Armagh kept things to script with a 1-18 to 1-13 win over Derry in this evening’s All-Ireland senior football championship first round tie at the Box-It Athletic Grounds.

The Ulster champions’ flying start saw them 0-6 to 0-1 up inside the opening quarter of an hour, with Conor Turbitt’s two-pointer erasing Conor Glass’s opener before points from Tomás McCormack (2), Jason Duffy and Darragh McMullen sailed over the visitors’ bar.

The response from Ciaran Meenagh’s men was to fire in a Lachlan Murray goal and then cut the difference to one through Niall Loughlin on 17 minutes, but a brilliantly taken goal by Tiernan Kelly two minutes later knocked the stuffing out of the Oak Leafers.

An Oisin Conaty two-pointer followed up the Kelly’s remarkable strike, as Kieran McGeeney’s side moved towards a 1-9 to 1-3 interval lead and, while Derry got back to within three with the help of scores from Murray, Shane McGuigan and Conor Doherty after the change of ends, the home side were able to surge clear again.

Conaty and Jason Duffy raised white flags ahead of ‘keeper Blaine Hughes nailing a long range free that put eight between the teams, with substitute Oisin O’Neill (free) and Turbitt rounding off the winning tally late on as Armagh now go into the Round 2A section of the draw on Tuesday morning.

WATCH: FULL-TIME HIGHLIGHTS 📺

A dominant performance from @Armagh_GAA sees The Orchard County advance to Round 2A of the All-Ireland Senior Championship, while Round 2B awaits @Doiregaa 🤝@Armagh_GAA 1-18@Doiregaa 1-13#ARMvDER pic.twitter.com/KxvIKTsJth

— The GAA (@officialgaa) May 30, 2026

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