Jamie Clarke’s last-minute major provided a fitting punctuation mark to an absorbing draw between Armagh and Westmeath in Mullingar –  3-12 to 2-15.

Rory Grugan’s three-pointer had Kieran McGeeney’s charges in the driving seat at the interval as they led by 1-12 to 0-7 but the Lake County completed a remarkable twelve-point turnaround as goals from John Heslin, Denis Corroon and Luke Loughlin saw them ease four points clear.

The topsy-turvy nature of proceedings was typified by the thrilling denouement as substitute Clarke netted a precious late leveller before Ray Connellan missed a chance to win it for the hosts.

Grugan palmed to the net in the fourth minute and Rian O’Neill hit the target three times as the visitors opened with an uanswered 1-5, with 14 points then shared before the short whistle. But, when the action resumed, Heslin (penalty) and Corroon netted within 60 seconds of each other before Loughlin found the top corner eleven minutes later.

Trailing by four with 14 minutes left, Armagh kicked back with points from O’Neill and Jason Duffy, Heslin giving the men in maroon some breathing space before the Crossmaglen enigma, passport set aside for the time being at least, fisted the game’s last score, leaving both teams on five points, level with Roscommon and Laois and one behind Cavan.

Westmeath - J Daly; K Daly, R Wallace, B Sayeh (0-1); S Duncan, K Maguire, J Dolan; D Corroon (1-0), R Connellan (0-1); A McGivney, R O’Toole (0-2), D Lynch; C McCormack, J Heslin (1-6, 1-0pen, 0-5f), L Loughlin (1-2, 0-1'45). Subs: C Coughlan for D Lynch, T McDaniel for C McCormack, N Mulligan for A McGivney, J Smith for S Duncan. 

Armagh - B Hughes; P Burns, A Nugent, A Forker (0-1); C O’Neill, S Sheridan, J McElroy; N Grimley, O O’Neill (0-2, 1m); R Grugan (1-4, 0-2f), S Campbell, M Shields (0-1); C Turbitt (0-1), R O’Neill (0-4f), J Og Burns (0-1). Subs: J Duffy (0-1) for C Turbitt, J Clarke (1-0) for A Nugent, J Morgan for J McElroy, E Rafferty for O O’Neill.

Referee - B Cassidy.

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