Armagh reach All-Ireland quarter-finals with Galway draw

Armagh fought back from five points down to draw with Galway and top the group

Armagh have topped Group 1 and are into the All-Ireland quarter-finals following a remarkable comeback to secure a 1-12 to 0-15 draw against Galway at Markievicz Park.

Armagh looked to be dead and buried when they trailed by five points with 15 minutes to go, but everything changed on 59 minutes when Conor Turbitt overturned a kick-out, fed the ball to Tiernan Kelly and he hit the back of the net.

Galway held a two-point lead at the break, which was probably a fair reflection of how the first 35 minutes went, with the Tribesemen keeping the ball for long periods of time and kicking some excellent scores, despite playing against the wind.

It was tit-for-tat in terms of scoring for most of the first half, with Conor Turbitt leading the charge for Armagh, whilst Rob Finnerty top-scored for the Connacht champions.

Marksman Shane Walsh took a while to get into the game, but he announced himself in style with two magnificent points to give his side the lead at the interval.

Kelly wheels away in celebration after his goal

It was all Galway for most of the second half, and they were full of confidence and in their groove when scores from Paul Conroy, Dylan McHugh and Liam Silke put them five points ahead, and it looked like it wasn’t going to be Armagh’s day.

However, in the space of three minutes of madness, Armagh hit 1-3 including Kelly’s goal and a point from Turbitt which put them ahead and the Armagh supporters were sent into a state of delirium.

To Galway’s credit, they answered back and when Walsh found the target from a free, they led going into stoppage time.

But Stefan Campbell was the hero of the game, as he fisted the ball over in the dying seconds to seal a draw and Armagh’s place in the last eight.