All-Ireland SFC Round One: Armagh 2-21 Derry 2-17

Armagh washed away the pain of that recent Ulster final defeat with a four-point win over a feisty Derry side to complete a successful start to their All-Ireland defence.

The home side led by three points at half-time and enjoyed a 13-point advantage by the 57th minute only to see the Oakleaf County stage a creditable late fightback that fell just short of a surprise result.

Kieran McGeeney’s side produced 11 scorers, with Barry McCambridge and Conor Turbitt netting Armagh’s goals.

Depending on who was bending your ear on any particular day, Derry have been either ‘flying in training’, handsomely winning challenge games or still struggling with key injuries causing low numbers at training. But the GAA grapevine, of course, can be both a nebulous and unreliable predictor of match day readiness.

Two weeks on from yet another sickening Ulster final defeat, All-Ireland champions Armagh were certainly much more battle-hardened than a struggling Derry side exiled to Owenbeg for seven weeks to brood and prepare.

Undefeated at the Athletic Grounds for over two years, the Orchard men welcomed an Oakleaf outfit who are yet to taste victory all season. Throw in that 15-point beating Armagh threw down on Paddy Tally’s side earlier in the season and all signs pointed emphatically in one direction.

McGeeney pulled a serious rabbit out of the hat with a shock start for Armagh’s prodigal son Rian O’Neill for his first taste of intercounty football this year.

Armagh, playing with the breeze ran in three to the good leading 0-12 to 0-9 at the break. Conor Glass, outstanding for Derry, opened the evening’s scoring with the first of his three first-half points.

Armagh responded emphatically to go 0-5 to 0-1 up by the time Oisin Conaty converted a mighty two-pointer in the 8th minute.

Derry, culpable for a number of wild wides, would wait 10 minutes before they worked the scoreboard for a second time, when points from Paul Cassidy and Ruairi Forbes, on his debut, reduced their deficit to two.

Rian O’Neill announced his welcome return to county colours and elicited the loudest roar of the evening when he split the sticks in the 14th minute. Further points from Ross McQuillan and a two-pointer from substitute Conor Turbitt stretched the Orchard County lead to 0-9 to 0-3 after 17 minutes.

The Oakleafers rallied again, with another Glass point and a brace from Paul Cassidy, courtesy of two Ethan Doherty assists, leaving the visitors just four adrift.

Again Armagh swung back with Darragh McMullan and Andrew Murnin punishing Derry mistakes and finding their scores.

However, trailing 0-12 to 0-6, Derry would finish the half with a real sense of purpose. Glass nailed point number three, before a huge effort from Shane McGuigan and an Ethan Doherty point, with the goal at his mercy, left Paddy Tally’s side with skin still in the game, just three behind at half-time.

Armagh greeted Derry with a dazzling blitzkrieg straight after the restart, with consecutive points from Ross McQuillan, Jason Duffy, Jarly Og Burns and Andrew Murnin the prelude to Barry McCambridge’s 40th minute goal. It all added up to a 10-point lead for the All Ireland champions.

Appearing all but beaten, Derry fired back with a Shane McGuigan two-pointer keeping their faint hopes alive.

However, a rapid fire 1-4 from the hosts, including a dazzling Conor Turbitt goal in the 49th minute gave a handsome 13-point advantage to the home side.

And with nothing to lose Derry threw any number of haymakers in the final few rounds.

Ethan Rafferty pulled off two spectacular saves to deny Brendan Rogers a brace of goals before Glass finally beat the Armagh stopper in the 55th minute.

Substitute Dan Higgins then drilled a second goal home on the hour mark as Derry, remarkably, refused to break. Indeed, two-pointers from both Paul Cassidy and Shane McGuigan pulled the Armagh lead back to just four points with time rapidly receding.

A third Rafferty save to deny Rogers left a relieved Armagh seeing out the last few seconds on the right side of a four point victory.

Armagh: E Rafferty, P Burns, B McCambridge (1-0-0), P McGrane, R McQuillan (0-0-4), J Og Burns (0-0-1), J Duffy (0-0-1), B Crealey, D McMullan (0-0-1), R Grugan (0-0-3, 2f), O Conaty (0-1-2), T Kelly, A Murnin (0-0-3), O O’Neill, R O’Neill (0-0-1). Subs: C Turbitt (1-0-2) for O O’Neill (12 mins), S Campbell for J Duffy (51), N Grimley for R O’Neill (55), J McElroy (0-0-1) for R Grugan (60), G McCabe for R McQuillan (62).

Derry: B McKinless, P McGurk, E McEvoy, D Baker, R Forbes (0-0-1), B Rogers, P McGrogan (0-0-1, 1f), C Glass (1-0-3), C Doherty, C McFaul, P Cassidy (0-1-3), E Doherty (0-0-1), A Tohill, S McGuigan (0-2-1), N Toner (0-0-1, 1f). Subs: D Higgins (1-0-0) for A Tohill (38 mins), R Mulholland for P McGurk (53), C Devlin for C McFaul (59), T Rogers for N Toner (61), D McDermott for P McGrogan (66).

Referee: S Hurson (Tyrone).