Jamie Clarke stars at Armagh overcome Wicklow

Jamie Clarke hit 2-4 from play as Armagh beat Wicklow in the All-Ireland SFC qualifiers for the third time in five years with a 2-17 to 2-7 victory.

The game was a lot closer than the scoreline suggests, with only one point separating the teams with 15 minutes remaining.

Armagh scored an unanswered 2-2 in the closing stages, with two moments of magic from Clarke in the last five minutes steadying the nerves of the home fans among the 6,083 in the Athletic Grounds.

Wicklow played much better than their pre-match billing predicted, but eight missed frees hurt their chances of causing an upset.

Armagh were forced to field without injured captain Ciaran McKeever but hardly missed him as they breezed into a 0-4 to 0-0 lead after 16 minutes.

The home side were completely on top and should have been further ahead but missed three goals chances in the opening quarter.

Aidan Forker blazed wide from six yards in the second minute while Wicklow 'keeper Robert Lambert got his leg to Tony Kernan's tap-in and Michael McKenna narrowly failed to connect with Clarke's superb pass at the near post.

The misses, more than the scores, were the big talking point of the first half with Wicklow also guilty of spurning good opportunities. They missed five frees in the first half, with three different free-takers tried with little success.

Scruffy

Yet somehow, against the run of play, the Garden county got back into the game with John McGrath's scruffy goal in the 25th minute.

Darren Hayden scored their opening point in the 18th minute and then when a Wicklow shot was partially blocked down, Brendan Donaghy spilled an easy catch and McGrath pounced, his scuffed shot bouncing into the far corner of the net.

A minute later, Paul Cronin converted their only free of the first half to draw them level at 0-5 to 1-2 to stun the home supporters.

Armagh's response will have pleased manager Kieran McGeeney as they reeled off four unanswered points, all from play, before half time.

Ethan Rafferty's 35-metre score with the outside of his left foot nudged them back in front with Jamie Clarke scoring from an acute angle.

In stoppage time, Andrew Murnin made a high catch and turned onto his left to score with Clarke hitting his fourth point of the half to give Armagh a 0-9 to 1-2 half-time lead.

Impact

Wicklow made a double substitution for the start of the second half and towering full-forward Conor McGraynor made an immediate impact, setting up a point and fisting a point.

The visitors scored three of the first four points after the break through Ciaran Hyland, McGraynor and a Cronin free, although their placed ball problems continued with two more misses.

Armagh scored four of the next five points with a brace from Michael McKenna, Stefan Campbell and Aidan Forker all raising white flags with Cronin's point the sole response by Wicklow.

Wicklow were still creating plenty of chances and rallied again with sub James Stafford scoring a goal within seconds of his introduction, bullying Charlie Vernon in the air to score from close range.

That drew Wicklow to within a point, at 0-14 to 2-7, after 56 minutes.

Armagh effectively had to go and win the match again, which they did with Ethan Rafferty scoring a brace before Jamie Clarke sealed the result with two goals in the last four minutes.

He drew four defenders and wriggled free to score at the near post and followed it up with another left-footed strike to book Armagh's place in Monday’s draw.

Armagh: M McNeice; M Murray, C Vernon, S Connell; A Mallon, B Donaghy, J Morgan; C Rafferty (0-2), E Rafferty (0-4, 1f, 1 '45); A Forker (0-1), M McKenna (0-3), T Kernan; S Campbell (0-1), A Murnin (0-2), J Clarke (2-4).

Subs: M McConville for Connell (53), D McKenna for Forker (53), C O'Hanlon for Kernan (60), S Forker for Campbell (69), G McParland for Murnin (70).

Wicklow: R Lambert; C Hyland (0-1), R O'Brien, A Murphy; D Healy, P McLoughlin, M Kenny; A McLoughlin, D Woods; D Hayden (0-1), S Kelly, N Gaffney; P Cronin (0-4, 1f), T Kelly, J McGrath (1-0).

Subs: C McGraynor (0-1) for Gaffney (HT), P McWalter for Kenny (HT), J Stafford (1-0) for Woods (55), D Odlum for McGrath (56), P Cunningham for T Kelly (58), B McCrea for Cronin (66).

Ref: E Kinsella (Laois).