Late Jason Duffy point sees Armagh overcome neighbours Down and book their spot in the Ulster final

Jason Duffy was the hero for Armagh, as he scored in stoppage time to book their place in the Ulster final, and break Down’s hearts in the process.

Down were underdogs with the bookmakers, but they made Armagh work for the win, and will rue some poor missed chances in the first half, and not seeing out the win after their second goal.

After the two teams met in a wash-out in the rain last year, the conditions were perfect this evening, with sunshine and no breeze of note.

The referee had his hands full in the first half, which had more off-the-ball hits than scores – but the two sides couldn’t be separated, heading into the changing rooms with the score-line reading 0-5 to 1-2.

After Down’s Ryan Magill opened the scoring, the Mourne men went half an hour without a score, but very nearly went in at the break with a lead, after Pat Havern converted a free, and Armagh’s Paddy Burns scored an own goal on 35 minutes. After Ceilum Doherty’s initial shot was saved by Blaine Hughes, the ball rebounded off the corner back and into his own net.

In between those scores, Armagh pointed three times via Rian O’Neill (twice) and Aidan Forker, and the Orchard County responded well to Down’s goal, through a Rory Grugan free and Forker’s second, which saw sides go into the break level – after they were pulled apart from each other.

After Armagh grabbed three of the first five points in the second half, Down grabbed another goal on 47 minutes to put themselves two ahead. Half-time substitute Liam Kerr drove at the Armagh defence and laid the ball off for Danny Magill. His fist pass found Havern in front of goal, and although his shot was saved, Magill was in the right place to finish into the net on the rebound.

However, Armagh responded well once again to the Down hitting the net and had the game all square with three minutes of normal time remaining, after scores from Grugan (two frees) and substitutes Oisin O’Neill and Aidan Nugent, with Down’s Ryan Johnston nailing a wonderful point and Havern converting a free in between.

It came down to stoppage tine, and Duffy was the match winner for Armagh, as after over two minutes of patient possession, Ciaran Mackin picked out Andrew Murnin with a sweet pass, and he laid off for the Cullyhanna man who split the posts and broke Down’s hearts.

Armagh will play the winner of tomorrow’s semi-final between Donegal and Tyrone in the Ulster final in two weeks’ time.

MATCH STATS

Armagh: Blaine Hughes; Paddy Burns, Aaron McKay, Peter McGrane; Joe McElroy, Ciaran Mackin, Aidan Forker (0-2); Rian O’Neill (0-3, 1f), Ben Crealey; Stefan Campbell, Rory Grugan (0-5, 5f), Oisin Conaty; Conor Turbitt, Andrew Murnin, Jarly Og Burns.

Subs: Jason Duffy for Crealey (49), Oisin O’Neill (0-1, 1m) for J Burns (53), Darragh McMullen for Campbell (59), Aidan Nugent (0-1) for Conaty (64).

Down: John O’Hare; Peter Fegan, Ryan McEvoy, Ceilum Doherty; Miceal Rooney, Pierce Laverty, Shealan Johnston; Jonny Flynn, Odhran Murdock; Daniel Guinness (0-1), Ryan Magill (1-1), Ryan Johnston (0-1), Finn McElroy, Pat Havern (0-2, 2f), James Guinness.

Subs: Liam Kerr for J Guinness (HT), Danny Magill (0-1) for Flynn (41), Barry O’Hagan for Rooney (52), Oisin Savage for Havern (59), Shane Annett for O’Hagan (64).

Referee: Liam Devenney (Mayo).

Attendance: 12,116