Derry 3-11, Armagh 2-11.

An ability to poach goals at vital times was ultimately what saw Derry over the line in this entertaining and closely contested game in Clones yesterday.

Derry led for most of the match but Armagh were on their coat tails right to the final minutes when an opportunist goal by Brendan Laverty and a couple of points by Jamie McGlinchey wrapped it up for the Oak leaf lads.

Armagh drew first blood with a point by Peter McKearney but Derry soon hit the front with a goal by Brendan Laverty and they went on to add points by Laverty and Corey O'Reilly to open a four point gap. By the twenty minute mark though Armagh had re-taken the lead with an unanswered 1-2, the goal by Joseph O'Connor but Derry finished the half strongly with a goal and a point by Steven O'Neill, to leave the half time score Derry 2-4, Armagh 1-3.

Armagh reeled off three quick fire points on the resumption to reduce the deficit to the minimum and they did that on a number of occasions in the second half but Derry always had the capacity to respond and keep their noses in front. Entering the final five minutes Derry netted their third goal to open a five point lead but Armagh refused to throw in the towel but could only manage an injury time goal from a free by Aaron Fox to leave three between them at the finish.

Scorers:

Derry: B Laverty 2-2, J McGlinchey 0-3, S O'Neill 1-1, P Burke (2 frees) and C O'Reilly 0-2 each, T Magee 0-1.

Armagh: A Fox 1-6 (1-3f, 0-1 '65), J O'Connor 1-0, P McKearney 0-2, T Nevin, C Farrell and C Fox (free) 0-1 each.

Derry: C Owens, M Glass, P Turner, F O'Kane, D McPeake, G Farren, J Mullan, S O'Neill, P Burke, T Magee, F McGurk, C O'Reilly, J McGlinchey, B Laverty, D Cartin. Subs: E Magill for J McGlinchey.

Armagh: C Lavery, C Rice, R Murray, P Quinn, S Toal, M McAvoy, S Mone,, M Doran, A Fox, D McKenna, T Nevin, C Farrell, P Mallon, P McKearney, J O'Connor. Subs: F Maguire for R Murray, S Leonard for J O'Connor, D Hicks for S Mone.

Referee: C Cunning (Antrim). Tweet

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