Tyrone 0-13
Armagh 1-10
A LATE GOAL from substitute Niall Grimley secured Armagh a valuable and unlikely draw against their bitter rivals Tyrone in Healy Park tonight.
Tyrone were in control for most of the encounter but Grimley palmed Tony Kernan’s high ball to the net in time added on to give Armagh a major boost in their quest to avoid relegation to Division 3.
Kieran McGeeney’s men scrapped hard throughout at the drenched Omagh venue but were outclassed by the unbeaten leaders for lengthy spells.
Tyrone moved the ball at speed, no mean feat considering the amount of surface water on the field, allowing star man Ronan O’Neill and Connor McAliskey to cause plenty of problems for Armagh’s rearguard.
O’Neill excelled for Tyrone, as he demonstrated his balanced skill-set; his powerful running, excellent distribution and clinical finishing on show.
A buoyant Armagh will now travel Derry next week with their Division 2 status still to fight for.
Mickey Harte’s side, who secured promotion back to Division 1 with a win against Meath a fornight ago, will be looking to keep their unbeaten streak going when they travel to Fermanagh for another Ulster battle next weekend.
The first half was a typically physical affair between the two as both sides struggled to deal with the atrocious handling conditions.
The game began at a blistering pace with impressive Red Hand centre-forward O’Neill putting the ball over the bar after just 20 seconds.
It was a bittersweet beginning for Harte though as he lost nephew Peter Harte through injury after the Errigal Ciarán clubman picked up a knock in the build-up to O’Neill’s score.
Chances were at a premium, as the free counts began the build, although there were a couple of glorious first-half scores, including a brace of points from the boot of Tyrone wing-forward Richard Donnelly.
The second one was reminiscent of Brian Dooher, as he boomed the ball over, off the outside of his right boot, from the 45-metre line.
The first 35 minutes were tight but Tyrone found scores slightly easier to come by, and it was that edge that saw them ahead by 0-8 to 0-6 at the break.
O’Neill began the second period as he did the first, showing strength and intelligence to point from Armagh’s 21-metre line.
A couple of fine frees from the boot of Stefan Campbell kept McGeeney’s men in touch but the league leaders still had them at arm’s length thanks to two placed balls from the left boot of Darren McCurry.
Colm Watters, who scored two points from play in the first period but was starved of possession in the second, was then sent off for a second yellow with just over 10 minutes to go.
Armagh now had a mountain to climb but substitute Tony Kernan gave them a bit of hope with a booming score from play just afterwards.
Harte’s side seemed to be managed the game well in its final stages to secure a three-point win but Grimley’s late heroics ensured the shares were spoiled.
Scorers for Tyrone: Ronan O Neill (0-5, 3f), Connor McAliskey (0-3), Richard Donnelly (0-2), Darren McCurry (0-2, 2f), Mark Bradley (0-1).
Scorers for Armagh: Stefan Campbell (0-6, 6f), Niall Grimley (1-0), Colm Watters (0-2), T Kernan, A Forker (0-1).
Tyrone
1. Niall Morgan (Edendork)
2. Aidan McCrory (Errigal Ciarán)
3. Pádraig Hampsey (Coalisland)
4. Cathal McCarron (Dromore)
5. Niall Sludden (Dromore)
6. Rory Brennan (Trillick)
7. Tiernan McCann (Killaclogher)
8. Colm Cavanagh (Moy)
9. Mattie Donnelly (Trillick)
10. Peter Harte (Errigal Ciarán)
11. Ronan O’Neill (Omagh)
12. Richard Donnelly (Trillick)
13. Darren McCurry (Edendork)
14. Sean Cavanagh (Moy)
15. Connor McAliskey (Clonoe)
Subs:
17. Mark Bradley (Killaclogher) for Harte (4)
25. Barry Tierney (Omagh) for Sludden (52)
19. Conall McCann (Killaclogher) for McAliskey (57)
23. Padraig McNulty (Dungannon) for R Donnelly (61)
Armagh
1. Patrick Morrison (Armagh Harps)
2. Andy Mallon (Parnells)
3. Charlie Vernon (Armagh Harps)
4. Shea Heffron (Clann Eireann)
5. Mark Shields (Whitecross)
18. Sean Connell (Cullyhan)
7. Aidan Forker (Maghery)
20. Joe McElroy (Armagh Harps)
9. Ethan Rafferty (St Colmcille’s Grange)
10. Rory Grugan (Ballymacnab Round Towers)
11. Miceal McKenna (St Colmcille’s Grange)
12. Ciaron O’Hanlon (Killeavy)
13. Colm Watters (Cullaville)
14. Stefan Campbell (Clan na Gael)
15. Gavin McParland (Ballymacnab Round Towers)
Subs
24. Tony Kernan (Crossmaglen Rangers) for O’Hanlon (ht)
23. Niall Grimley (Madden) for Rafferty (59)
8. Aaron Findon (St Peter’s) for McKenna (65)
22. Stefan Forker (Maghery) for McParland (65).
Referee: Paddy Neilan (Roscommon).
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Explain your comment? We outplayed austria and comfortably held sweden and we are improving
In all fairness, if we stick with St Ledger in defence, then I can’t see us getting the points we need for 2nd from Austria, Sweden and Germany.
He might look good against the Faroes, but you can’t stick a rusty championship centre back, (who never plays more than 10 games a season) in against the top nations, you will get punished. Simple fact, the gulf in ability and match sharpness is just too big.
We’ve seen this already at the euros and against Germany and Austria at the Aviva and sadly I can see it happening again this autumn.
We have better options at centre back capable of stepping it up to that level, but until they’re given a chance, we’ll continue to have a miserable time against the better teams in qualifying.
Gavin did you see our performance last nite? Dismal !
Away to Sweden we looked good but we are incapable of beating these teams away from home and we’ll struggle to do so against Austria.
We played ok against Austria but the last 20 minutes was reminiscent of Russia away, sit back and defend as deep as we can and we paid a hefty price for it.
As for Sweden at home that game has draw written all over it, our football qualities are shocking and its keeping people away from games.
St Ledger last nite was brutal, o shea is a muppet(always has been and always will be) Whelan-wtf???
Simon cox was also horrendous and this was just last nite against a side who would struggle in the lenister senior league.
Don’t get me wrong I am a massive fan and travel to every game home and away from the uk and nobody wants success more than me but robbie is talking through his arse.
Do you remember the staunton late late show, show?
No were not!
But how about now?
I think we have a chance of beating Sweden a home. They were dreadful against us away from home. I agree that the defensive centre half partnership is important here. St Ledger showed in the euros and against England that he’s not quite good enough for international football. O Shea and Dunne may be a better bet for september.
However Austria look at lot better than Sweden and getting a draw in Austria seems like a tall order. Not impossible though. We could very easily miss out on a playoff on goal difference. Which will open up a huge can of worms on Traps tactics.
Have to agree with Denis spot on.
With coleman, Mccarthy and long upfront we have the basis of a decent team. Sweden are poor and if trap hadnt of put the shackles on us at ht v Austria we wudda beat them. All too play for now and we are due some good luck