Armagh 0-18
Meath 0-13
ARMAGH HAVE SECURED a spot in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship quarter-finals after a five point win in their Round 4B qualifier with Meath in a rain sodden Croke Park this evening.
Meath started the game quickly, Andrew Tormey and Mickey Newman shooting into an empty Hill 16 but Armagh’s Jamie Clarke took advantage of a mistake by Paddy O’Rourke to score his side’s first point before Aidan Forker levelled things up at 0-2 apiece on ten minutes.
They would be the first of eight scores on the bounce for Armagh and it looked as if Paul Grimley’s side would have the game wrapped up by the break. However, five unanswered points in as many minutes from Meath ensured they went into half time down by just a single point, 0-8 to 0-7.
While Meath levelled briefly at the start of the second half, another twenty minute period without a score would prove their undoing as Armagh rattled off five unanswered scores of their own to stretch into a 15-10 lead with ten minutes remaining.
Meath needed goals in the closing stages but it never looked likely as the losing Leinster finalists could only get as close as four before Graham Reilly and Newman closed out the game for the Ulster side.
A season that began with relegation to Division 3 suddenly looks a whole lot brighter for Armagh and their supporters.
Scorers for Armagh: Tony Kernan 0-3 (0-2f), Aidan Forker and Stefan Campbell 0-3 each, Aaron Kernan and Brian Mallon 0-2 each, Mark Shields, Kevin Dyas, Kyle Carragher, Jamie Clarke and Stefan Forker 0-1 each.
Scorers for Meath: Michael Newman 0-4 (0-3f, 0-1 ’45), Graham Reilly 0-3, Paddy O’Rourke 0-2 (0-2f), David Bray 0-2 (0-1f), Damien Carroll and Andrew Tormey 0-1 each.
ARMAGH
1. Philip McEvoy (Dromintee)
3. Charlie Vernon (Armagh Harps)
4. Andy Mallon (Parnells)
2. James Morgan (Crossmaglen Rangers)
5. Mark Shields (Whites Cross)
6. Brendan Donaghy (Clonmore)
25. Aaron Kernan (Crossmaglen Rangers)
8. Stephen Harold (Carrickcruppen)
9. Aaron Findon (St Peter’s)
14. Stefan Campbell (Clann na Gael)
12. Tony Kernan (Crossmaglen Rangers)
10. Aidan Forker (Maghery)
15. Jamie Clarke (Crossmaglen Rangers)
11. Kevin Dyas (Dromintee)
13. Kyle Carragher (Crossmaglen Rangers)
Subs: 20. Michael Murray (Cullyhanna) for Morgan (half-time), 17. Rory Grugan (Ballymacnab Round Towers) for Carragher (55), 21. Brian Mallon (Tir na n-Og) for Forker (60), 23. Stefan Forker (Maghery) for Kernan (67).
MEATH
1. Paddy O’Rourke (Skryne)
2. Michael Burke (Longwood)
5. Bryan Menton (Donaghmore/Ashbourne)
4. Donal Keogan (Rathkenny)
10. Damien Carroll (Ballinabrackey)
6. Padraic Harnan (Moynalvey)
7. Donncha Tobin (Blackhall Gaels)
18. Shane O’Rourke (Simonstown Gaels)
9. Adam Flanagan (Clonard)
8. Brian Meade (Rathkenny)
11. Brian McMahon (Ratoath)
12. Andrew Tormey (Donaghmore/Ashbourne)
13. David Bray (Navan O’Mahony’s)
14. Stephen Bray (Navan O’Mahony’s)
15. Michael Newman (Kilmainham)
Subs: 22. Graham Reilly (St Colmcille’s) for Meade (30), 17. Eoghan Harrington (Wolfe Tones) for Carroll (53), 21. Dalton McDonagh (Na Fianna) for Stephen Bray (57), 25. Joseph Wallace (Ratoath) for David Bray (60), 23. Paddy Gilsenan (Oldcastle) for McDonagh (63).
Referee: Rory Hickey (Clare).
