Conaty's cracker seals 13-point turnaround as Armagh reel in Dubs 

Eleven points behind a minute into the second half and numerically disadvantaged to boot, Armagh were staring demotion from Division 1 squarely in the face.

KILLER BLOW:  Oisín Conaty of Armagh, 15, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal, as Charlie McMorrow of Dublin, left, and Dublin goalkeeper Hugh O'Sullivan react, during the Allianz Football League Division 1 match between Dublin and Armagh at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile

NFL Division 1: DUBLIN 1-25 (1-2-21) ARMAGH 2-24 (2-2-20) 

Armagh’s refusal to wilt ensures they live to fight another day.

Eleven points behind Dublin a minute into the second half and numerically disadvantaged to boot, they were staring demotion from Division 1 squarely in the face.

However, they completed a 13-point turnaround with the help of a smashing Oisín Conaty goal in the 66th minute in front of a 23,353 Croke Park crowd.

Both teams remain in relegation trouble and worryingly for Dublin Luke Breathnach appeared to aggravate his shoulder injury of last year. But Armagh now join Dublin on four points with the important head-to-head advantage over them. Galway, also on the same total, face Monaghan on Sunday.

Armagh were down 1-6 to 1-15 at the break and down a man at the restart. Jarly Óg Burns was black carded arising from a row between the teams as they approached the tunnel at half-time. Kieran McGeeney was also booked having made a point of speaking to David Gough at the interval.

In the time Burns was off the field, Armagh managed to reduce their arrears by a couple of points although it had climbed to as much as 11. Killian McGinnis was finding his range but three Armagh points without reply sliced the gap to five.

Paddy Small’s fourth point was followed by another Armagh rally. Five points including a Conor Turbitt two-pointer made it a one-point game before Eoin Kennedy and Cormac Costello sent over scores.

Just before Kennedy’s effort, Brian Howard and Tiernan Kelly were dismissed by referee David Gough for an off-the-ball incident.

Once more, Armagh responded to Dublin. Cian McConville fired over a levelling point after Ross McQuillan and Oisín O’Neill (free) had exerted more pressure on Dublin.

Then came Conaty’s blaster. Weaving his way through the Dublin cover, the speed of his run was matched by his strike and the sizeable Armagh contingent in Croke Park rejoiced.

McQuillan fisted over his third point to widen the difference to four. Paddy Small hit back with a two-pointer but Costello’s last-gasp effort to do the same was extremely wide of the mark.

Early on, Armagh’s subscription to a total zonal defensive approach seemed even to confuse themselves at times. Responsibility was being thrown around like a hot potato and when attacks broke down, as they often did, they looked ripe for the picking.

Dublin again show signs of improvement and their intent was obvious from the outset. Certainly, Niall Scully’s was as he kicked four of his side’s first six scores, three of the points from play.

Their opening goal came in the fourth minute. Ross McGarry, a late replacement for Ciarán Kilkenny, finished with aplomb after Dublin had spoiled one of several Blaine Hughes kick-outs. Peadar Ó Cofaigh-Byrne broke it down for Alex Gavin who set up McGarry to make a bee-line run for the Armagh posts.

Dublin went as far as eight points ahead in the 12th minute before Calum O’Neill (free) and Tomás McCormack’s second point offered some respite for Armagh.

After Breathnach kicked the second of four first-half points, McConville landed an Armagh goal in the 21st minute. Peter McGrane provided the decoy run in a nicely-worked move for a team who had been goal-shy this spring.

Jason Duffy tagged on a point and Armagh were within three but that’s as good as it got. Paddy Small, Seán Bugler and Breathnach retaliated.

Calum O’Neill struck a ball into the side netting in the 29th minute when Seán MacMahon fumbled. Dublin finished out the half with a Bugler two-pointer on the buzzer to put nine between them.

Scorers for Dublin: P. Small (0-6, 1 tp); N. Scully (0-5, 2 frees); L. Breathnach, S. Bugler (1 tp) (0-4 each); K. McGinnis (0-3); R. McGarry (1-0); E. Kennedy (0-2); C. Costello (0-1).

Scorers for Armagh: C. McConville (0-2 frees), O. Conaty (1-3 each); O. O’Neill (0-5, 1 tpf, 3 frees); T. McCormack, C. Turbitt (1 tp), R. McQuillan (0-3 each); J. Duffy (0-2); B. Crealey, C. O’Neill (free) (0-1 each).

DUBLIN: H. O’Sullivan; D. Byrne, N. Doran, E. Murchan; A. Gavin, B. Howqrd, E. Kennedy; P. Ó Cofaigh-Byrne, C. McMorrow; N. Scully, S. Bugler, L. Breathnach; P. Small, K. McGinnis, R. McGarry.

Subs for Dublin: S. MacMahon for N. Doran (16); C. Costello for L. Breathnach (inj 47); C. Kilkenny for R. McGarry (51); N. Doran for S. MacMahon (52); L. Smith for D. Byrne (inj 66).

Red card: B. Howard (58, double yellow).

ARMAGH: B. Hughes; P. McGrane, G. Murphy, A. McKay; R. McQuillan, D. McMullan, J. Burns; C. O’Neill, B. Crealey; T. McCormack, G. McCabe, T. Kelly; C. McConville, J. Duffy, O. Conaty.

Subs for Armagh: O. O’Neill for C. O’Neill (h-t); P. Burns for A. McKay (blood, 43-45); C. Turbitt for J. Duffy (52); P. Burns for A. McKay (61); A. Forker for D. McMullan (69).

Black card: J. Burns (35-45).

Red card: T. Kelly (58, double yellow).

Referee: D. Gough (Meath).