Donegal 1-9
Armagh 0-11
Alan Foley reports from Ballybofey
MICHAEL MURPHY’S IMPACT was almost immediate as he came off the bench to plant a goal as Donegal won by the bare minimum against Armagh in Ballybofey tonight.
Substitute Murphy finished off a pass from Michael Langan to edge his team into a slender 1-4 to 0-6 lead in miserable conditions in the north-west. He was only on the pitch seven minutes before netting in first-half injury time.
The 2012 All-Ireland winning captain scored 1-2 in all to get his side back into contention for promotion following back-to-back losses against Tipperary and Fermanagh.
Armagh looked as though they’d go in ahead as Stefan Campbell and Niall Grimley had pointed twice apiece in the first half. However, three frees from Langan kept Donegal in touch prior to their skipper’s arrival.
Langan, who scored five points in all, was involved in the flashpoint of the opening period when he went in heavy on Jemar Hall on 18 minutes.
In the afters, players from both teams got involved and when the dust settled, match referee Martin McNally dismissed a player from each team. James Morgan of Armagh and Jason McGee from Donegal were the ones shown the line.
The second half was a tamer affair, with Murphy adding two fine late points in the final 10 minutes. Armagh pushed their way back into it, with Rian O’Neill impressing.
However, Ethan Rafferty’s late free — when he smashed for goal in the fifth minute of injury time — flew over and Kieran McGeeney’s team went down by the minimum.
Scorers for Donegal: M Murphy 1-2, M Langan 0-5 (5f), C Thompson (f) and N O’Donnell 0-1 each.
Scorers for Armagh: R O’Neill 0-4 (1f), N Grimley 0-3 (3f), S Campbell 0-2, J Clarke 0-1 and E Rafferty (f) 0-1 each.
Donegal
S Patton
S McMenamin
B McCole
C Ward
R McHugh
L McLoone
Eoghan Ban Gallagher
H McFadden
C McGonagle
C Thompson
J McGee
M Langan
J Brennan
O Gallen
N O’Donnell
Subs:
M Murphy for Gallen (28)
E McHugh for Thompson (47)
P Brennan for McMenamin (55)
Armagh
B Hughes
J Morgan
A McKay
R McShane
C Mackin
G McCabe
P Hughes
S Sheridan
N Grimley
J Hall
R Grugan
C Vernon
S Campbell
R O’Neill
J Clarke
Subs:
R Kennedy for McShane (HT)
E Rafferty for Campbell (39)
J Burns for Vernon (63)
M Shields for Hall (63)
J McElroy for Mackin (69)
Referee: M McNally (Monaghan)
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@Gareth Keenan: ooh nasty one. Just watched it on there when came home from Omagh. Both sides fairly indisciplined but that’s a ban and a lengthy one, could have broke his leg
@Gareth Keenan: actually just watched it a few times again and it gets worse every time you look at it. Can never understand why any player would want to go and hurt another player like that. Very lucky he didn’t break his leg
@Roberts Mel: yeah pure cowards behaviour that with a man on the ground. Not sure how conditions were in Omagh but they were brutal in Ballybofey!
@Gareth Keenan: Wasn’t actually too bad in Omagh. Wet and windy but nothing on the scale of Ballybofey. You should manage to go up now?
@Roberts Mel: ah I don’t know thats 5 very average/poor performances in a row. Should be beating Cork next time out because they are dung and then be winner takes all against Kildare in last game to go up.
@Gareth Keenan: pure dirt that. Shocking to watch. Big game tomorrow too for promotion with meath and kildare