Ref Watch
AS he left the field at half-time, fans of both counties united in urging Mayo whistler Liam Devenney to keep walking: “Head on to the car there ref…”
A little harsh maybe - it wasn’t an easy game to referee. Understandably planning for a physical derby, Devenney seemed determined to allow the game to flow as much as possible but he struggled to get to the pitch of it and some of his decisions and non-decisions incensed both benches. A Down legend said he was concerned the underfire official was “going to cause a riot”.
He missed a trip on Turbitt in the first half and missed the clear push on Ryan Johnston at the finish while giving frees for offences no-one else saw.
Turning Point
DOWN were a point ahead when substitute Oisin Savage broke for a ball in the Armagh half. The Mournemen needed him to get hands on it because from there they would have been able to run down what little time was left on the clock.
But Armagh rookie Peter McGrane matched Savage stride for stride and got a vital hand in to win the ball. The Orchardmen broke, Nugent equalised and Duffy’s winner meant they snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.
Top score
TWO of the four minutes of injury-time were up when Ciaran Mackin got the ball in his hands near the Armagh 45. He looked up and spotted Andrew Murnin’s run and picked him out with a pin-point kick pass. Jason Duffy timed his run perfectly and he took Murnin’s lay-off and curled over a brilliant finish on the run to send Armagh through to the Ulster decider.
