Armagh 0-17

Derry 0-15 

Armagh will face champions Donegal for a place in the Ulster SFC final after withstanding a second half comeback by Derry at Celtic Park.

Kieran McGeeney's charges looked to be on course for a comfortable victory when they led by 0-11 to 0-5 at the interval, but the home side came storming back in the second half to leave the minimum in it before a Rian O'Neill free with the last kick of the game secured the winners' place in the semi-final on November 14.

The defeat leaves Derry, who fielded four debutants, without a win in the provincial championship since 2015, while they haven't lifted the Anglo-Celt Cup since 1998.

Buoyed by their promotion to Division 1 of the Allianz League last weekend, Armagh dominated the early exchanges at the rain-soaked Derry city venue to open up a 0-6 to 0-2 lead with late replacement Jarlath Og Burns, Jamie Clarke - who was black-carded in the second half - and man of the match Rory Grugan all on target.

Rian O'Neill and Conor O'Neill added points to make it 0-10 to 0-4 before Emmet Bradley and Oisin O'Neill traded scores to leave six between the sides at the short whistle.

Armagh’s Niall Grimley climbs high. ©INPHO/Lorcan Doherty.

As the conditions deteriorated, the Oak Leafers found their groove in the third quarter when points from the excellent Shane McGuigan, Ethan Doherty and Ciaran McFaul brought them back into contention. Mark Shields and Clarke replied for the visitors before the latter received a black card.

Having failed to take advantage of Clarke's 10-minute absence, Rory Gallagher's men produced a strong finish as scores from Niall Loughlin and McGuigan brought them to within a point at the end of normal time. But they couldn't draw level and Rian O'Neill, with his fourth point, had the final say for a mightily-relieved Armagh side, who had no fewer than eight different scorers.

Armagh - B Hughes; P Burns, R Kennedy, J Morgan; C O’Neill (0-1), A Forker (0-2), M Shields (0-1); O O’Neill (0-2), S Sheridan; R Grugan (0-3, 1f), G McCabe, S Campbell; J Clarke (0-3), R O’Neill (0-4f), J Og Burns (0-1). Subs: N Grimley for G McCabe, C Cumiskey for S Sheridan.

Derry - O Lynch; P McNeill, B Rogers, C McWilliams; E Doherty (0-1), C McKaigue (0-1), P McGrogan; C McFaul (0-1), C Glass; D Tallon, E Lynn, P Cassidy; E Bradley, S McGuigan (0-7f), N Loughlin (0-4, 3f). Subs: P Kearney (0-1) for D Tallon, O McWilliams for P McNeill, P Cassidy for E Lynn, A Doherty for P Cassidy.

Referee - S Hurson.

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