisted pass.

McConville was next on the scoreboard, raising a white flag when a green one was probably the intention, but his ferocious shot cleared the crossbar by a matter of inches. His cousin Oisin O’Neill then made an immediate impact, fisting over with his first touch of the ball after coming off the bench.

McGurn was on form, and he fired over another two-pointer but it was quickly cancelled out by scores from Burns and Oisin O’Neill. Conor Love was next on the scoresheet but Fermanagh couldn’t handle Oisin O’Neill, as he added another two points.

To their credit, Fermanagh kept battling and scored three more two-pointers with Conor O’Hanlon finding the target twice, either side of McGurn hitting his fourth of the day. Thereafter, Jason Duffy and Kelly added to Armagh’s lead. At the other end, Josh Largo Ellis went for goal, but his shot was saved over for a point instead for a point.

Kelly and Conaty then added points for Armagh either side of a Mattie McDermott point, before McGurn marked his brilliant individual performance with a goal – a classy finish into the top corner. McGurn wasn’t done there, as he added a fifth two-pointer to take his tally to 1-12.

Armagh’s final points came from Burns and Conaty. They’ll play either Donegal or Down in the last four at Clones next Sunday. MATCH STATS

Fermanagh: Sean McNally; Luke Flanagan, Oisin Smyth, Shane McGullion; Jonathan Cassidy (0-1), Ronan McCaffrey, Declan McCusker; Stephen McGullion, Conor McGee; Sean Cassidy, Ciaran Corrigan, Josh Largo Ellis (0-1); Joe McDade (0-1), Darragh McGurn (1-12, 5tp), Garvan Jones (0-1, 1f).

Subs: Conor Love (0-1) for Cassidy (28), Conor O’Hanlon (0-4, 2tp) for Jones (HT), Brandon Horan (0-2, 1tp) for McCusker (HT), Mattie McDermott (0-1) for Corrigan (46), Aogan Kelm for McGee (54),

Armagh: Ethan Rafferty (0-2, 1tpf); Paddy Burns, Aaron McKay, Peter McGrane; Ross McQuillan (0-2, 1tp), Tiernan Kelly (0-3), Jarly Og Burns (0-4); Jason Duffy (1-2), Andrew Murnin; Tomas McCormack, Darragh McMullen (0-2, 1tp), Daniel Magee; Oisin Conaty (0-5), Conor Turbitt (1-6, 1tpf, 1f), Cian McConville (0-2, 1f).

Subs: Ciaran Mackin for Murnin (44), Oisin O’Neill (0-4) for Turbitt (47), Barry McCambridge for McCormack (51), Ryan Duffy for J Duffy (60),

Referee: Barry Cassidy (Derry).