Down 2-13
Armagh 2-11

Jack Hazard saved an injury-time penalty to ensure Down came out on top against Armagh in this afternoon's Ulster minor football championship quarter-final in Newry.

Hazard came up trumps for the hosts in a dramatic finish after Armagh had clawed their way back a from a five-point deficit in the closing 13 minutes and earned an opportunity at a draw which the Mourne men's number one denied. 

Conor McCrickard's 10th minute goal had helped the home side to lead by 1-7 to 0-6 after having dominating a large majority of the first-half.

The opening 10 minutes of the restart saw McCrickard and Tiernan Kelly swap majors before two Liam Kerr frees moved Down into a 2-11 to 1-9 lead by the 47th minute.

Kelly and Kerr exchanged further scores and as the game entered its home stretch Ross McQuillan handed the Orchard lads a life-line by smashing in a goal with two minutes of regulation left.

Kelly had the chance to send the game into extra time but Hazard guessed right before the former skied the rebound over the bar.

Down now face Cavan, who conquered Monaghan last weekend, in the semi-finals on June 24th.

Down - J Hazard; C Fitzsimons, B Gallen, T Gordon; F McElroy, C Clarke, P Fegan; S Annett, R McCrickard; R Anderson, R McCormick, D McClements (0-1); T Prenter, C McCrickard (2-4, 0-4f), L Kerr (0-8, 4f). Subs: R Carr for T Gordon, R O'Higgins for R Anderson, A Gribben for D McClements, L Middleton for R Carr.

Armagh - M Magill; J Haddock, S McCarthy, E McCabe; R Meehan, J Haughey, R McGuinness; K Doyle, Z Burnickis; R McQuillan (1-4, 0-3f), J Kierans, A McEvoy (0-1); C McConville (0-1f), C Turbitt (0-3), T Kelly (1-2). Subs: C Magennis for S McCarthy, A McConville for J Kierans, N Magennis for A McEvoy, D Rafferty for R McGuinness.

Referee - M Conroy.

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