Down booked their place in the semi-final with an authoritative display at Newry yesterday, but again Paddy O'Rourke's charges tended to make life difficult for themselves.

They controlled the game for lengthy spells and revealed a deft scoring touch, but were clinging on when Armagh staged a late revival that was highlighted by Stephen Kernan's second goal.

Up until then, Down's midfield dominance, carved out by Brendan Coulter and Seán Ward, and the cutting edge in their attack provided by Liam Doyle, Aidan O'Prey and Ronan Murtagh had kept them firmly in the driving seat.

The Mourne men lost the first half by 0-7 to 1-2, Kernan having flashed a 27th minute penalty to the net to galvanise Armagh.

Throughout the third-quarter Down stamped their seal on the game, a string of points highlighting their superiority and illuminating a catalogue of elementary errors that marked Armagh's play.

At 0-13 to 1-2 Down were cruising, but points from Henderson and O'Rourke were followed by Kernan's goal that almost destabilised Down's well-oiled machinery.

DOWN: B McVeigh; M Higgins, A Molloy, J Doran; R Sexton (0-2), A Scullion, S Farrell; B Coulter (0-2), Seán Ward; A O'Prey (0-2), L Doyle (0-4), R Murtagh (0-1); Shane Ward, C McCrickard (0-1), D Hughes (0-1). Substitutes: B Doran for O'Prey; G McCartan for Sean Ward; S Kearney for Shane Ward; C Byrne for Scullion.

ARMAGH: P McEvoy; P McCormack, A O'Rourke (0-1), B McArdle; K Hughes, P Watters, B Shannon; P McGrane, A McCann; B McGeary, M Mackin, S Kernan (2-1); R Henderson (0-2), B Toner (0-1), K Fearon. Substitutes: M McNamee for McGeary; J Murtagh for Mackin; K McKeever for Hughes; P Stevenson for Toner.

Referee: R Doone (Antrim).