Armagh 0-13 Tyrone 0-3

Armagh kept Tyrone scoreless in the second half while adding eight points to their total to easily deal with the threat of Tyrone in this senior football contest.

While Tyrone had the first score of the game, a point from Joe Bell after Jason Killeen won the ball from his kickout

But it was a short held advantage. Armagh had the next three points as they used good play in the center with Garth Kelly and Kevin McGeeney showing constantly. Patsy Martin and Caolan Short were also doing strong defending.

Aiden Power joined the attack for the second Tyrone point when again Killeen was involved, but a clear cut goal chance went a begging when Joe Bell and Rory O’Neill just failed to link with the net at their mercy.

A further brace of Armagh scores followed, with a long range from McGeeney the best of the bunch.
Bell did have the final score of the half, a screamer that bounced over of the cross bar on his second attempt. It was set up by an excellent run by Seamus Skeffington.

Armagh were denied a goal at the other end themselves right on the break when Damien Corrigan made a good save from a Richie Morgan low drive, but they were still ahead 0-5 to 0-3 at the half. 

The second half was one way traffic for long periods as Armagh tacked on points to their total at steady intervals. They had six on the board by the 20th minute with Richie Morgan getting two.

Tyrone were still trying to get close to Alan Hearty’s goal. When Armagh stormed forward with seven minutes left a goal looked on.

Kelly had a clear-cut chance, but his final touch balance left him and he ended up on the floor with the ball being cleared.

He had another great chance minutes later but on this occasion the shooters touch failed him and he blasted wide. Certainly on another day he will be far more clinical.

Tyrone’s only two legitimate chances in the half were also goal efforts. Power hit the post with five minutes left; then after two Armagh points he was denied by a diving Hearty. Mercifully the final whistle sounded immediately after.

Armagh was never really troubled, but will look at quite a few players as match winners.

Alan Hearty has tremendous kick outs and his save at the end showed that though he had a quite day he was still on his toes. A second shoe in for the New York side on May 6 vs. Sligo.

Patsy Martin did well on Joe Bell after a slow start. Caolan Short did a lot of good ball carrying while Kevin McGeeney had two superb long range scores.

Garth Kelly easily shrugged of a Conor McNabb foul and stormed forward for the goal chance. He his a tank when he gets a head of steam, while Richie Morgan and Raymie Kane off the bench also did some good running.

Tyrone will file this away in the never to think about again folder. Damien Corrigan was one of their few stars with a number of good stops, as was Jason Killeen and Joe Bell (first half).  

They were talking far too much to the ref. Regardless of his performance, he was not the reason they lost by 10.