Classy Armagh step up a gear and leave Cork in their wake

Armagh 1-19 Cork 2-10

The Ulster champions showed no effects of not having a competitive game for 18 weeks as they produced a marvellous display of controlled, aggressive football which the Munster champions had no answer to.

Credit Cork for a tremendous first half recovery - from being two goals down after 10 minutes to only a point in arrears at the break - but once Armagh stepped up a couple of gears in the second-half there was only going to be one outcome.

From goalkeeper Paul Wilson to substitute Peter Stevenson, there wasn’t a weak link in this excellent Armagh side who have now reached their first final at this level.

Aaron Kernan, Finian Moriarty, Gregory Loughran and Ronan Austin also made major contributions to the victory, but it was essentially a team effort.

For Cork, Kevin Murphy, Michael Prout, Donal O’Donovan, Noel O’Riordan and Kevin O’Sullivan couldn’t be faulted, but on the day the Leesiders ran up against a finely tuned Armagh side that will take beating in next month’s decider against Mayo.

Armagh got off to a dream start with a goal and a point from Michael McNamee inside the opening minute and when Peadar Toal added a point, Cork found themselves five points down after just three minutes play.

Cork struggled in most sectors of the field principally because they gave the Armagh men far too much room, but they finally got on the scoreboard with a Kevin O’Sullivan point and he added another soon after before Armagh showed their class with a delightful point by Brian Mallon.

Armagh might have had a second goal in the 10th minute but Ronan Austin completely mis-kicked in front of the Cork goal, before he atoned with a great point a minute later.

Gradually, Cork improved particularly in attack and with Armagh wasting chances to put the Munster champions away, Cork began to put some encouraging attacks together and were just four points adrift after 20 minutes as Kevin O’Sullivan showed his prowess from frees.

The introduction of Alan O’Connor to midfield helped the Cork recovery and with Michael Prout, moved from right to left corner back, keeping a tight rein on Michael McNamee who was forced off injured coming up to half time, Cork struck for a crucial goal in the 25th minute when Tadhg Twomey’s effort took a deflection and nestled in the back of the net.

The Leesiders were now enjoying their best spell and had the deficit down to the minimum after O’Sullivan pointed his fourth free, and from a position of being cleaned out for most of the half, they found themselves just a point in arrears at half-time 1-8 to 1-7.

However, Armagh resumed the second half as they began the first, full of passion and great running and in the space of seven minutes, rattled over four points in a row, the third of them a superb effort by Ronan Austin from out near the touchline.

Cork’s problems stemmed from midfield where they had no answer to Armagh’s Gareth Swift and Malachy Mackin, and they brought in Kieran Murphy in the hope of breaking the Ulster dominance, all to no avail.

Armagh continued to dictate matters all over the pitch and they regularly carved open the Cork defence playing superb inter-passing football and by the end of the third quarter, the Orchard County led 1-15 to 1-9.

To be fair to Cork, Armagh keeper Paul Wilson brought off three magnificent saves to deny Alan O’Connor, Cian O’Riordan and Kevin O’Sullivan certain goals. At the other end Cork were grateful for an equally brilliant save by their keeper Kevin Murphy which denied Peter Stevenson a goal.

Belatedly, Cork got the goal they needed, in the 61st minute, when Kevin O’Sullivan converted a penalty he had won himself.

Scorers: Armagh: M. McNamee 1-2 (0-1 free); P. Toal (0-2 frees), R. Austin, G. Loughran 0-3 each; S. Kernan 0-2 (0-1 45); P. Stevenson 0-2; B. Mallon, A. Mallon, G. Swift, B. Toner 0-1 each. Cork: K. O’Sullivan 1-4 (all frees); T. Twomey 1-1; P. Kelly 0-2; R. Long, C. O’Riordan, J. Hayes 0-1 each.

CORK: K. Murphy; M. Prout, D. O’Donovan, B. Crowley; N. O’Riordan, P. Nealon, E. O’Connor; D. Coughlan, S. O’Sullivan; C. O’Riordan, P. Kelly, J. Hayes; R. Long, T. Twomey, K. O’Sullivan.

Subs: A. O’Connor for Coughlan; K. Murphy for S. O’Sullivan; D. Burns for Long; R. Hoare for Kelly.

ARMAGH: P. Wilson; G. Smyth, F. Moriarty, A. Mallon; A. Kernan, C. McKeever, B. McDonald,; M. Macken, G. Swift; G. Loughran, S. Kernan, P. Toal; M. McNamara, R. Austin, B. Mallon.

Subs: P. Stevenson for McNamee; B. Toner for S. Kernan; P. Duffy for McDonald; R. Henderson for Loughran; J. O’Neill for Mackin

Referee: P. Fox (Westmeath).