A taut old drama in Clones. Armagh, the last of the provincial champions still around, were pushed to the edge by an emergent Fermanagh side intent on redressing the barren days. In the end, it fell to a couple of distance frees which were just beyond the two Gallagher marksman, Rory and Raymond. Armagh survived and Fermanagh, tantalisingly close to an Ulster final, traipsed back to the lakelands pondering the end of Pat King's impressive reign. These months are always short on sentiment.
This is a different Armagh team to that which crusaded through Ulster with such passion and verve 12 months ago. They wore a battle-hardened look yesterday and while we used to laud their attack for its imagination and crispness, yesterday bore witness to a harder aspect to their character.
In John McEntee and Paul McGrane, they have a well-constructed central engine room; imposing, hard-working and enterprising in attack.
And the attack is no longer dependent on the dazzling exploits of Oisin McConville and Diarmuid Marsden. With the latter stretchered off after wrenching a hamstring early on, Armagh were forced to seek alternative inspiration. McConville, although lively, was possibly a bit lost without Marsden, but Barry O'Hagan came in with three fine points while Cathal O'Rourke again demonstrated a fine attacking brain.
If they are to have any sleepless nights between now and the Ulster final, it will be over their appalling shooting form. In the first period, particularly, Armagh were shockingly profligate with the abundant possession drawn from the midfield hive. Their wastefulness contrasted perfectly with Fermanagh's diligent economy with the slim pickings which fell their way. Although not an insubstantial side, King's men could not hope to out-muscle Armagh and had to hunt hard to win ball. When they flowed, they were a pretty team to watch and on more than one occasion they had the Armagh full-back line listing.
Belcoo's Stephen Maguire had a magnificent game. The big full forward won every ball which came his way, generally finding himself hacked to the ground for his efforts. His presence enabled Rory Gallagher to keep Fermanagh in touch with a series of fine free-kicks.
The pity was that Gallagher's obviously damaged knee curtailed his ability to orchestrate the Fermanagh attack as he has done all season. Only in isolated flashes did his tremendous vision come into play. With Tom Brewster forced to track deep in-field to help stem the Armagh tide, Fermanagh's artillery was reduced and they never managed to fully turn the screw on a troubled Armagh defence. Ger Reid came in for John Donaldson to shadow Maguire after 47 minutes, but his burly presence didn't ease the torment. If Fermanagh could have involved Maguire more often, who knows?
Wasteful and somewhat stilted for the first half-hour, Armagh lapsed into a 0-2 to 0-6 deficit, but put a better slant on the halftime score when Stephen McDonnell, O'Hagan and John McEntee rattled over points in the final minutes.
Fermanagh, it seemed, had toiled awfully hard for a single score advantage and there was the sense that Armagh might erupt after the break. When O'Hagan fired over 14 seconds into the second half, a flood looked on the cards. And Armagh's sharpest and decisive contribution followed. Three minutes later, O'Rourke looked up from a crowd and let loose with a fine thunderbolt to give the team their first lead. Like learned champions, they never relinquished it.
From the kick-out, Armagh poured down field again, McDonnell spiralling a ball toward goal which McConville palmed off the crossbar. The beleaguered Fermanagh backs were on the canvas and taking the count at this point, but they rallied. Paddy McGuinness was trojan in his full-back efforts and Neil Cox and Tommy Callaghan also played pivotal roles.
So persuasive was Armagh's midfield claim that Paul Brewster spent his afternoon just swimming against the tide, breaking what ball he could and rising for a few fine fetches. Along with his brother Tom, Ray Johnson and Justin Gilheaney, he turned enough ball for Fermanagh to respond.
Trailing 0-11 to 0-8 with 15 minutes left, they dug deep and Raymond Gallagher nailed a free after Reid downed Maguire. Four minutes alter, the full forward was upended again and this time Rory popped the free. Armagh broke upfield and McConville drilled a crucial 45-metre free. It steadied his side enormously.
Raymond Gallagher responded with an identical effort just three minutes later, but Fermanagh once more found themselves chasing from the kick-out. McConville angled a high ball, Alan O'Neill grabbed it and fisted another vital point.
Then Armagh closed up. Fermanagh ran gallantly at them, but found all paths towards goal closed up. Rory Gallagher slotted a 30-metre free to leave it hanging with just two minutes remaining.
After surviving on frees all day, Fermanagh found themselves with two late testers to keep them alive. Rory Gallagher cut a hellishly angled shot just wide and Raymond Gallagher's last gasp 45-metre free also dropped wide. That was it.
And Armagh? Well, they are big and combative and stubborn and have a couple of bright-burning key players. Remind you of anyone?
