Armagh finish in style but crash out of Division Two

Armagh 1-18 Derry 0-15

Seldom has an Armagh victory carried such a bitter-sweet taste. Kieran McGeeney’s side managed to finish their Allianz Football League campaign by claiming the scalp of Derry on Sunday but their only ‘reward’ is relegation to Division Three.

On a day when earlier inept performances came back to haunt them, the orchard county maintained the more recent improvement they have shown which will surely provide a cushion for the forthcoming Ulster Championship.

“The Cavan result in particular was a blow and the fact that we had players missing for matches did not help but I’m not making excuses,” said McGeeney afterwards.

In a match that morphed something of a shoot-out between the respective free-takers - Derry’s Mark Lynch and Armagh’s Ethan Rafferty each landed seven points - Armagh offered an early insight into their new-found confidence.

They led by 1-12 to 0-7 at the break, Michael McKenna’s 34th minute goal complementing a rich haul of points from Campbell, Rory Grugan in particular.

But Derry’s spirit and energy surfaced strongly in the third quarter when, mainly through the accuracy of Lynch, they pegged their hosts back at 1-14 to 0-14.

Not for the first-time this year, seven minutes of added time were played at the venue and Armagh availed of the opportunity to cement their win with late points from Rafferty, Campbell and veteran Andy Mallon.

Armagh: P Morrison; A Mallon 0-1, C Vernon, S Heffron; M Shields 0-1, S Connell, J McElroy; A Forker, E Rafferty 0-7 (all frees); R Grugan 0-2, M McKenna 1-1, C O'Hanlon 0-1; C Watters 0-1, S Campbell 0-3, G McParland 0-1. Subs: T Kernan for McElroy (47), N Grimley for O'Hanlon (54), M McNeice for Morrison (58), A Findon for McParland (69). Yellow cards: McKenna (19), O'Hanlon (38), Heffron (65).

Derry: T Mallon; O Duffy, C McKaigue, K McKaigue; L McGoldrick, B Rogers, D Heavron; C McAtamney, C McFaul; E McGuckin, C Bradley, J Kielt 0-2; N Loughlin, M Lynch 0-7 (all frees), S L McGoldrick 0-1. Subs: E Bradley for McAtamney (33), C Mullan for L McGoldrick (half-time), R Bell for S L McGoldrick (half-time), D Mullan for McGuckin (55), C Murphy for Loughlin (55), C O'Boyle for Kielt (64). Yellow cards: Rogers (19, Bradley (38).

Referee: Fergal Kelly (Longford).