Armagh stun Kerry to clinch extra-time victory

Barry McCambridge fisted in the goal which got Armagh back into the game in addition to doing a superb marking job on Kerry's star forward David Clifford

Armagh produced a sensational comeback to beat Kerry 1-18 to 1-16 after extra time in a dramatic first All-Ireland Football semi-final at Croke Park.

After leading 0-10 to 0-6 at half-time, Paul Murphy's goal put the Kingdom 1-11 to 0-9 ahead after 46 minutes.

However a goalkeeping mistake by Shane Ryan allowed Barry McCambridge to fist in a 55th-minute Armagh goal which cut Kerry's lead to 1-12 to 1-11.

McCambridge was pivotal to Armagh's victory as he also subdued Kerry's star David Clifford who became a peripheral figure after threatening to take control of the game in the second quarter.

Two points from substitute Stefan Campbell and a towering score from man of the match Rian O'Neill helped Armagh lead as the game reached added time before Dylan Geaney's leveller ensured extra time.

The influence of the Armagh bench was again emphasised as another substitute Jarly Og Burns edged them ahead once more before Conor Turbitt doubled their advantage by the end of the first period of extra time.

Another replacement Ross McQuillan extended the Orchard County's lead and while scores from Cillian Burke and Paudie Clifford cut Armagh's advantage to the minimum, a Turbitt score closed out the victory as Kieran McGeeney's side clinched a famous victory which sets up a decider on 28 July against either Donegal or Galway who meet in the second semi-final on Sunday.

Armagh will be making their first final appearance since their 2003 defeat by Tyrone which came a year after they beat Kerry to land the county's sole All-Ireland title.

Armagh thoroughly deserve victory

Despite trailing for most of normal time, Kieran McGeeney's side, whose backroom team includes former Kerry star Kieran Donaghy, thoroughly deserved their victory as Jack O'Connor's team noticeably ran out of legs in the closing minutes of normal time and were unable to regain sufficient energy in extra time.

While Clifford was well-shackled by McCambridge from the off, Kerry were still able to play with pace and verve in the first half as they hit three straight points to move into a 0-6 to 0-3 lead by the 15th minute and extended that to 0-10 to 0-6 by the interval, with Clifford and Sean O'Shea both registering three first-half scores and Armagh rueing a missed gilt-edged goal chance as Ryan denied Andrew Murnin.

Armagh produced a big effort at the start of the second half as two points from skipper Aidan Forker helped reduced Kerry's lead to 0-11 to 0-9 but Kerry looked back in control after Murphy palmed to the net after a miscued Clifford shot had been knocked back into the Orchard County square.

Murphy's goal came after Kerry corner-back Tom O'Sullivan had missed a glorious goal chance as he fired wide from pointblank range when they led 0-11 to 0-7 in probably the key moment of the game from the Kingdom's point of view.

However, McGeeney's brave side, despite a series of heartbreaking defeats in recent seasons, refused to accept the seemingly inevitable as Kerry keeper Ryan fumble of a high ball from O'Neill was gratefully pounced on by a stooping McCambridge who firmly fisted low to the net.

Kerry looked largely out on their feet during the remainder of normal time as substitute Oisin O'Neill had the chance to apply the coup de grace in the 68th minute after Armagh had moved one up only to pull his chance wide.

That miss allowed Dylan Geaney to bring the match to extra time thanks to his 71st-minute score but Armagh retained the momentum in the 20 added minutes as substitutes Burns and McQuillan were on target in addition to Turbitt, who fired two scores after coming back on following his substitution at the end of normal time.

Armagh wing-back Barry McCambridge (centre) was a pivotal figure in the Croke Park contest

Despite all the fears of a cagey contest which was watched by an attendance of 55,548, the game started at a frantic pace as O'Shea kicked Kerry ahead after only 15 seconds before Armagh corner-back Peter McGrane levelled almost immediately.

Paudie Clifford restored the Kingdom's lead in the sixth minute but he was largely the orchestrator for Kerry early on as his brother attempted to escape McCambridge's clutches.

Kerry's superstar finally appeared to be finding his range as he clipped over a delightful free from the sideline and then set up O'Shea to increase the Kingdom's advantage to 0-6 to 0-2 by the 15th minute.

Two points from midfielder Niall Grimley and a Rian O'Neill score, after Clifford had been turned over, cut the Kingdom's lead to 0-6 to 0-5 after 21 minutes but Kerry hit four of the five remaining scores before the break to lead 0-10 to 0-6 after Murnin's missed point-black goal chance had been followed by disappointing wides from Oisin Conaty and midfielder Ben Crealey.

Armagh hold nerve to avoid another shootout

With Campbell having been introduced for McGrane at half-time, skipper Forker stroked over a delightful score only for Clifford to immediately restore Kerry's four-point advantage after a goal had looked on following Joe O'Connor's burst deep into Armagh territory.

A Kerry goal certainly should have arrived two minutes later as O'Sullivan only had Blaine Hughes to beat after being unselfishly set up by O'Shea but the corner-back fired his shot wide when the net seemed certain to bulge.

While Rory Grugan and warrior Forker, once more, replied for Armagh within a 60-second period, a Kerry victory looked inevitable when Murphy palmed home their 46th-minute goal to put them five up.

However, Armagh refused to wilt and bolstered by the arrival of the cavalry, Turbitt and man of the match O'Neill, superbly, replied to leave a kick of the ball between the sides by the 50th minute and while O'Shea pointed three minutes later, the momentum of the contest shifted decisively when McCambridge fisted to the net.

Campbell's two points looked to have helped Armagh clinch victory in normal time but while substitute Geaney ensured extra time, the Orchard men held their nerve in the 20 added minutes to avoid another penalty shootout which seemed almost pre-ordained as the clock wound down in the closing stages.

Armagh: B Hughes; P Burns, A McKay, P McGrane (0-1); B McCambridge (1-0), T Kelly, A Forker (0-2); N Grimley (0-2), B Crealey; O Conaty, R O'Neill (0-3), J McElroy; R Grugan (0-1), A Murnin, C Turbitt (0-5, 3f).

Subs: S Campbell (0-2) for P McGrane ht, J Duffy for O Conaty 49, A Nugent for Crealey 57, R McQuillan (0-1) for Forker 60, O O’Neill for Murnin 62, J Óg Burns (0-1) for Turbitt ET, Turbitt for Nugent 80, Conaty for Grugan 84, McPartlan for Kelly 80.

Not used: E Rafferty, G McCabe, D McMullan.

Kerry: S Ryan; P Murphy (1-0), J Foley, T O'Sullivan; B O Beaglaioch, T Morley, G White; D O'Connor (0-1), J O'Connor; T Brosnan (0-1), P Clifford (0-3), D Moynihan (0-1); D Clifford (0-4, 3f), S O'Shea (0-4, 1f, 1 '45), P Geaney.

Subs: C Burke (0-1) for D Moynihan 48, K Spillane for P Geaney 48, D Geaney (0-1) for Brosnan 59, G O’Sullivan for O Beaglaoich 64, Bd O’Sullivan for J O’Connor 70, D Casey for T O’Sullivan (74 temp), T O’Sullivan for Foley 78, Stephen O’Brien for D O’Connor (80), Sean O’Brien for Murphy 84, M Breen for G White et.

Referee: David Gough (Meath).