Derry defeat Armagh to set up McKenna final date with Donegal

The Oak Leafers were the better side throughout against an Armagh team - like Derry - still missing several key championship performers but there were plenty of positives for both Harte and Kieran McGeeney to take away from an entertaining battle.

Shane McGuigan helped himself to 10 of Derry's 17 scores but it was the performance of Magherafelt's Cormac Murphy that probably caught the eye most, the jet heeled forward helping himself to superb points in each half on an excellent senior debut.

On another day, and with better finishing, Derry could have scored four goals but even with those missed opportunities, Derry always held the upper hand.

The visitors dominated the early stages of the game and led 0-4 to 0-1 after 15 minutes but a goal from Armagh corner back Sean Conlon put Kieran McGeeney’s men in front for the first time in the game. However, when they needed to, Derry always found an extra gear as three points from McGuigan levelled the scoreboard once more with the sides tied 1-4 to 0-7 at the break.

Ben Crealey raised another green flag for Armagh in the second half to give them a narrow lead but Derry pulled away in the final quarter with five unanswered points, including another two from McGuigan.

For Harte, it was another positive step toward the Division One opener in Tralee on January 27th with the Derry manager happy to see his side creating goal chances, even if he acknowledged their finishing can be improved

"We tried to push ahead a few times and Armagh got some great goals there on the breakaway," explained Harte, "I felt sorry for Odhran Lynch, he made a couple of good saves and the rebounds were put in the net so it was very unfortunate but I think it was a good game, a good spectacle. Plenty of scores. Plenty of energy given from both teams and it was good to be part of it.

"I would say it would be a bigger downer if you weren't creating any goal chances," he replied when quizzed on his side's opportunities in front of goal, "I think when you create four goal chances you're doing something right. We have to get the finished article now but I'd be much happier about creating four goal chances and missing them than not creating any at all."

Conor Doherty opened the scoring for Derry in the second minute and McGuigan doubled their lead three minutes later. Armagh were trying to build from the back, with Hughes, like his counterpart Lynch, happy to roam. It almost cost Armagh dearly when a turnover saw Murphy burst forward and off load to Diarmuid Baker who bore down on goal. Hughes had raced back in the nick of time however and managed to smother Baker’s effort at the right hand post.

Murphy made it three unanswered points for the Oak Leafers, but Ciaran O’Hanlon opened the scoring for Armagh from a mark in the 12th minute and with that the home nerves settled.

Traded points between Dan Higgins and Oisin O’Neill (f) made it 0-4 to 0-2 but a couple of terrific scores from Kieran and Crealey levelled the game at 0-4 apiece with 19 minutes on the clock. And just four minutes later Armagh led by three when O’Neill launched a high ball which wasn’t dealt with by the Derry defence and Conlon was on hand to slot into the net.

However the Orchard side couldn’t capitalise and three points from McGuigan, two from frees, levelled proceedings at 1-4 to 0-7.Kieran was through for goal on 30 minutes but his powerful close-range shot was stopped superbly by Lynch and it remained level at the half-time whistle.

Derry began the second half as they ended the first, with McGuigan converting two frees. But on 38 minutes, Armagh went in front again when Cian McConville’s shot was again saved well by Lynch but Crealey fisted home the rebound for 2-4 to 0-9.McGuigan squared the game again with another free and things really heated up when Padraig McGrogan was denied a goal by the crossbar and Hughes saved a shot from Gareth McKinless.

McGrogan nabbed a point to give Derry the lead but a frantic last quarter ensued, with a couple of super points from O’Neill and Conlan nudging Armagh in front once more. Traded frees between O’Neill and McGuigan made it 2-7 to 0-12, but points from Paul Cassidy, Murphy, Eoin McEvoy and a brace of frees from McGuigan finished the scoring at 0-17 to 2-7.

Armagh: Blaine Hughes; Tomás McCormack, Ciaran Higgins, Sean Conlon (1-1); Connaire Mackin, Niall Rowland, Mark Shields; Ben Crealey (1-1), Callum O’Neill; Ciaron O’Hanlon (0-1 mark), Joe Sheridan, Justin Kieran (0-1); Cian McConville, Oisin O’Neill (0-3, 2 frees), Darragh McMullan. (Subs) Jarly Og Burns for Sheridan (46mins), Daniel Magee for Crealey (65mins), Michael McConville for Conlon (67mins)

Derry: Odhran Lynch; Diarmuid Baker, Eoin McEvoy, (0-1) Christopher McKaigue; Conor Doherty (0-1), Gareth McKinless, Padraig McGrogan (0-1); Dan Higgins (0-1), Brendan Rogers; Donncha Gilmore, Declan Cassidy, Paul Cassidy (0-1); Ben McCarron, Shane McGuigan (0-10, 8 frees), Cormac Murphy (0-2). Subs: Niall Loughlin for Cassidy (46mins), Niall Toner for McCarron (46mins), Ruairi Forbes for Higgins (67mins), Niall O’Donnell for Murphy (70 +2mins)

Referee: Pat Clarke (Cavan)