Armagh unwilling to hand over title deeds

Ulster SFC Semi-final/Fermanagh 2-5 Armagh 0-11: Whatever people might say about Ulster football, at least it's still beautifully unpredictable. On days like this, when the game is allowed build with the energy of a lightning storm, there's nothing like being stuck in Clones, even with those replay blues again.

That it ended level only brought relief from an afternoon of high tension. This was no anti-climax. Armagh had turned on all their old style to keep at least one hand on their Ulster title. Fermanagh had once again defied predictions and looked to have one foot in a first Ulster final in 24 years. In other words, neither team deserved to lose.

In two weeks' time - June 25th - they'll come back to Clones and try to keep those ambitions intact.

Both teams will feel they can improve, though Fermanagh will probably have to prove as well they haven't missed their chance. Armagh have never lost a replay under Joe Kernan, and they've played five.

They came into this game having drawn with Monaghan in the quarter-final, and if there is any truth to the theory that Armagh are operating on tiring legs, then such an itinerary could haunt them later in the summer. For now that's the least of their concerns.

Kernan's priority ahead of the replay will be working out how his team conceded two goals. Armagh don't concede two goals. In Kernan's four seasons to date they have leaked just nine goals in 29 championship games - and never more than one per game. Fermanagh's two goals here very nearly cost Armagh the the game.

And yet without those goals Fermanagh would have struggled badly. In fact they were living off them for the last 20 minutes. Midfielder Mark Murphy scored a point on 48 minutes, and they wouldn't score again.

Fermanagh could hardly hold on to possession during that period and spilled an inexplicable amount of ball. Armagh of course made them pay, but just not quite the ultimate price.

With Clones a cauldron of 22,216 people, the game hardly needed to warm up. Both teams made pre-match changes. For Armagh, Paul Hearty resumed goalkeeping duties, Francie Bellew returned to full back and JP Donnelly replaced Paul Duffy; for Fermanagh, Ryan McCluskey and Colm Bradley started.

There was a nervous edge to both teams before points from Ciarán McKeever and Steven McDonnell settled the champions. Fermanagh's perfect reply came on 10 minutes when Liam McBarron's high ball dropped in toward Hearty and Bellew, but somehow Tom Brewster got his hands to it and did well to put it in the net.

It was the sort of defensive error Armagh rarely make twice in a game.

Fermanagh's own defence looked shaky, and when full back Barry Owens slipped just minutes later, Ronan Clarke was through for a clear shot on goalkeeper Chris Breen. Instead he blasted it over the bar.

Owens clearly learnt from that mistake and gave precious little away after that, frequently producing inspired clearances from the likes of Shane Goan and Peter Sherry.

Brewster and Ciarán O'Reilly added frees to keep Fermanagh 1-2 to 0-4 in front, but that was their better period of the first half done with. Armagh raised their game ominously, Aaron Kernan bursting through to finish a typically crafty score. Kieran McGeeney was sending in some dangerous ball too from midfield, and Armagh had at least a couple of half goal chances.

Fermanagh held out, but couldn't stop Oisín McConville and McDonnell from firing over two cool points in succession - and thus giving Armagh a 0-7 to 1-2 lead at the break.

The tempo of the game rose considerably throughout the second half. Fermanagh's youthful pace started to tell, creating another successful free for Ciarán O'Reilly and Brewster's first point from play. They held the advantage now, and needed to maximise it. Against that background they scored their second goal.

Ryan Keenan had replaced Bradley at half-time, and his attacking ambitions were clear. Murphy's searching ball from just past halfway bounced over the head of Enda McNulty and Keenan was there to collect, charging at Hearty before burying the ball in the net. Fermanagh were up by three - 2-4 to 0-7 - and wouldn't be headed again.

But they just couldn't build on that advantage. With McKeever tireless at centre back, McConville and McDonnell coming more into the game, and McGeeney and Paul McGrane cleaning up at midfield Armagh suddenly looked more dangerous.

McConville and Clarke posted two quick points - Clarke's a real gem from the right sideline - and the momentum was now with Armagh. Murphy's point only briefly stalled that, and as they entered the last 15 minutes Armagh were breathing down their necks.

McDonnell had one glorious goal chance that probably would have won it for Armagh, but that was well stopped by Breen. He got a point though a while later and Armagh were back to the minimum.

So to the frenzied conclusion. Brewster hit a difficult free well wide, but when McConville got a far easier chance on exactly 70 minutes he of course made sure.

ARMAGH: 16 P Hearty; 2 A Mallon, 17 F Bellow, 4 E McNulty; 5 A Kernan (0-1), 6 C McKeever (0-1), 18 JP Donnelly; 8 K McGeeney, 9 P McGrane; 10 P McKeever (0-1), 11 B Mallon, 12 M Mackin; 13 S McDonnell (0-3), 14 R Clarke (0-2), 15 O McConville (0-3, one free). Subs: 28 A O'Rourke for Donnelly (55 mins), 22 J McEntee for Clarke (64 mins).

FERMANAGH: 1 C Breen; 29 R McCluskey, 3 B Owens, 4 S Goan; 7 S McDermott, 6 H Brady, 2 P Sherry; 8 L McBarron, 9 M Murphy (0-1); 12 T Brewster (1-2, one free), 14 S Doherty, 10 M Little; 18 C Bradley, 13 E Maguire, 15 C O'Reilly (0-2 frees). Subs: 20 R Keenan (1-0) for Bradley (half-time), 11 J Sherry McBarron (48 mins), 5 R Johnston for Brady (56 mins), 19 F Reilly for Murphy (65 mins).

Referee: John Bannon (Longford).