Armagh claim NFL Division 2 title

Allianz GAA Football National League Division 2 Final:
Armagh 0-17  Down 1-12

Armagh produced a brilliant final ten minutes to claim the Allianz GAA Football National League Division 2 title with a 0-17 to 1-12 defeat of rivals Down at Croke Park on Sunday.

After a tame first half, the game burst into life in the final quarter and it was Armagh, managed by Down native Paddy O’Rourke, who produced a stunning finish to claim their first Allianz National League title since 2005.

Steven McDonnell, the man who captained the Orchard County five years ago, gave another example of his enduring talents to kick six vital points for the winners.

Armagh led by 0-8 to 0-7 at the break, before Down roared back into the game when Benny Coulter fisted Martin Clarke’s ’45 to the back of the net in the 45th minute to give his side the lead.

However, Armagh outscored their opponents by 0-5 to 0-2 in the final ten minutes, with substitute Malachy Mackin kicking two vital points in that period.

In a breathless finale, Down had a late chance to snatch the victory at the death, but Kalum King, the big midfielder, sliced his shot over the bar after Martin Clarke had presented him with a wonderful goal-scoring chance.

Armagh made the perfect start when their captain from that 2005 success, McDonnell, put them ahead after 12 seconds. Down, who had the meanest defence after the group stages of the league, leaked three successive points in the first five minutes, with Aaron Kernan adding a free and McDonnell stroking over his second point of the afternoon from a ’45.

Any thoughts that the Orchard County would have it all their own way were quickly dispelled when Down reacted by kicking the next two points. Coulter, the Mayobridge star, opened their account with a trademark strike after six minutes. Martin Clarke, who missed his first attempt on goal from a placed ball, made no mistake with his second effort to reduce the gap to the minimum.

Armagh were dealt a blow before kick off when Ronan Clarke was ruled out with the Achilles injury that has been troubling him in recent weeks. Ryan Henderson came in to start at full-forward and the late change did not appear to weaken Armagh in any way. Indeed, their attack most definitely had the upper hand in the opening quarter with Gareth Swift and wing-back Finnian Moriarty contributing further points.

Down were not without their own injury problems. Ambrose Rogers failed to start because of a foot problem and Aidan Brannigan started ahead of Damien Rafferty, who was ruled out with a hamstring injury.

Armagh were hobbled somewhat by kicking four wides in the opening 20 minutes while McDonnell missed a great goal chance on the 25 -minute mark. The 2002 All-Ireland winner won a high ball into the full-forward line and escaped his marker, but he dragged his shot just wide with Brendan McVeigh, the Down goalkeeper, beaten.

Armagh had the bulk of the possession but they failed to convert that surfeit of good ball into points on the board. The Mourne men, despite playing on the back foot, remained in touch thanks to Martin Clarke’s accuracy from placed balls. The former Collingwood man kicked four first half frees, while a superb point from Daniel Hughes levelled the game at 0-6 apiece with two minutes left in the half. After a sedentary 33 minutes, the game burst into life and Down were ahead when Paul McComiskey ghosted in to slot over his first score of the game.

The scoreline failed to accurately reflect the story of the first half, but Armagh’s stand-out player, McDonnell, was on hand to address the imbalance by kicking two brilliant points just before the break. McDonnell levelled the game with a shot from way out on the Cusack Stand side before nudging his side ahead with a second on the stroke of half-time – this time off his left foot – to leave Armagh 0-8 to 0-7 ahead at the break.

James McCartan, the Down manager, was clearly unhappy with his players’ efforts in the first half as he made two changes during the break. Conor Maginn came in for Stephen Kearney, while Kevin Duffin replaced centre-back James Colgan, who was injured in the first half.

McComiskey missed an early chance to level the game from a free, but Peter Fitzpatrick was on hand to restore parity with a fine point from play. Fitzpatrick came into the Down midfield from the start after the Mourne captain, Rogers, was ruled out with a foot injury he picked up in a challenge game against Louth last Sunday.

Then, from nowhere, Down grabbed the lead. Martin Clarke sent in a ’45 from near the sideline on the Hogan Stand side, and when Armagh goalkeeper Paul Hearty came to collect the ball – which appeared to be dropping under the crossbar – Coulter ghosted in to fist the ball to the back of the net. Coulter then added another fine point from play to leave Down 1-9 to 0-10 ahead.

McCartan’s side were now starting to dominate, but Armagh responded with two successive points to level the game once again. James Lavery kicked the first before being taken off and McDonnell added his sixth and final point of the game.

After a tame first half, the intensity of the game upped in the final quarter, as Martin Clarke kicked yet another free to nudge the Mourne men ahead, 1-10 to 0-12.

However, Armagh finished the game superbly and kicked five of the next six points in the final ten minutes to take control of the game. Stefan Forker started Armagh’s late scoring burst while fellow substitute Mackin was equally effective, slotting over two points from play. The first of his brace gave Armagh the lead back in the 66th minute, while Aaron Kernan also struck two frees to leave his side three points clear going into injury time.

In the end, King had a great chance to level the game, but his shot went high and over the bar, before Down’s Daniel McCartan was shown a red card late in the game.

Armagh: P Hearty, A Mallon, B Donaghy, B Shannon, P Duffy (0-1), C McKeever, F Moriarity (0-1), J Lavery, K Toner, C Vernon, A Kernan (0-5, 0-5f), G Swift (0-2), B Mallon, S McDonnell (0-6, 0-1f, 0-1 ’45), R Henderson.

Subs: J Clarke for B Mallon, M Mackin (0-2) for Lavery, S Forker (0-1) for Henderson

Down: B McVeigh, D McCartan, B McArdle, A Brannigan, K McKernan, J Colgan, C Garvey (0-1), P Fitzpatrick (0-1), K King (0-1), S Kearney, M Clarke (0-5, 0-5f) D Hughes (0-1), P McComiskey (0-1), J Clarke, B Coulter (1-2).

Subs: C Maginn for Kearney, C Laverty for J Clarke, D Gordon for Fitzpatrick, R Murtagh for McComiskey, K Duffin for McKernan

Referee: G Ó Conamha (Galway).