Down will take on Derry in the 2017 Ulster U21 hurling final, having roared to an 8-19 to 1-15 victory over neighbours Armagh at the Athletic Grounds.

It will be Down's first final appearance since 2014 and only their second in eleven seasons. They haven't met Derry in the decider since 2006 and haven't collected the silverware since 2004. But tonight they proved far too strong for Armagh (beaten finalists in 2010 and 2011).

Goals were always going to be decisive in this game and their penchant to find the net meant that the winners took a ten-point lead into the interval, 5-8 to 1-10. Cormac Coulter finished the night with an eye-watering 3-8 to his credit, while Daithi Sands registered 3-1.

Points from Dean Gaffney, Kyle Magee and Peter McKearney had the Orchard County on the front foot early on and Sands equalised before Dylan McKenna edged the hosts ahead again by the odd score from seven. That was the last time Armagh would lead...

The match then exploded to life as the Ardsmen netted twice in a minute before David Ryan immediately hit back with Armagh's sole major. Gaffney had a sight of goal but fired his shot over as the Orchard closed within the minimum again, 2-3 to 1-5, before Pearse Og McCrickard restored the visitors' two-point cushion with ten minutes left before the break.

Five points separated the sides after Barry Trainor chipped in with the winners' third three-pointer and Barra McAteer and Gaffney (free) were on target for the home team either side of a pointed free at the other end before McKearney edged the battling Orchard lads back within a single score, 3-5 to 1-8.

Jordan Doran and David Grant traded points. An Armagh goal would have tied things up but instead it was Down who pounced for their fourth, before Liam Savage and Gaffney (free) pulled back a couple of points. But Down reeled off a fifth goal deep into first-half stoppage time after McCrickard landed their eighth point.

Gaffney and McCrickard traded the first points after the resumption and Oisin McManus increased the Ardsmens' lead following an exchange of converted frees. Four goals separated the teams coming up to the three-quarters mark, 5-12 to 1-12.

A McCrickard brace increased the winning margin and he then cancelled out a Gaffney free as the visitors eased towards the provincial final, with Sands and Michael Napier tagging on goals, 7-17 to 1-13 with ten minutes left. Joe O'Connor and Mattie McEvoy hit Armagh's last two scores and Down finished with a Mark Fisher point followed by an eighth goal to win by a whopping 25 points.

As Derry edged out nine-in-a-row-seeking Antrim in tonight's other semi-final, the Ardsmen and the Oak Leafers will now cross swords for the provincial silverware and a date with Kilkenny in an All-Ireland semi-final on the 19th of next month.

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