GAA: Armagh 1-17 Tipperary 1-15: Armagh edge tight encounter
Wednesday 19 July 2017 13:07, UK
Jamie Clarke's goal in the last minute of normal time saw Armagh into round four of the qualifiers after a 1-17 to 1-15 win over Tipperary in the first ever championship meeting between the sides.
Clarke only played one minute of Armagh's last round win over Westmeath before he got a black card, but his 70th-minute goal was the difference here.
All Star forward Michael Quinlivan gave Tipperary the lead just after half-time but Jack Kennedy got black carded and the scores dried up.
Armagh claimed back-to-back championship victories for the first time since 2014 when they beat Westmeath in Mullingar last Saturday.
A couple of controversial calls from referee Paddy Neilan denied each team goal scoring chances but in the end Niall Grimley's eight points were key as Armagh advanced to the fourth round.
Tipperary won the toss and played with a slight breeze at their backs in the first half but had to wait until the sixth minute before Kevin O'Halloran pointed a free to open the scoring.
Gregory McCabe then slotted Armagh's first score in the eighth minute.
Points from Kennedy and Conor Sweeney helped Tipperary move 0-4 to 0-2 in front by the 16th minute but Grimley and Rory Grugan combined to bring Armagh level again.
O'Halloran and Brian Fox scored two inspirational points for Tipperary but Armagh drew level for the fourth time when Aidan Forker scored off the outside of his left boot.
With four minutes left until half-time Josh Keane gave Tipperary the lead again, and the teams traded scores to leave it 0-10 to 0-8 in favour of Tipperary at the interval.
Armagh made the perfect start to the second half when Gavin McParland pointed in the 14th second, but that was cancelled out emphatically in the 38th minute.
Robbie Kiely and Conor Sweeney were involved as Quinlivan blasted his shot past Blaine Hughes and into the Armagh net.
Ciaran Kenrick saved well from Andrew Murnin to keep the Tipperary goal intact but Grimley added to his tally with a third free to bring his side back within three points.
The Madden clubman was in unbelievable form from the placed ball and he kicked another as Armagh began to get some momentum once again, and his seventh point made it 1-10 to 0-12 in the 48th minute.
Kennedy was shown his black card for a foul on Aidan Forker just before that, and Armagh were soon level when Grimley continued his brilliant scoring spree in the 53rd minute.
Tipperary had not scored in 20 minutes when Keane eventually put them back in front with just 12 minutes remaining.
Clarke hadn't scored yet but he set up McParland to tie the game up and then the Crossmaglen man pushed Armagh in front for the first time in the 61st minute.
Sweeney cancelled that but Steffan Campbell pointed before Brendan Donaghy found McParland in space and he gave the ball to Clarke, who struck the winning goal in the 70th minute.
Armagh: B Hughes; B Donaghy, J Morgan, C Vernon; G McCabe (0-1), P Hughes, A Forker (0-1); S Sheridan (0-1), N Grimley (0-8, 0-5f, 0-1 45); C O'Hanlon, M Shields, R Grugan (0-2, 0-1f); A Murnin, J Clarke (1-1), G McParland (0-2).
Subs used: J McElroy for McCabe (28), S Campbell (0-1) for O'Hanlon (47), C McKeever for Clarke (72), E Rafferty for Murnin (78).
Tipperary: C Kenrick; E Moloney, A Campbell, P Codd; B Maher, R Kiely, J Feehan; L Casey (0-2), G Hannigan; J Keane (0-4, 0-2f), K O'Halloran (0-2, 0-1f), B Fox (0-1); C Sweeney (0-3, 0-3f), J Kennedy (0-2, 0-2f), M Quinlivan (1-0).
Subs used: P Austin (0-1) for Hannigan (half-time), L Boland for Moloney (48), Hannigan for Kennedy (black card, 48), D Foley for O'Halloran (72).
