Substitute Carvill guides Armagh home

Armagh 0-13 Monaghan 0-12:A STUNNING three-point blitz from substitute Paul Carvill helped Armagh squeeze past a gallant Monaghan side in this lively Dr McKenna Cup contest at the Morgan Athletic Grounds last night.

Carvill’s late, late show was highlighted by his winning score, a monster effort from 50 metres, that stole Paul Finlay’s thunder after the cultured Monaghan full-forward had helped himself to an eight-point haul which at one stage had appeared to assure his side of victory.

A proliferation of unforced errors served to undermine Armagh’s strategy in the first-half yet, inspired by the clinical finishing of Eugene McVerry in particular, they managed to assemble a 0-5 to 0-3 lead by the 16th minute without ever unveiling any real level of cohesion.

But with Finlay in superb form, Monaghan always managed to look the more menacing side when in possession and by half-time he had already landed four points when the sides were deadlocked at 0-6 each.

Three quickfire points on the resumption from Stephen Gollogly, Eoin Duffy and Finlay thrust Monaghan into the driving seat but the home side seized the initiative again with Finian Moriarty, Anto Duffy and the deadly accurate McVerry pilfering the points that brought them back on terms.

The dismissal of midfielder James Lavery in the 52nd minute failed to unnerve Armagh and they produced a storming finish with Charlie Vernon, Ciaran McKeever and Paul Duffy deploying their vast experience to good effect.

And when substitute Carvill produced his triple coup in the closing minutes, the home side nosed to victory by the narrowest of margins.

ARMAGH: S Hughes; B Donaghy, C Vernon, D McKenna; P Duffy (0-1), C McKeever, F Moriarty (0-1); M Mackin, J Kingham; D Lavery (0-1), B Mallon, A Duffy (0-2); R Rafferty, M O’Rourke, E McVerry (0-5, 0-3 frees). Subs: P Carragher for Swift (32 mins), C Watters for B Mallon (32 mins), A Mallon for D Lavery (42 mins), P Carvill (0-3, frees) for Rafferty (50 mins).

MONAGHAN: R Beggan; C O’Connell, D Hughes, D Malone; R McNally, V Corey, D Morgan; D Hughes, J Turley; M McKenna, S Gollogly (0-1), D Millar; C Hanratty, P Finlay (0-8, 0-4 frees), E Duffy (0-3). Subs: B O’Brien for McKenna (42 mins), C McGuinness for Hanratty (60 mins), S Smith for O’Connell (65 mins).

Referee: M Higgins (Fermanagh).