Donegal produced an energetic display to earn a deserved 1-16 to 0-12 Ulster SFC quarter-final win over a hugely disappointing Armagh at Ballybofey.
Many felt this was going to be the day Armagh firmly established their championship credentials but they were outplayed by Declan Bonner’s side.
Four Michael Murphy points helped Donegal lead 0-9 to 0-6 at half-time.
Paddy McBrearty’s goal on 46 minutes put Donegal seven up and Armagh never looked like getting back into it.
Jason McGee’s midfield brilliance helped Donegal control the contest before he was replaced midway through the second half following a superb shift.
Donegal skipper Murphy finished with six points with him refusing to be intimidated by some rough house tactics from Armagh full-back Aidan Forker as the home side set up a provincial semi-final with Cavan on 8 May.
Apart from a brief spell midway through the first half when Armagh hit three unanswered points to lead 0-4 to 0-3, the visitors were always decidedly second best as their star forward Rian O’Neill was held scoreless as he struggle against the tight-marking Brendan McCole and the Ballybofey crosswinds.
With all the game’s top performers playing in Donegal jerseys, Ryan McHugh’s superb display summed up the home team’s energy and he was named man of the match.
Donegal’s 1-22 to 0-13 win over Armagh in the Ulster semi-final in 2020 seemed to mark them out as the main challengers to Dublin at that stage but they were shocked by Cavan in the provincial final a week later and, in truth, have struggled for consistency and confidence since them.
However, Donegal fans will hope Sunday’s superb display will rejuvenate Bonner’s squad as they conclusively defeated an Armagh team that had been strongly fancied going into the MacCumhaill Park contest.
Armagh fans travelled in big numbers to a sunny Ballybofey after the team’s encouraging Division One League campaign which had included wins over Dublin and Tyrone.
Their last league game against Donegal made headlines for the wrong reason as a post-match melee led to a raft of suspensions, although three of the four bans handed to Armagh were subsequently overturned with the Tir Conaill men opting not to appeal against the one-match penalties handed to Odhran McFadden-Ferry and Neil McGee.
The aftermath to the Letterkenny contest gave an added frisson to the Ulster clash but apart from a couple of brief flashpoints, the players largely behaved themselves.
Both sides were pulling 14 men behind the ball when not in possession early on with McBrearty and Armagh’s late inclusion Conor Turbitt often up on their own in opposition territory.
Donegal centre-back Eoghan Ban Gallagher managed to break the Armagh defensive line as he fisted over the opening point which was quickly added to by the first of Murphy’s four successful frees.
Wing-back Jarlath Og Burns strode upfield to open Armagh’s account in the fifth minute and after Hugh McFadden quickly restored Donegal’s two-point advantage, the visitors had their best period of the game as they briefly found their running game to hit three unanswered points.
With a couple of sorties upfield by corner-back James Morgan giving the Orchard men impetus, Tiernan Kelly got on the scoresheet with Rory Grugan’s levelling point then followed by a fine Turbitt score in the 12th minute after he had got out in front of Stephen McMenamin.
But that was as good as it got for Armagh as they began to struggle badly on their own kickout with Donegal midfielder McGee and McFadden hoovering up a lot of possession.
While another Grugan free briefly restored an Armagh lead at 0-5 to 0-4 in the 19th minute, Donegal hit five of the six remaining scores before half-time to lead by three with Murphy leading by example in attack and McBrearty finally getting on the scoreboard after a quiet opening half hour.
At that stage, Donegal looked in control but Armagh were still in the game.
McBrearty goal kills off Armagh’s hopes
The Orchard men needed a big start to the second half but while they had plenty of possession in the 10 minutes after the resumption they singularly failed to make it count with star forward O’Neill having the ball in the net seconds after the throw in but blown up for over-holding after being crowded out by the Donegal defence after winning possession.
Armagh’s period of fruitless huff and puff also saw O’Neill firing a couple of bad wides and half-time substitute Aidan Nugent having a goal attempt from a tight angle blocked by Shaun Patton, who continued his good afternoon between the posts.
After Armagh’s profligacy, the game really was up for them on 46 minutes when McGee’s initial winning of possession was followed by Shane O’Donnell’s burst which released Caolan Ward who unselfishly delivered to McBrearty to palm to an empty net.
They were still nearly half an hour of play left but Armagh never got closer than five in arrears thereafter.
McGee had to be replaced on 54 minutes by Caolan McGonagle after picking up a knock which will be a concern for Declan Bonner but there were few other worries accruing for him from this performance.
Armagh’s defeat extends their dismal record in the Ulster Championship over the last decade to four wins in 17 games as they suffered a 11th provincial loss since 2012.
Donegal: S Patton; C Ward, B McCole, S McMenamin; R McHugh, E Ban Gallagher (0-1), P Mogan; H McFadden, J McGee (0-1); C Thompson (0-1), S O’Donnell (0-1), M Langan (0-3); P McBrearty (1-2), M Murphy (capt) (0-6), J Brennan.
Subs: C McGonagle for McGee 54, C O’Donnell (0-1) for Thompson 54, N O’Donnell for McFadden 60, P Brennan for S O’Donnell 60, A Doherty for Brennan 70
Not used: M Lynch, E O’Donnell, T McClenaghan, J McKelvey, D O Baoill, C McColgan
Armagh: E Rafferty; J Morgan, A Forker, A McKay; N Grimley, G McCabe (0-1), J Og Burns (0-1); Connaire Mackin, B Crealey (0-1); J Hall, R Grugan (0-5), T Kelly (0-1); C Turbitt (0-1), R O’Neill (joint capt), J Duffy.
Subs: A Nugent for J Duffy half-time, S Campbell (0-1) for Hall 47, O O’Neill for Mackin 50, R McQuillan for Forker 61
Not used: B Hughes, C O’Neill, M Shields, C Higgins, S Sheridan, C McConville, J Kieran.
Referee: M Deegan (Laois)
