Ulster Senior Football Championship semi-final: Armagh 4-10 Down 0-12
STREAMING is all the rage nowadays, but Down supporters would have preferred not to see this at all - they were streaming out of Clones long before the end, as Armagh inflicted yet another humiliation on the Mournemen in Ulster HQ.
The only consolation for Down was that this defeat fell just short of the average 11-point defeat they have suffered here, over seven matches, since Armagh beat them by four en route to their last Ulster Final appearance in 2008.
Such was the gulf in quality that Down tried to start the second half with 16 men, but referee Conor Lane spotted that and young Andrew Gilmore had to wait another five minutes before coming on as a substitute.
Armagh didn't quite manage to match the 11-point trouncing they inflicted on their neighbours in the 1999 decider, but this was still another tremendous team display by the Orchardmen.
If you'd told their supporters that top marksman so far, Conor Turbitt wouldn't score at all, that Rian O'Neill would start but only manage one score, and that their starting six forwards would produce only three points from play between them, they'd have been very worried.
Yet it was clear 12 minutes into the second half that Armagh were going to secure their first appearance in an Ulster SFC decider for a scarcely believable 15 years.
The excellent Andrew Murnin at full-forward and midfielder Shane McPartlan had both found the net in the first half, and Ciaran Mackin followed suit, flicking a dropping ball into the goal.
That made it 3-6 to 0-6 and there was no way back for a Down side that struggled for scores throughout.
So vibrant against Donegal last Sunday, the Mournemen were outclassed by Armagh.
Indeed Down did not score from play in the first half hour of either half on a day that was as dismal for them as the dreary, sodden weather.
Armagh went down from Division One along with Donegal, but the Orchardmen have improved since the latter stages of the league.
Their midfield is totally transformed, with McPartlan having only made his SFC debut earlier this month against Antrim, while Ben Crealey was sorely missed in the League due to injury.
Rian O'Neill and his surnamesake from Killeavey, Conor, were also absent against Tyrone and their quality shone through too.
The Crossmaglen man got the nod for his first Championship start ahead of Stefan Campbell while the other joint-captain, Aidan Nugent, was still among the substitutes.
Down knew they had to curtail Armagh's array of attacking talent and their game-plan was to defend deep and in great numbers.
Shane Annett started again for them, rather than for Anthony Doherty, and Clonduff defender Paddy Branagan became another debutant for the Mournemen, lining out instead of Donach McAleenan.
Down sat so deep that Armagh had loads of spare men, but mostly in their own half in the opening quarter.
Gradually, though, the Orangemen marched up the field, with 'fly keeper' Ethan Rafferty giving them over more of a personnel overload. With Aaron McKay sitting back Greg McCabe added to the attack, as did Jarly Og Burns, and soon they had Down wobbling.
Their midfielders almost combined for a goal, Crealey rising to fist a long ball from McPartlan, but Niall Kane was well-placed to catch on his goal-line.
Down were wasting the few chances they got, shooting short from a mark and a free, whereas even when Armagh were slightly off-target they took two scores when the ball rebounded off the woodwork.
When the rain came on really heavily after 20 minutes it looked like the floodgates would open for the Orchard County.
Murnin soared to send another high ball from McPartlan to the net, then five minutes later the latter bulldozed through the Down defence, rampaging past several defenders before blasting in a second goal.
All Down put on the scoresheet were three frees from Pat Havern. Indeed half an hour had elapsed before the Mournemen scored from play, through Ryan Johnston, but at least they added two more such points, through Paddy Branagan and Liam Kerr, and they would probably have been content, relieved, to only trail by four, 2-4 to 0-6.
That hunch proved correct as Armagh pulled well clear in the third quarter, reeling off 2-3 to completely overwhelm their opponents.
Jemar Hall was gifted a scoring chance, which he took, and then a precise pass across the 20m line allowed Murnin to score.
Rian O'Neill then unleashed a huge effort and when Ryan McEvoy could only first it back towards his own goal Mackin was there, alert, stooping to sweep the ball past a helpless Kane.
The demolition job was completed when Rian collected a great kick-pass from Campbell, spun away from his marker, and coolly slotted a shot to the net.
There were still almost 15 minutes of normal time to go, but it was obvious this match was over, the outcome certain.
Down showed some spirit, at last opening their second half account in the 58th minute through another free from Havern, and they reduced the deficit a little before the bitter end.
Armagh's defence was determined not to concede goal, though, and their attack really should have added another, but Jason Duffy belted a shot against the crossbar and Oisin Conaty fired the rebound straight at Kane.
Despite such let-offs, this was a devastating defeat for Down, who are now looking at 30 years without an Ulster SFC title even if they win next year.
The delight from their provincial U20 triumph in midweek was almost washed away by this loss, although the fact that it was the second in three seasons gives them more hope for the future.
In the short-term, though, Down are once more heading into the Tailteann Cup.
Armagh, who dominated Ulster in the first decade of this century, head into the final with confidence, even against holders Derry.
The Ulster Championship means less now? Tell us that on May 14.
Armagh: E Rafferty; C O'Neill (0-1), A McKay, A Forker (0-1); Ciaran Mackin (1-0), G McCabe, J Og Burns; B Crealey, S McPartlan (1-0); J Duffy (0-2), J Hall (0-1), R O'Neill (1-0); R Grugan (0-1 free), A Murnin (1-1), C Turbitt.
Substitutes: Connaire Mackin for Crealey (37, first half); S Campbell (0-1) for McPartlan (51); R McQuillan for Hall (51); A Nugent (0-1) for Turbitt (56); O Conaty for Murnin (61).
Concussion sub: C Cumiskey (0-1) for Ciaran Mackin (67).
Down: N Kane; P Laverty (capt.), S Annett, M Rooney; D Magill, P Branagan (0-1), N McPartland, D Guinness; C Poland, R McEvoy (0-2 frees); C Doherty, R Johnston (0-1), L Kerr (0-1); P Havern (0-6, 0-5 frees), E Branagan.
Substitutes: A Gilmore (0-1) for E Branagan (41); S Johnston for Annett (41); D McAleenan for Doherty (49); R Carr for P Branagan (52); E Brown for Poland (58).
Referee: Conor Lane (Cork).
Attendance: 22,520.
