Division One/Armagh 3-14 Galway 2-7: It was probably a bit early for the last chance saloon at Crossmaglen yesterday, but for what it's worth Galway are still at first base, whereas Armagh are moving on to more salubrious surroundings after a commanding display and a first win in this year's Allianz National Football League.
Further good news for the home side came with the return to action for the first time this season of centrefielder Paul McGrane, who marked his comeback with a busy performance that included a goal.
"Paul McGrane is Paul is Paul McGrane," said his happy manager Joe Kernan afterwards. "He's been one of the best midfielders in Ireland over the last nine years. He's sheer class and grit."
He certainly showed up Galway's handicaps around the middle where, despite some eye-catching fielding from Paul Geraghty in the first half, the absence of key operatives in the sector, Barry Cullinane and Joe Bergin, was felt.
The Connacht champions were further hampered by the elements. Having opted to play into a wind tunnel for the first half - goalkeeper Brian O'Donoghue had to discard his kicking tee at one stage because the ball wouldn't stay on it - they had to endure the frustration of the west's traditional adversary, rain, spilling into the second half and killing their anticipated advantage.
It might have made a significant difference because the evidence of the first three-quarters of an hour in Crossmaglen was that Galway's forwards could make things happen with the right opportunities.
But, by and large, Armagh's defence coped. Andy Mallon did a good job on Derek Savage and if Enda McNulty struggled more with Micheál Meehan, there wasn't sufficiently consistent pressure to give Galway a serious chance of getting something out of the match.
Francie Bellew's most torrid time apparently came afterwards when Kernan said it took five players to hold the defender down in an ice bath prescribed for a knock he received in the second half.
By the 11th minute, Armagh were leading by two goals to nil. In the fifth, after the Galway defence had twice lost possession, Stephen Kernan was well placed on goal by Brian Mallon and finished well.
The second goal was even more self-inflicted.
A dropping ball in from Martin O'Rourke on the left wing was fatally left by O'Donoghue, allowing Steven McDonnell to flip it into the net. Galway had a couple of reasons to be unhappy, as the move started at the far end despite claims that Pádraic Joyce had been fouled.
Although Galway got some points on the board, McDonnell's 33rd-minute point pushed Armagh seven ahead, 2-5 to 0-4. Then an inspired intervention by Joyce threw the match up in the air.
His driving solo through the middle ended with a brilliantly disguised kicked pass into Savage who sidestepped his marker and hit the back of the net.
Four points down with the breeze to come was a positive position for the team from Connacht, who had a couple of very promising attacks immediately after the break, but couldn't score.
The home side hit back with McGrane blazing a goal after Oisín McConville had broken a long ball from Ciarán McKeever for a 3-6 to 1-5 lead. Within three minutes Micheál Meehan had scored 1-1 - the goal a cool finish after slick approach work by Savage and Cormac Bane - and a cracking final quarter looked in prospect.
However, that's where the game ended as a contest.
Two frees from McConville and Paddy McKeever were the only scores for 18 minutes and with their momentum dead, Galway had no response when Armagh drove for the tape. McConville bagged four out his team's closing six points, capping a productive first national league start of the year. Galway managed one point in reply.
"Oisín still has a long way to go (in terms of fitness)," said Kernan, but he's a class act. He does the simple things well and he's an important part of the set-up.
"We started off funny, then took control, gave away a stupid goal and then took control again despite conceding another goal. Nine kicks were dropped into the keeper's hands and we wouldn't be happy with that, but we got three goals and that's not bad considering we haven't been making chances in the last two matches."
Galway were missing a stack of first teamers, but manager Peter Ford wasn't succumbing to the temptation of that consolation.
"There's no point in making excuses. The game was there to be won in the last 20 minutes. We put ourselves in a position to do that, but they finished very strong. Loads of breaks. Tackles coming in from everywhere. Their half backs were getting forward, their midfield was getting forward."
ARMAGH: P Hearty; F Bellew, A Mallon, E McNulty; A Kernan, C McKeever, JP Donnelly; J McEntee (0-1), P McGrane (1-1); P McKeever (0-3, all frees), S Kernan (1-1), M O'Rourke; S McDonnell (1-1), O McConville (0-7, three frees), B Mallon. Subs: A O'Rourke for Donnelly (26 mins), K McGeeney for Bellew (43 mins), P Loughran for S Kernan (63 mins), F Moriarty for A Kernan (69 mins).
GALWAY: B O'Donoghue; D Meehan, K Fitzgerald, R Fahey; M Comer, D Blake, D Burke; N Coleman, P Geraghty; A Burke, P Joyce, D O'Malley; M Meehan (1-4, one point a free and one 45), D Savage (1-1), C Bane (0-1, a free). Subs: M Clancy for O'Malley (30 mins), P Clancy (0-1) for A Burke (48 mins), R Gibbons for Comer (67 mins), N Coyne for D Burke (67 mins).
Referee: J Bannon (Longford).
