Armagh too strong for plucky Queen’s

Armagh 1-17 Queen's University 0-15

A third-quarter scoring blitz that yielded 1-6 without response underpinned Armagh's comfortable win over an understrength Queen's side in the Power NI Dr McKenna Cup at the Athletic Grounds yesterday.

The students had remained in touch throughout the first half having retained parity of esteem at the interval when the sides were deadlocked at 0-8 each.

But a Niall McConville goal in the 50th minute and a flurry of points, particularly some spectacular efforts from Stefan Forker, Oisín MacIomhair and Niall McConville, gave the home side a healthy 1-14 to 0-10 lead.

Ryan Murray, who landed six points in all, and Ronan McGrady (0-3) sparked a late show of defiance from Queen's but Paul Grimley's Armagh side were safe by then.

ARMAGH: N Geoghegan; A Mallon, C Vernon, G McCooey; M Shields, K Toner, C Rafferty (0-1); S Harold (0-1), E Rafferty (0-3, 0-2 frees), O MacIomhair (0-2), B Mallon, S Campbell (0-3); R Tasker (0-1), E McVerry (0-1), N McConville (1-2). Subs: S Forker (0-3) for Tasker (22 mins), K O'Rourke for McVerry (46), F Moriarty for Harold (61), M McKenna for MacIomhair (66), C MacIomhair for McConville (66), E English for Campbell (68). Black card: Tasker (22)
QUEEN'S: M Cunningham; C McNulty, P Quinn, O Costello; R Mallon, D O'Hanlon, C McCartan; C Cullen, M McElhinney; H Og Conlon (0-3), C Maginn, T Donnelly (0-1); D McAleese, R Murray (0-6, 0-4 frees), R Rafferty (0-2). Subs: G Collins for Costello (19 mins), S McArdle for McAleese (22 mins), G Monan for McCartan (ht), R McGarry for McNulty (ht), R McGrady (0-3) for McGarry (45), K Moynagh for Mallon (62).
Referee: Martin Higgins (Fermanagh)