For the first half of this Church & General National Football League semi-final, Armagh and Dublin achieved the not inconsiderable feat of making the preceding CorkMeath match look lively.
Things improved in the second half without ever threatening the 26,859 crowd with the need to switch on their pacemakers. In the end, the scoreline registered the third successive draw between these counties in the league.
That it was Armagh who had to pull the equaliser out of the hat wasn't indicative of anything as the teams had been evenly matched throughout the second half once Armagh had eliminated the half-time deficit within a few minutes of the restart. With the final date fixed for Sunday week, the replay had to be next weekend and will take place in Croke Park this coming Sunday at 3.30.
An additional run-out will probably be welcome for both teams as there was little about the exchanges that added to the sum total of knowledge concerning the two sides. Neither defence looked better than semi-permeable whereas the forwards matched each other for inability to create and take chances.
There were impressive deadball performances from Oisin McConville and Jim Gavin who each finished with 0-6 but the starting attacks finished with three points and one from play respectively, captain Des Farrell getting Dublin's sole such score.
Injury played havoc with the selections. Dublin had to replace Ian Robertson with Tomo Lynch before the throw-in and shuffle Paul Curran to centre back where he played a stormer. But up front, centre forward Declan Darcy - who had been another injury concern - was swaddled in heavy bandaging which suggested that this might be one of his off-days. And so it proved.
Armagh redesigned their whole attack with Cathal O'Rourke failing a fitness test and being replaced by Paddy McKeever. McConville was drafted in at full forward where there had been a vacancy and the remainder of the forwards were all switched around. Paul McGrane dropped back to midfield with Justin McNulty moving to the right wing.
The opening quarter was torturous. It took until the 13th minute before any score was recorded. Then in the space of a minute Diarmuid Marsden, whose surging runs from deep on the 40 caused problems for Dublin, landed two points, the first a fisted finish to a good move and the second a great kick from the left wing.
Spurred on by this activity, Dublin began to make a move. Ciaran Whelan and Enda Sheehy took a grip at midfield and chances fell their team's way. Accuracy was lacking in the first half particularly and the scoreboard didn't reflect Dublin's second-quarter dominance.
Jim Gavin swung over a nicely-taken line ball in the 17th minute as the team commenced a six-point burst which left them three clear at the interval. Farrell, although not on top form, had the measure of Armagh full back Ger Reid and kicked one point as well as drawing a couple of converted frees.
In general Armagh's defence was flustered, and in addition to conceding frees they were sufficiently careless in clearing the ball for Sheehy to be able to fire the errant clearance back over for a point in the 26th minute. McConville managed Armagh's third point on the stroke of halftime for a 0-3 to 0-6 deficit - which, bearing in mind a strong wind and Dublin's profligacy wasn't a bad position. The trend of the match was determined in the first five minutes after half-time. Firstly, McConville kicked another free and then Paul McGrane, well placed by Rafferty, knocked over another. With the margin down to a single score, Dublin had the chance which could have put them in control.
A wayward kick-out from goalkeeper Benny Tierney was just about retrieved by the Armagh defence but as they dithered over the clearance, Darcy came in and robbed the ball. His dropping kick fell for Farrell who set up the in-rushing Brian Stynes for a clear pop at goal but he blew the opportunity wide.
Within a minute Armagh had levelled the match and moved up a gear. Five unanswered points pushed them two clear and Dublin were looking rickety at the back. Peter Loughran, who had replaced the injured Des Mackin, was being deployed as a lone raider on the inside of Armagh's attack. Paddy Moran was keeping him company, but the speedy Loughran got well clear to curl over a good point for a 0-8 to 0-6 lead.
Under pressure, Dublin were very reliant on Curran's reading of the game and his ability to cut out ball. Even in attack he was a decisive influence getting up to finish one movement for a point and generally making himself available. In the full-back line Paddy Christie was very safe, building on a good display against Kildare two weeks ago.
Changes in the Dublin attack brought Farrell out to the half forwards and Jason Sherlock onto the inside line. It hasn't helped Sherlock that his three most recent outings have been in soggy conditions and he didn't have a big impact.
Whelan brought Dublin level in the 56th minute after Curran had tidied up a fragmenting attack and sent him into space. Two minutes later, a foul on Farrell set up Gavin for his fifth successful free but before the screw was turned for even a minute on Armagh, John Rafferty had been taken down at the other end and McConville duly obliged for the draw.
Dublin - D Byrne; P Moran, S Ryan, P Christie; T Lynch, P Curran (0-1), K Galvin; C Whelan (0-1), E Sheehy (0-2); J Gavin (0-6, five frees, one sideline), D Darcy, B Stynes; R Cosgrove, D Farrell (0-1, capt), N O'Donoghue. Subs: J Sherlock for Cosgrove (40 mins); D Homan for O'Donoghue (53 mins).
Armagh - B Tierney; E McNulty, G Reid, M McNeill; K Hughes, K McGeeney, A McCann; J Burns (capt), P McGrane (0-1); J McNulty, D Marsden (0-2), J Rafferty; P McKeever (0-1), D Mackin, O McConville (0-6, five frees). Subs: P Loughran (0-1) for Mackin (30 mins); A O'Neill for McCann (49 mins).
Referee - P Russell (Tipperary).
