ARMAGH - 2-10 WICKLOW - 0-13:Armagh had to show great resilience in the second half at Aughrim yesterday to hold out in the face a determined rally by the home side.

Trailing by 2-7 to 0-5 at the break, Wicklow produced a storming comeback to cut the deficit to two points, before Oisin McConville pointed for Armagh in injury time.

Armagh laid the foundations for victory in the first half when aided by the wind, and it was their corner-forward Steve McDonnell who landed the two vital goals to provide them with a vital cushion.

On 20 minutes, McDonnell scored his first, rifling a loose ball home after Robert Hollingsworth had saved well from Patrick McKeever.

Nine minutes later, Hollingsworth was again picking the ball from his net after McDonnell applied the finish to the delightful approach work of Tony McEntee and Diarmuid Marsden.

Wicklow had just one scoring chance in the first half, but centre-forward David Dillon lost possession when he only needed to punch the ball to the net.

The self-belief that manager John O'Leary has brought to the Wicklow side was apparent in the second half as they came at their opponents with the help of the wind.

In the first minute, Keith Byrne scored a morale-boosting point from a line-ball, setting the tone for Wicklow's fightback.

A brace of points by Jonathan Behan - one a brilliant effort from a difficult line ball - and another from Adrian Foley saw Wicklow cut the deficit to five points, (2-8 to 0-9), after 15 minutes of the second half.

Paddy Dalton, at wing-forward for Wicklow, was finding the range with his free-taking and by the 30th minute of the second period Wicklow had reduced the arrears to two points ( 2-9 to 0-13).

Barry O'Donovan, who had pushed forward into an attacking role for Wicklow in the second half, was set up with a goal chance but pulled his shot wide.

Armagh, who only managed to score three points in the second half, had the last say, a point by McConville from a free ensuring victory.

ARMAGH: B Tierney, E McNulty, J McNulty, J Donaldson, A O'Rourke, F Bellew, A McCann, P McGrane, J Toal (0-1), P McKeever (0-1), T McEntee, O McConville (0-5, all frees), S McDonnell (2-2), D Marsden (0-1), K McGeeney. Subs: K Hughes for A O'Rourke, C O'Neill for P McKeever, C Rourke for S McDonnell.

WICKLOW: R Hollingsworth, S Cush, B O'Donovan, T Burke, A Mooney, C Toomey, B Whelan, S O'Neill (0-1), F Daly, P Dalton (0-6, five frees), D. Dillon, A Foley (0-1), K Byrne (0-1), A Ellis, J Behan (0-3). Subs: J Doyle (0-1) for A Ellis, R Doyle for B Whelan.

Referee: S Doyle (Wexford).