Armagh 2-8 Kerry 0-10:KERRY WERE shocked at Austin Stack Park on Saturday night by an Armagh side that had them on the ropes early and never let up. The Orchard county were clearly the better team on the night as the Kerry attack was well shackled by a tigerish defence.

Armagh led from pillar to post, and Kerry did not score for 18 minutes, and then had Tomás Ó Sé red carded five minutes from time while Armagh’s Finnian Moriarty received a second yellow as both sides finished with 14 men.

Armagh, boosted by a 10th-minute Brian Mallon goal, led 1-3 to 0-0 after 15 minutes. Kerry’s attack wasn’t firing and they trailed 1-4 to 0-3 at half-time.

The introduction of Declan O’Sullivan just before the break, appeared to revitalise a limp Kerry performance but within two minutes of the restart, Armagh had their second goal. A mix-up in the Kerry defence between Brendan Kealy and Marc Ó Sé gave John Kingham the chance to rattle the net and he duly obliged.

Kerry did rally but only four points were added in a 20-minute period of dominance, three from Sheehan frees and a superb effort from Declan O’Sullivan. However, Armagh were not to be denied and they countered with three unanswered points from Aidan Forker, Anto Duffy and Malachy Mackin which saw them move six clear again and ultimately claim the win.

Armagh boss Paddy O’Rourke was pleased. “We knew we could win the game. They (Armagh) are good footballers and sometimes they haven’t belief but they are starting to believe in themselves. They are organised and playing well for each other and when they do that they are going to be difficult to play against.”

Kerry boss Jack O’Connor was a little more subdued, “There is no other way of putting it; it was disappointing as we did not appear as up for the game as Armagh were.”

KERRY: B Kealy; S Enright, M Ó Sé, B McGuire; T Ó Sé, K Young, A O'Mahony; A Maher, B Sheehan (0-6, 0-5 frees); P Galvin, Darran O'Sullivan, S O'Sullivan (0-1); J O'Donoghue (0-2, 0-1 free), K Donaghy, BJ Keane. Subs: Declan O'Sullivan (0-1) for S O'Sullivan (35 mins), D Bohan for S Enright (45 mins), P Crowley for A O'Mahony (58 mins), P Curtin for BJ Keane (60 mins), S Scanlon for A Maher (68 mins).

ARMAGH: P McEvoy; A Mallon, B Donaghy, D McKenna; K Dyas, C McKeever, F Moriarty; C Vernon, M Machin (0-2); A Forker (0-4, 0-2 frees), B Mallon (1-0), A Duffy (0-1); C Rafferty, J Kingham (1-0), E McVerry. Subs: B J Padden for C Rafferty (44 mins), C Watters (0-1) for B Mallon (54 mins), J Lavery for K Dyas (65 mins), G McPartland for A Forker (68 mins), D Lavery for A Duffy (70 mins).

Referee: M Condon (Waterford).