Armagh avoid a shock as they battle from behind to defeat gallant Louth

Armagh got their Allianz Football League Division 2 campaign off to a winning start, but it was far from easy as they had to battle their way past a game challenge from Louth.

Having seen Mickey Harte depart at the end of last season, the Wee County were expected to regress, but they showed no intention of doing that and were unlucky not to leave The BOX-IT Athletic Grounds with a result.

The underdogs twice led the game by four points, but were pegged back, before they had Armagh holding on by their fingernails in stoppage time. However, all that matters for Armagh is the result, and they have two points on the board as they go in search of promotion.

Playing with a strong breeze at their backs, Louth deservedly took a 0-5 to 0-4 lead in at half-time. But knowing that they would have the benefit of the elements in the second half, the highly favoured Armagh would have been content to be only one behind.

Indeed, things could have been different had full forward Conor Turbitt taken one of his two goal chances, with one coming at the start of the half and the other at its conclusion.

A Greg McCabe turnover led to Turbitt racing in one on one, but he dragged his shot wide at the near post.

Instead, Louth cruised into a 0-4 to 0-0 lead with points from Paul Mathews, Ryan Burns, Ciaran Keenan and Dermot Campbell.

Armagh eventually settled into the game and they grabbed four of the next five points through Turbitt (two frees), Oisin Conaty and an outstanding Rory Grugan score, with a solitary Tommy Durnin point in reply for the visitors.

The hosts almost went into the break with a half-time lead when Stefan Campbell sent Turbitt in on goal once again in the waning minutes of the opening period, but this time he was denied by an excellent low save by Niall McDonnell.

Armagh were expected to take control in the early phases of half two, but instead Louth pushed four in front with two frees from Sam Mulroy and a Conor Grimes score leaving Kieran McGeeney scratching his head.

But the home side finally came to life and scores from Campbell, Aidan Forker – his first as Armagh’s new captain, and frees from Grugan and Turbitt drew them level.

With 15 minutes to go, Armagh took their first lead of the game through an outstanding point for Campbell, as he played a one-two with Ciaran Mackin before splitting the posts, and the same player scored again moments later to make it 0-10 to 0-8.

To their credit, Louth wouldn’t go down without a fight and were level again after scores from Ciaran Downey and another Mulroy free, but two scores from Turbitt had Armagh two ahead heading down the stretch.

A second Downey point had Armagh sweating in stoppage time, but Mulroy let them out of jail, as he missed two difficult dead ball chances late on.

MATCH STATS

Armagh: Blaine Hughes; Paddy Burns, Ciaran Higgins, Peter McGrane; Barry McCambridge, Greg McCabe, Aidan Forker (0-1); Ben Crealey, Ciaran Mackin; Conor O’Neill, Rory Grugan (0-2, 1f), Joe McElroy; Stefan Campbell (0-3), Conor Turbitt (0-5, 4f), Oisín Conaty (0-1).

Subs: Shane McPartlan for Higgins (46), Jarly Óg Burns for McCambridge (54), Jemar Hall for McCabe (67), Oisin O’Neill (69), Jason Duffy for Forker (70+3).

Louth: Niall McDonnell; Donal, McKenny, Dermot Campbell (0-1), Peter Lynch; Craig Lennon, Anthony Williams, Ciaran Murphy; Conor Early, Tommy Durnin (0-1); Paul Mathews (0-1), Ciaran Keenan (0-1), Conor Grimes (0-1); Ryan Burns (0-1), Sam Mulroy (0-3, 3f), Ciaran Downey (0-2).

Subs: Conall McCaul for Early (54), Leonard Grey for Murphy (63), Dylan McKeown for Burns (63), Wayne Campbell for Mathews (69), Kyle McElroy for Keenan (70+7).

Referee: Thomas Murphy (Galway).