MAYO were denied the two points which would have secured their Division Two status for another season when Diarmuid Marsden snatched a dramatic draw for Armagh with the last kick of the game at Chailestown yesterday.
The draw leaves Mayo in a relegation play-off with Clare but the Connacht champions will be a little relieved to be still in Division Two in a game that could so easily have lost as well as won.
The beaten All-Ireland finalists found themselves 1-6 to 0-5 downs at the interval, having been outplayed at midfield.
The Armagh coal was clinically finished by Paul McGrane just before the interval, while points from Cathal O'Rourke, John Raftery and John McNulty - he switched from corner-back to midfield - helped Armagh in the opening half.
When the Connacht champions went five points behind 10 minutes into the second-half, a return to Division Three looked on the cards.
However, the introduction of Liam McHale coincided with an improvement up front, particularly from Maurice Sheridan and John Casey. This was supplemented by points from cornerback Kenneth Mortimer, and halfback Fergal Costello, which saw Mayo go into a point lead four minutes from time.
They looked certain to hold on until Marsden landed a 40-yard free just on the stroke of full time
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