Armagh 0-17 Roscommon 1-9

ARMAGH used a second half onslaught when they outscored their opponents by 0-11 to 0-3 to qualify for the semifinals of the Junior A competition for the fifth year in a row. With Darren Freeman leading the way with a personal total of 0-8 they had far too many weapons in the last 30 minutes. They now play Tyrone in the final four.

Armagh started the game on fire, moving the ball to the red zone, but when they got there their feet let them down. They had six wides before they had a score, which was a soccer style drive by Derek McKenna. It was a reward for a man who had already done a lot of work thus far.

The wides can haunt, however. They had their second - Shane Lyons, a brilliant effort from the right wing - but Roscommon were level within two minutes when James Keaveney finished good work by Elvis Keaveney, and Kevin Carr advanced from his full back line and had their second.

It was two up despite all the Armagh dominance. Freeman and Michael Travers swapped frees before Freeman had Armagh's fourth from a free.

Roscommon dominated the next 10 minutes in open play and also on the scoreboard. It began with a ball from Declan Coyne that ended in Elvis Keaveney's hands. He fired at goal and his shot was caught by Richie Maher, who side-footed delightfully to the net. Danny O'Sullivan followed it with a point when he pivoted and fired over.

Despite a Freeman point in reply Travers had two further scores to make it 1-6 to 0-5. McKenna had a further Armagh point that narrowed the disadvantage to three as the half.

It was all Armagh to open the second half. They had six points without reply that propelled them into a three point lead.

Freeman had three points from frees and play, while Aiden Traynor had a tremendous score from wide on the right after coming in from the bench. Two further points from Freeman that sandwiched a Kevin McGeeney score pushed the lead to six points.

Roscommon were finding it impossible to move the ball across the center line, with Kevin McSorley and McKenna dominant in that sector. It was a ferocious beating on the scoreboard and across the field as Armagh used a full supply of subs and still did not miss a beat. The only reply from Roscommon was three late points from Mike O'Rourke, Aiden Smyth and Travers. At that point Armagh was home and dry.

David Magee, Justin O'Halloran, McKenna, Freeman and Ronan Rodgers did well for Armagh; Roscommon had Carr, O'Sullivan and Travers as their best.