Late Grugan free salvages draw for Armagh

Ulster GAA Senior Football Championship Semi-Final:
Monaghan 0-14 Armagh 0-14

A Rory Grugan point deep into added time gave Armagh a draw with Monaghan in this Ulster SFC semi-final in Clones on Saturday evening.

The teams were level seven times – including both half-time and full-time – in a typically tense Ulster derby, which will now go to a replay next Sunday, July 6 in St Tiernachs Park Clones.

Armagh were first on the scoreboard through Jamie Clarke, but a brace of long-range frees by Rory Beggan and one from Jack McCarron edged Monaghan ahead.

Stefan Campbell and Mark Shields kept Armagh on Monaghan’s coat-tails, before Kieran Hughes and Conor McManus found their range for the Ulster champions.

Another Beggan free opened up a three-point gap, but Tony Kernan, Aidan Forker and Campbell replied to leave Armagh on level terms at half-time on a scoreline of 0-6 apiece.

Like in the first period, Clarke opened the second-half scoring, only for McManus and substitute Stephen Gollogly to hit back for Monaghan.

Tony Kernan levelled it again before Dick Clerkin and Gollogly moved Monaghan ahead once more. A Kevin Dyas point was cancelled out by a Beggan free, only for Tony Kernan and Stefan Forker to respond.

Monaghan looked set to kick for home when Kieran Hughes, Beggan and Christopher McGuinness hit points in the space of four minutes, but Clarke and Campbell gave Armagh hope, and Grugan held his nerve from a free at the death to equalise.

Scorers for Monaghan: R Beggan 0-5 (5f), K Hughes 0-2, C McManus 0-2 (1f), S Gollogly 0-2 (1f), J McCarron 0-1, D Clerkin 0-1, C McGuinness 0-1

Scorers for Armagh: S Campbell 0-3, J Clarke 0-3 (1f), T Kernan 0-3 (2f), R Grugan 0-2 (1f), A Forker 0-1, K Dyas 0-1, M Shields 0-1

MONAGHAN: R Beggan; R Wylie, D Wylie, C Walshe; D Mone, V Corey, F Kelly; D Clerkin, D Hughes; P Donaghy, J McCarron, K Duffy; D Malone, K Hughes, C McManus (Capt.). Subs: S Gollogly for McCarron (H-T), C McGuinness for McManus (black card, 44). P McKenna for Donaghy (51), P Finlay for Malone (62), K O’Connell for Kelly (69).

ARMAGH: P McEvoy; J Morgan, C Vernon, F Moriarty; A Kernan, M Shields, C McKeever (Capt.); E Rafferty, A Findon; E McVerry, K Dyas, A Forker; J Clarke, S Campbell, K Carragher. Subs: T Kernan for Carragher (black card, 21), S Harold for Rafferty (50), S Forker for A Forker (53), R Grugan for McVerry (56), M Murray for Moriarty (64).

Referee: J McQuillan (Cavan).

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Report: Colm Shalvey