Ulster Senior Football Final: Donegal 2-23 Armagh 0-28
Chaos in Clones, wonderful, frantic chaos.
And from within the madness of it all, Donegal emerged still holding the Anglo Celt Cup while Armagh left with a sackful of regrets for the third successive Ulster final.
It needed extra-time to separate these two heavyweights. How either were still standing by that stage is hard to know after the sides had served up a breathtaking contest in front of 28,788 spectators at a sun-drenched St Tiernach’s Park.
Niall O’Donnell’s point three minutes from the end of extra-time proved to be the match-winner.
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It is Donegal‘s 12th Ulster SFC triumph. Armagh – who lost the last two finals after penalty shoot-outs – have not tasted provincial glory since 2008.
The reigning All-Ireland champions never led during normal time of this clash but Oisín Conaty’s equaliser with just seven seconds remaining sent the game to extra-time, 0-23 to 1-20.
And when Jarly Óg Burns put them in front for the first time all evening at the start of extra-time, it appeared Armagh had grabbed the momentum. But Donegal replied and the sides traded blows to go in level at the turnaround.
Stefan Campbell, who impressed after coming in off the bench, edged Armagh back in front again before what appeared to be a pivotal score for Donegal. After a strong run, Michael Langan fed Ciarán Moore and he smacked the ball beyond Ethan Rafferty in the Armagh goal, 2-22 to 0-26.
But when Rafferty came up the field to stroke over a two-pointer free moments later, this Ulster final seemed destined to be decided as the last two were – by penalties.
O’Donnell had other ideas though. He brought great pace and energy when introduced and popped over two points in extra-time, including the winner in the 87th minute after cleverly darting through a gap in the Armagh defence to create a pocket of space to shoot.
Donegal tried to play keep-ball thereafter but almost coughed up possession several times. Ultimately though, Armagh were unable to fashion another scoring chance in those closing seconds and at the hooter Donegal booted the ball into the terrace. Victory.
Unfortunately, as the fans poured on to the pitch a scuffle broke out involving members of both squads just metres inside the pitch under the main stand.
With the very real risk of supporters getting embroiled in the row, gardaí rushed to the flashpoint and helped separate the two fighting factions. It was a regrettable scene at the end of what had been a brilliant occasion in Clones and could yet lead to suspensions when disciplinary chiefs review the video footage of the incident.
The game itself took a little while to heat up as both sides tried to figure out what the other had brought to the party, but in those early stages Donegal brought more aggression and energy.
Aidan Forker was promoted from the bench to Armagh’s starting side from the off and the team captain immediately picked up Michael Murphy – the pair’s last meeting ended with Forker getting sent off in the league earlier this season.
Paddy Burns marshalled Patrick McBrearty while Barry McCambridge was given the man-marking job on Oisín Gallen.
At the other end of the field, Ryan McHugh’s detail for the evening was to follow Rory Grugan wherever he roamed in Clones. That would ultimately prove to be a matchup where both players essentially cancelled each other out of the game.
The sides were level on 0-2 apiece in the 13th minute when Ciarán Thompson boomed over the first two-pointer of the day. Donegal would lead from that moment until seven seconds before the hooter sounded.
The 2024 champions led 0-14 to 0-11 at half-time but in truth they probably should have been further ahead at the short whistle.
Midway through that opening period, and having been largely anonymous until that stage, Oisín Gallen caught fire and hit four points from play in a blistering nine-minute spell.
In a bid to curb his influence on proceedings, Armagh switched markers with Burns and McCambridge switching roles. But Armagh were struggling with their own kickout too and both Murphy and Gallen capitalised with points from Orchard restarts won by Donegal.
They led 0-14 to 0-7 with just three minutes of the first half remaining but then Shaun Patton’s kickout malfunctioned. From two consecutive restarts, Donegal failed to win possession and instead conceded 0-3 – including a two-pointer from Oisín O’Neill.
Conaty was their biggest threat up front though and his three first-half points were crucial in keeping the Orchard County in touch. O’Neill thought he had kicked a two-pointer with the last kick of the opening half but Patton got a touch on the ball as it travelled over the crossbar, reducing the score to a single point.
Armagh’s late spurt in the opening half had cut Donegal‘s lead to three.
But a Hugh McFadden goal in the 44th minute proved a fresh launch pad for Donegal and with 20 minutes remaining they led by seven again. Once more though Armagh rallied – and in truth they were the far better team in the last quarter, outscoring Donegal 0-8 to 0-1 in that period.
But if Armagh had displayed the character of All-Ireland champions to force the game into extra-time, Donegal showed the resilience of Ulster champions with their gritty display to respond in the extra periods.
As legions of Donegal fans remained on the pitch long after the trophy presentation, Jimmy’s Winning Matches boomed out from the PA system. The evening sun was setting in Clones but already they were dreaming of Croke Park.
DONEGAL: Shaun Patton; Finbarr Roarty, Brendan McCole, Peadar Mogan (0-0-1); Ryan McHugh, Caolan McGonagle, Ciarán Moore (1-0-1); Hugh McFadden (1-0-0), Michael Langan (0-0-2); Dáire Ó Baoill (0-0-1), Ciarán Thompson (0-2-0), Shane O’Donnell; Patrick McBrearty (0-0-3, 3f), Michael Murphy (0-0-3), Oisín Gallen (0-0-4).
Subs: Conor O’Donnell (0-0-1) for McBrearty (43 mins); Jason McGee (0-0-1) for McFadden (50); Jamie Brennan for Ó Baoill (52); Eoin McHugh for Moore (55); Aaron Doherty for Gallen (64); Odhran McFadden Ferry for McGee (ft); Niall O’Donnell (0-0-2) for J Brennan (ft); C Moore for Doherty (ft); P McBrearty for Murphy (77); D Ó Baoill for R McHugh (78); Stephen McMenamin for McCole (84).
ARMAGH: Ethan Rafferty (0-1-1, 1 2ptf, 1 45); Paddy Burns, Aidan Forker, Barry McCambridge; Ross McQuillan (0-0-3), Greg McCabe, Tiernan Kelly; Callum O’Neill (0-0-1), Ben Crealey (0-0-1); Darragh McMullen, Rory Grugan, Jarly Óg Burns (0-0-1); Oisín Conaty (0-0-6), Andrew Murnin (0-0-1), Oisín O’Neill (0-2-3, 1 2ptf).
Subs: Conor Turbitt for Kelly (41 mins); Stefan Campbell (0-0-3) for C O’Neill (50); Peter McGrane for McCabe (55); Jason Duffy (0-0-2) for O Ó’Neill (60); Niall Grimley for Forker (61); Conaire Mackin for Murnin (ft); Cian McConville for Conaty (79); Shane McPartlan for Grugan (83); Tomás McCormack for McQuillan (87)
Referee: Brendan Cawley (Kildare).
