Armagh comeback brings them title

Armagh 1-12 Kerry 0-14

Armagh staged one of Gaelic football's greatest ever comebacks to lift their first All-Ireland football title at Croke Park.

Four points behind with 15 minutes to play, they looked dead and buried, but from somewhere they found the strength of character to dig themselves out of a hole, and an Oisin McConville goal gave them the belief to take control of a game which Kerry had ruled for three quarters of an hour.

"We've finally ended 130 years of frustration," said inspirational skipper Kieran McGeeney, who played a massive role in leading his side to triumph over the hot favourites.

Kerry, seeking their 33rd title, could find no way to halt Armagh's late and defiant march towards the promised land, and failed to score for the final 20 minutes of the game.

Steven McDonnell gave Armagh a bright start with two points inside the opening three minutes, but while the long ball approach paid dividends in those opening stages, it became less effective as Kerry gradually warmed to their task.

And it was the more measured approach of the cultured Kingdom stars which began to reap the richest rewards, intricate movement, pinpoint passes and supremely accurate shooting helping them to a comfortable lead.

Mike Frank Russell, Colm Cooper, Eoin Brosnan and Dara O Cinneide all split the posts, and although Ronan Clarke and John McEntee responded with long range efforts, it was Kerry who seized control.

Five points in as many dazzling minutes set Croke Park and its 80,000 occupants alight, with centre back Eamonn Fitzmaurice joining in the fun with a well executed score.

O Cinneide added two to his tally, Liam Hassett also found the target, and when Cooper sent Russell through, he should have had a goal, but his deflected shot flew over the bar.

Another Cooper effort made it 0-11 to 0-6, but Armagh were thrown a lifeline when referee John Bannon awarded a penalty for a foul on Oisin McConville just before half-time.

McConville took the kick himself, but his weak effort was saved by Declan O'Keefe.

It was a golden chance squandered by the Ulster champions, and although Diarmuid Marsden pulled back an injury-time point, they were in deep trouble at the interval, trailing by 0-11 to 0-7.

There were signs that the Orchard county could turn the corner when Diarmuid Marsden and McConville drilled over points soon after the restart.

But Kerry continued to look dangerous and incisive, with O Cinneide and Hassett both adding to their personal totals.

But the game turned dramatically in the 55th minute when McGrane flicked the ball to McConville and he blasted a superb shot past O'Keefe.

Kerry were rocked, unable to refocus, and deficient in the art of panic control.

Armagh, now on a roll, continued to sweep forward, Clarke hoisted another superb score to bring the sides level, and McDonnelll shot the winner three minutes from the end of a gripping encounter.

Armagh: B Tierney, E McNulty, J McNulty, F Bellew, A O'Rourke, K McGeeney, A McCann (0-1), J Toal, P McGrane, P McKeever, J McEntee (0-1), O McConville (1-2), S McDonnell 0-3), R Clarke (0-3), D Marsden (0-2). Subs: B O'Hagan for McEntee, T McEntee for McKeever

Kerry: D O'Keefe, M O Se, S Moynihan, M McCarthy, T O Se, E Fitzmaurice (0-1), J Sheehan, D O Se, D Daly, S O'Sullivan, E Brosnan (0-1), L Hassett (0-2), MF Russell (0-3), D O Cinneide (0-5), C Cooper (0-2). Subs: A MacGearailt for O'Sullivan, T O'Sullivan for M O Se, J Crowley for Hassett, B

O Se for Daly.

Referee: J Bannon (Longford)