Armagh win Ulster SFC Semi-Final thriller as last kick of the game edges out Tyrone

Belfast Telegraph

26-04-2025

It is always a good sign when you see shadowed silhouettes loom behind the players as they stand arm in arm for the national anthem.
The grass was short, the sun was beaming and the air had that unmistakable stench of championship football.
The big news before throw-in was that Darragh Canavan had indeed recovered from the hamstring injury that kept him out of the squad against Cavan in the Quarter-Finals, and the Errigal Ciaran star kicked things off with the opening point of the match.
Oisin Conaty responded almost immediately and Armagh took a foothold in the game for the next 15 minutes, with only Darren McCurry's accuracy from free kicks keeping the score within touching distance.
Oisin O'Neill was a constant threat, kicking a fine two-pointer from distance, and continuously forced the Red Hand defence to put pressure on him immediately, as they knew how dangerous he was from range.
Tyrone eventually played themselves into the game, with Conn Kilpatrick and Brian Kennedy causing the Orchard defence a lot of problems, at times almost steamrolling through them like they were senior stars playing against a minor team.
Michael McKernan showed real leadership by kicking an incredible two-pointer at one side of the pitch, and mere minutes later he was back in his own defence, robbing the Armagh forward of possession and launching another attack.
McCurry was lively from play as well, kicking two fine scores, but his work off the ball was equally as important as he hassled and harried the men in orange, preventing them from breaking away easily.
In the final 10 minutes of the half both teams looked as though the high intensity exchanges early on was starting to affect them as kick passes went astray, balls were dropped and neither side could grab a handle on the match.
Back to back scores from Andrew Murnin and an individual effort from the roaming goalkeeper that is Ethan Rafferty started to give Kieran McGeeney's men some breathing room and left them three points clear when the hooter blew.
Malachy O'Rourke would have been hoping for an instant reply from his team but the opening exchanges of the second half belonged to Conaty, who danced his way through a sea of white and red on two occasions before slotting it over the bar.
Those two points were cancelled out by a Kilpatrick two-pointer and Canavan added his first since the opening minutes of the match.
This mini onslaught from Tyrone only resulted in motivating their opponents,as Ross McQuillan, Jarly Og Burns and O'Neill all scored in quick succession.
McCurry then treated the crowd to some 'Dazzler' magic, throwing more dummies than a toddler at a birthday party before floating over a silky score.
It felt as though every time O'Rourke's men found some momentum, the reigning All-Ireland champions would just rob them of it with clinical responses.
The introduction of Eoin McElholm proved to be the boost that Tyrone needed, as the young Under-20 star scored almost as soon as he came on, created a great goal chance and then won an important free.
That injection of hope was only increased when former county captain Padraig Hampsey made his first appearance of the season, winning a tackle as soon as he came on which started an attack that resulted in a two-pointer from Peter Harte.
McCurry then kicked another from outside the 40m arc and McElhom danced his way through once again to send fans wearing white and red into delirium – they finally had the lead, and finally had momentum.
Suddenly Armagh were the ones with their backs against the wall, but you don't win All-Irelands by getting things easy, and McGeeney's side are used to fighting until the very death.
Substitute Stefan Campbell made a name for himself last season by coming on in the latter stages of the game and having an instant impact, which is exactly what happened at Clones.
The flying forward scored a brilliant equaliser and, with the hooter blown shortly afterwards, the Orchard county were trying to get one last attack before being awarded a free kick that was converted by Rory Grugan to send his county to the Ulster Final once again.
Scorers – Tyrone: D Canavan 0-4 (2f), D McCurry 0-10 (4 f, 1 2p), M McKernan 0-2 (1 2p), C Kilpatrick 0-2 (1 2p), E McElholm 0-2, P Harte 0-2 (1 2p); Armagh: O Conaty 0-4, R McQuillan 0-2, O O'Neill 0-3 (1 2p), R Grugan 0-3 (2f), C O'Neill 0-3, E Rafferty 0-1, A Murnin 0-2, J Og Burns 0-2, B Crealy 0-1, C Turbitt 0-1, S Campbell 0-1,
Tyrone: N Morgan 8, C Quinn 7, P Teague 7, N Devlin 7, M McKernan 9, R Brennan 7, K McGeary 7, B Kennedy 8, C Kilpatrick 8, A Donaghy 6, J Oguz 7, C Daly 7, D McCurry 9, R Canavan 6, D Canavan 7
Subs: S O'Donnell 7 on for A Donaghy (41), E McElholm 9 on for R Canavan (47), B McDonnell 8 on for J Oguz (47) P Harte 8 on for C Daly (53), P Hampsey 8 on for C Quinn (58)
Armagh: E Rafferty 7, P Burns 7, B McCambridge 7, T McCormack 7, R McQuillan 9, G McCabe 8, J Og Burns 8, C O'Neill 8, B Crealy 8, D McMullen 7, O Conaty 9, P McGrane 8, R Grugan 7, A Murnin 8, O O'Neill 8