Armagh 2-15
Dublin 1-13
ARMAGH ROLLED INTO Croke Park in hope rather than expectation of achieving a good result, and departed with an electrifying start to the league under their belt.
Playing in their first full Division 1 campaign since 2012, the Orchard County couldn’t have asked for a better start than a richly deserved five-point win over Dublin.
Armagh roared into a nine-point lead at half-time, after blitzing Dublin with 2-7 in the 16 minutes before-half time. Dublin battled hard in the second-half but never looked like having the firepower to win this game.
They scored just nine of their 19 scoring chances in the second-half, failing to cut through a well-organised Armagh rearguard.
It was a wonderful performance by Armagh, driven on by man-of-the-match Rian O’Neill (scorer of 1-4), Rory Grugan and Mackin brothers Connaire and Ciaran.
Dublin’s cloak of invincibility slipped further here, following a disappointing 2021 season where they failed to win the All-Ireland for the first time in seven years.
Kieran McGeeney’s team proved the Sky Blues are no longer the beast of old, which may have been inevitable given the spate of retirements from the squad over the last 18 months.
They lost more experience over the winter in Kevin McManamon and Paddy Andrews, shedding further All-Ireland winners from a squad already lacking the depth of their glory days.
However it would be foolish to write Dublin’s obituary just yet. They’ll be hurting after this defeat and weekend’s trip to Tralee to face Kerry will be a tasty affair. Regulars Con O’Callaghan, James McCarthy, Jonny Cooper and Mick Fitzsimons were among the high-profile absentees through injury.
Dessie Farrell handed out league debuts to Lee Gannon, Cameron McCormack, Ross McGarry and Lorcan O’Dell, but outside of the latter’s 1-1, none of the newcomers had a major impact.
Some of the slow, laboured attacking play from last year persisted for Dublin. Armagh on the other hand shored up their leaky defence that shipped a high score to Monaghan in the Ulster semi-final. They were well set-up defensively and crowded the scoring zone efficiently, forcing Dublin to shoot from distance.
Their wide tally of 14 compared to Armagh’s three told its own story.
Up front, Armagh were clinical. O’Neill had a special day in Croke Park, smashing in a first-half goal and assisting Duffy’s three-pointer.
It took Armagh 12 minutes to get a score in the first-half and 18 minutes to hit one from play, but half-time they were incredibly nine clear.
Armagh’s willingness to kick ball inside on the diagonal to their full-forward line reaped rewards. Aidan Nugent was provider for O’Neill’s green flag, launching a 30m pass that deceived Davy Byrne.
Rory Grugan pulled the strings at centre-forward. He helped O’Neill get off the mark with a long ball and then sprayed a delivery for the move that saw Jason Duffy strike the net.
There was element of fortune about his finish, he appeared to go for a point but nevertheless the shot dropped just inside Evan Comerford’s crossbar.
Ciaran Kilkenny and Cormac Costello provided brief moments of relief with scores for Dublin, but it was all Armagh. Grugan clipped two frees and O’Neill landed a wonder score from the corner to leave them 2-8 to 0-5 ahead at the interval.
Dublin were vastly improved after the restart. Dean Rock curled over a free and set-up Cameron McCormack for another, before Niall Scully played a one-two with Costello and fisted a score.
O’Neill responded with a free and Grugan put over another placed ball awarded after Lee Gannon’s shove on Tiernan Kelly when the ball was dropping wide. Armagh defended around the D in numbers and broke at pace as Connaire Mackin and substitute Stefan Campbell kept the scoreboard moving.
Rock pointed another brace of frees and Dublin were handed a lifeline when Lorcan O’Dell reacted quickest to turn in a goal after a long delivery from Tom Lahiff.
That left Dublin six behind with 10 minutes to play. Urged on by a vocal home support, they were unusually sloppy in front of the posts as Niall Scully, Fenton and Lahiff wasted chances.
Niall Grimley got in on the Armagh act with a score and Greg McCabe almost put the icing on the cake when his shot cannoned off the crossbar and back into play.
A late O’Dell strike on goal flew over the bar in Dublin’s final attack and that was that.
Watch the Full-Time Highlights of @Armagh_GAA v @DubGAAOfficial in The Allianz Football League here! #GAANOW pic.twitter.com/rBXc0MXJ9p
— The GAA (@officialgaa) January 29, 2022
Scorers for Armagh: Rian O’Neill 1-4 (0-1f), Jason Duffy 1-1, Rory Grugan 0-3 (0-2f), Connaire Mackin, Tiernan Kelly, Aidan Nugent, Greg McCabe, Stefan Campbell and Niall Grimley 0-1 each.
Scorers for Dublin: Cormac Costello (0-1f), Dean Rock (0-3f) 0-3 each, Lorcan O’Dell 1-1, Sean Bugler 0-2, Brian Howard, Brian Fenton, Ciaran Kilkenny, Niall Scully and Cameron McCormack 0-1 each.
Armagh
1. Blaine Hughes (Carrickcruppen)
2. Paddy Burns (Peadar Ó Doirnín), 3. Aidan Forker (Maghery), 4. Mark Shields (An Chrois Ban)
5. Connair Mackin (Camlough), 6. Niall Rowland (Ballymacnab), 7. Jarly Og Burns (Silverbridge)
8. Ciaran Mackin (Camlough), 9. Ben Crealey (Maghery)
10. Jemar Hall (Peadar Ó Doirnín), 11. Rory Grugan (Ballymacnab), 12. Tiernan Kelly (Clann Eireann)
13. Jason Duffy (St Patrick’s) , 14. Rian O’Niall (Crossmaglen Rangers), 15. Aidan Nugent (St Patrick’s)
Subs
23. Niall Grimley (Madden) for Crealey (35+3)
22. Stefan Campbell (Clann na Gael) for Hall (36)
19. Greg McCabe (Shane O’Neill’s) for Rowland (52)
20. Ross McQuillan (Cullyhanna) for Duffy (58)
9. Crealey for McQuillan (62)
24. Stephen Sheridan (Peadar Ó Doirnín) for O’Neill (78)
Dublin
1. Evan Comerford (Ballymun Kickhams)
2. Lee Gannon (Whitehall Colmcilles), 3. David Byrne (Naomh Olaf), 4. Eoin Murchan (Na Fianna)
5. Tom Lahiff (St Jude’s), 6. Brian Howard (Raheny), 7. John Small (Ballymun Kickhams)
8. Brian Fenton (Raheny), 9. Emmet O Conghaile (Lucan Sarsfields)
10. Sean Bugler (St Oliver Plunkett’s ER), 11. Ciaran Kilkenny (Castleknock), 12. Niall Scully (Templeogue Synge Street)
13. Aaron Byrne (Na Fianna), 14. Cormac Costello (Whitehall Colmcilles), 15. Ryan Basquel (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
Subs
22. Ross McGarry (Ballyboden St Enda’s) for Byrne (14)
26. Dean Rock (Ballymun Kickhams) for Costello (30)
21. Cameron McCormack (Ballymun Kickhams) for (ht)
24. Lorcan O’Dell (Templeogue Synge Street) for Basquel (51)
20. Sean McMahon (Raheny) for Murchin (68)
Referee: Fergal Kelly (Longford)