All-Ireland SFC: Dublin 0-19 Armagh 0-24
Kieran McGeeney was asked if he felt Armagh are a better team this season. The manager of the All-Ireland champions took a philosophical approach to answering the question, but seemed to say it’s too early to tell.
“As you know, it’s like everything else,” he said. “All the writing is done at the end. No matter what I say now, no matter what you say, it doesn’t make any difference. It’s always the final chapter when it comes to sport that determines the content of the book.
“You look at it from a different perspective when you’re the last man standing. In sport, unfortunately, that’s the only way it goes. I more than most would know that story all too well.”
McGeeney was speaking after his team had comprehensively seen off Dublin. The five-point winning margin did not do Armagh justice. From the moment Rian O’Neill dropped a two-pointer over the bar at the start of the second half to push the margin to six, Dublin never got closer than five and the margin extended to eight at one stage.
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The result was enough to guarantee top spot in Group 4 with a match to go. Their last match in the group comes against Galway, who they beat in last year’s All-Ireland final.
McGeeney pointed to Dublin’s profligacy as a concern for him, as more accurate finishing on their part might have changed the complexion of the game.
Dublin manager Dessie Farrell sighed when asked about his team’s extravagant rate of wides - 18 plus four dropped short. Farrell said: “I think in the first quarter we were quite clinical, but then lost our way for some reason and we never really regained our composure. [We] struggled to get momentum, outside of a period in the second half where we got at the Armagh kickout.
“That gave us a very good platform, but we failed to convert and execute from that platform, so that was very disappointing. And then, perhaps some decision-making around shot selection, chasing the game, chasing two-pointers that potentially we would regret now.”
The loss to injury of captain Con O’Callaghan was a major factor in the team’s poor shooting stats but he was also missed in terms of presence and leadership. Dublin will need him back on the field for the decisive match against Derry in two weeks.
A good phase at the start saw Cormac Costello in sharp form, with three points from play. Dublin led 0-6 to 0-3 by the 11th minute. Paddy Small kicked in a couple as well but the wides had started to roll even by that stage.
Armagh found their rhythm, helped by their successful attack on the Stephen Cluxton kickout – which the veteran goalkeeper redeemed with a couple of fine saves from Oisín Conaty and Andrew Murnin.
Bit by bit, they turned the screw. Rory Grugan, who had an excellent match, kicked a two-pointer, Conaty, O’Neill and Conor Turbitt also got in on the act and they finished the half strongly to lead by four at the break, 0-13 to 0-9.
Already, it looked a steep climb for Dublin, particularly given their inaccuracies.
Farrell’s men did little to help themselves. The second half was marked by three breaches of the 4v3 rule, which handed an already superior Armagh the equivalent of a goal.
“It just shouldn’t be happening,” said Farrell. “Whether they’re marginal calls or not, we shouldn’t be putting ourselves in that position.” He added a different technical breach, after a mark, had cost them a further two points.
Armagh were superior in how they stitched together moves and above all, in how they finished them. During his absence earlier in the season, it was remarked that O’Neill would be an obvious beneficiary of the two-pointers.
Against Dublin, he demonstrated why people held that view – raising the roof with his first in the 27th minute as his county’s sizeable contingent in the 38,763 crowd signalled approval.
As Farrell indicated, Dublin started chasing two-pointers. Sadly for the Sky Blues, they lacked cohesion in their approach to such a tactic. Seán Bugler, Costello and Small got one each but also missed plenty between them. In O’Callaghan’s absence, Dublin don’t have too many two-pointers up their sleeve
Armagh continued to work the scoreboard. Ethan Rafferty, on an excursion from goal with Paddy Small chasing, kicked a point from play to highlight the disparity between the teams’ scoring capacity.
[ Monaghan turn seven-point deficit around to beat Clare in ClonesOpens in new window ]
McGeeney reflected on the recovery from losing a third successive Ulster final and suggested that as All-Ireland holders, their priorities may have been re-ordered.
“Was it easier than last year? It depends. The provincial titles for me meant a lot when I was playing. They were hard coming, they were the big things. I think things have changed. I do think people are pushing for the big one. When you get it, you’re looking for another one.
“I know all the players wanted to win that [Ulster] final when we were there. They still want to win one, but they still know that in sport it’s always about the big prize. That’s what you’re pushing for the whole time.”
Farrell’s views carried a more bleak tone.
“We were chasing them and that becomes too hard,” he said. “Sometimes you can chase and get to grips with it and get yourself back into it. But one or two players that we needed something from – we needed a score or two from - they just never came and the gap was always too big. They were able to ride it out in the end.”
DUBLIN: S Cluxton; D Byrne, T Clancy, A Gavin; S McMahon, B Howard (0-0-1), S Bugler (0-1-1); P Ó Cofaigh Byrne, C Kilkenny (capt); K McGinnis, L O’Dell (0-0-1), N Scully; P Small (0-1-2), C Costello (0-1-6, 3f), C Basquel.
Subs: L Gannon (0-0-2) for Basquel (20 mins); J Small for Gavin (h-t), T Lahiff for McGinnis, L Breathnach for O’Dell (both 48), E O’Donnell for Scully (61).
ARMAGH: E Rafferty (0-0-1); B McCambridge, P Burns, P McGrane; R McQuillan (0-0-1), T Kelly, J Óg Burns (0-0-2); J Duffy, B Crealey; D McMullan (0-0-1), O Conaty (0-0-2), A Murnin; R Grugan (capt) (0-2-4, 1tpf, 4f), R O’Neill (0-3-0, 1 tpf), C Turbitt (0-0-1).
Subs: S Campbell (0-0-1) for Turbitt (53 mins); J McElroy (0-0-1) for Duffy (64); T McCormack for Grugan (67); N Grimley for O’Neill (68).
Referee: J McQuillan (Cavan).
