SFC round-up: Armagh relinquished their Ulster title, losing to Tyrone by 2-10 to 1-10, in glorious sunshine at Clones this afternoon. Trailing by eight points early in the second half, Armagh refused to buckle and pushed their fierce rivals all the way.
In ideal conditions, Armagh were the first to settle and had opened a 0-3 to 0-1 lead before the All-Ireland champions could settle into their stride. But Mickey Harte’s side dragged themselves level before a moment of Stephen O’Neill brilliance propelled them into the lead.
Gathering in a wayward Davey Harte shot, O’Neill fashioned the merest of gaps before firing low under Paul Hearty.
Clearly rocked, Armagh would not trouble the scorers again before the interval and their plight worsened shortly after the break when Conor Gormley, lurking in the full forward line, collected Owen Mulligan’s raking pass and drove the ball high into the net.
At 2-6 to 0-4 in Tyrone’s favour, the game looked up for Armagh. Ronan Clarke thought otherwise and his powerful shot was the highlight of a period where they scored an unanswered 1-3.
Tyrone, however, responded with three further points of their and, despite having Gormley sent off towards the end for a second bookable offence, will reflect on a job well done.
In Connacht, Roscommon advanced to a semi-final meeting with Mayo following a relatively straightforward 2-13 to 2-9 win over Leitrim.
Leitrim got off to the best possible start with a superb Colm Clarke goal after just two minutes but Karol Mannion settled Roscommon when he coolly slotted home an 18th minute penalty.
A second goal, courtesy of Sean Kilbride, followed in the 25th minute as Roscommon opened a 2-5 to 1-4 half-time lead only for John McKeown to reduce that lead a minute after the break with Leitrim’s second three pointer.
However, Roscommon gained the upper hand thereafter as points from Kevin Higgins, Mannion, Philly McGuinness and Declan Maxwell eased the Rossies home.