Shane Walsh steals the show as Galway defeat Armagh in epic encounter

Armagh and Galway played out an epic contest at Kingspan Breffni Park this evening, but it was The Tribesmen who were victorious 2-22 to 0-27, with Shane Walsh the star of the show.

Ethan Rafferty was the stand-out man for Armagh with 0-7, made up by three two-pointers and a point from play, as well as saving a first half penalty.

Although Armagh failed to bring home the two points, their place in the last eight of the All-Ireland was already secured. Any doubts about them resting on their laurels for this game were quickly dispelled, but ultimately they just came out one-point shy against fellow Sam Maguire contenders, after one of the best games of football of all-time.

Armagh take a commanding lead in at half-time

Rafferty got Armagh off to a perfect start, as he opened the scoring with a superb two-pointer from some 50 metres out after being picked out by Rian O’Neill. The Orchard men continued their fast start with further scores for Rian O’Neill and Peter McGrane.

They could have had a goal too, when Ross McQuillan found himself in a dangerous position, but caught in two minds between taking an easy point or scoring a goal he did neither, clipping his shot into the hands of Galway goalkeeper Conor Flaherty.

The Tribesmen then had a huge chance to pull themselves into the match when they were awarded a penalty after Paddy Burns fouled Rob Finnerty. However, Rafferty came to rescue by saving Matthew Tierney’s shot at full stretch, and John Maher fired the rebound wide.

Dangerman Walsh announced himself to the contest with two points in quick succession, but Armagh remained in control and rattled off the next five points.

Niall Grimley landed a two-pointer from the left wing, and points from Conor Turbitt, McQuillan and Cian McConville pushed their lead out to seven.

Galway scored their first two-pointer of the day from Peter Cooke in response, and had a goal chance when Maher bore down on goal, but Grimley pulled off a block to send the ball behind for a ‘45.

Darragh McMullen then landed the score the day and one of the scores of the Championship, using the outside of his right boot to drill over a two-pointer from the right wing, and a second score from McConville had Armagh 0-12 to 0-4 to the good.

However, Burns conceded a second penalty, this time he was somewhat harshly ajugded to have fouled Walsh. But once again, Galway fluffed their lines from the penalty spot, with Finnerty sending his shot over the bar for a point.

Grimley and Finnerty then traded scores before Rafferty hit another two-pointer, this time of the deck from a free over 50 metres out. And although Walsh got the last score of the half, Armagh led 0-15 to 0-7 at the short whistle.

Galway fight back in the second half

With their place in the Championship on the line, Galway were always going to come with a response in the second half and they dominated the early phases of it.

Points from Cooke and Cillian McDaid got The Tribesmen up and running, and in between they had a goal chance when Rafferty botched a short kick-out. However, he redeemed himself by denying Matthew Thompson in a one on one.

Galway had been threatening a goal, and on 39 minutes they finally raised a green flag when a slick passing move between McDaid, Thompson and Maher finished with the latter palming the ball into an empty net.

Armagh were struggling to get out of their own defence and a Walsh point cut the deficit to two. Even though the Orchard men got a badly-needed point from Jason Duffy, Galway remained on top and replied through scores from Paul Conroy and Finnerty.

McQuillan really stepped up for Armagh when the chips were down and he grabbed the next point. But Galway drew level from a two-point free from Walsh before taking the lead for the very first time when Finnerty fisted over.

Things were looking ominous when McDaid increased that advantage to two, but Armagh then got a new lease of life and wrestled back momentum of the game. They scored the next five points via McQuillan, McConville, Rafferty, Tiernan Kelly and Jarly Og Burns. The pick of the bunch was undoubtedly Rafferty’s score, as he won Galway’s kick-out, played a one-two with Jarly Og Burns and pointed on the run.

But there were more twists and turns left in this epic contest, and Galway fired back emphatically. Substitute Cathal Sweeney hit the next point before overturning a Rafferty kick-out. That led to Finnerty getting in on goal, and he kept his composure, coolly slotting his shot beyond the Armagh goalkeeper and into the back of the net.

Andrew Murnin levelled the game up in response, but Galway had the bit between their teeth and Walsh scored his seventh of the day, before Tierney landed a fisted score. The sides then traded points through Stefan Campbell and Cein Darcy.

With five minutes to go, Rafferty once again stepped up to the plate for Armagh and nailed a two-point free to level the game. However, Walsh was a man possessed for Galway and he restored their lead.

A fisted point from Shane McPartlan set-up a photo finish, but The Tribesmen were given their chance to win it when they won a free kick. It was far from an easy chance, but Walsh kept his composure and sent his shot over the bar to win the game for his side.

MATCH STATS

Armagh: Ethan Rafferty (0-7, 1tp, 2tpf); Paddy Burns, Barry McCambridge, Peter McGrane (0-1); Ross McQuillan (0-3), Tiernan Kelly (0-1), Jarly Og Burns (0-1); Jason Duffy (0-1), Niall Grimley (0-3, 1tp); Darragh McMullen (0-2, 1tp), Rian O’Neill (0-1), Joe McElroy; Cian McConville (0-3), Andrew Murnin (0-1), Conor Turbitt (0-1).

Subs: Tomas McCormack for McCambridge (20), Greg McCabe for P Burns (HT), Stefan Campbell (0-1) for Duffy (54), Connaire Mackin for Grimley (59), Oisin Conaty for McMullen (63), Shane McPartlan (0-1) for McConville (65).

Galway: Conor Flaherty; Johnny McGrath, Sean Fitzgerald, Jack Glynn; Dylan McHugh, Sean Kelly, Liam Silke; Peter Cooke (0-2, 1tp), John Maher (1-0); Cillian McDaid (0-2), Rob Finnerty (1-4, 1pen), Cein Darcy (0-1); Matthew Tierney (0-1), Shane Walsh (0-9, 1tpf, 1f), Matthew Thompson.

Subs: Paul Conroy (0-1) for Tierney (33), Daniel O’Flaherty for Silke (HT), Cian Hernon for Fitzgerald (47), Cathal Sweeney (0-1) for McHugh (54), Matthew Tierney for Cooke (59), Johnny Heaney for McDaid (68).

Referee: Noel Mooney (Cavan).