Armagh Minors beat Monaghan 1-8 to 0-9 in semi-final

Armagh reached their first Ulster Minor football final since 2009 with a strong finish against Monaghan in Clones.

Defending Ulster champions Monaghan led by 0-5 to 0-4 at half-time and a goal after 35 minutes by full-forward Conor Grimley regained the lead for Armagh.

Monaghan hit back, scoring four of the next five points, and briefly took the lead through a David McAllister point.

However Armagh kicked the last three points to set up an Ulster final against Donegal on 20 July.

Ryan Hughes kicked two points from play as Armagh established an early lead in the game.

In what was a defensive game for long periods, Monaghan forward Barry McGinn top-scored kicking five of his six points from frees.

Monaghan had come through a tough quarter-final against Tyrone a week earlier, and Armagh were the fresher side in the last ten minutes.

The Orchard county scored the last three points of the game, with substitute Padraig Judge hitting a monster equaliser three minutes from the end.

Extra time loomed, but Armagh forward Oisin O'Neill kicked a spectacular point from distance with his right foot to put his team ahead.

In the second minute of injury time, a surging run by Jarlath Og Burns set up Armagh captain Caolan McConville for the insurance point.

Monaghan finished the game with 14 men when midfielder Michael Murnaghan was sent off, after receiving a yellow card followed by a black card, late in the game.

Armagh: R Kearney; F Quinn, A Rushe, C Donnelly; C Boylan, C McKinney, C McNicholl; J Og Burns, S Conlon; J Rafferty, O O'Neill (0-2), K Mallon; R Hughes (0-3, 1f), C Grimley (1-0), C McConville (0-1)

Subs: C Cullen (0-1, a '45') for Rafferty (BC, 32), P Judge (0-1) for Grimley (50), R McKeown for McNicholl (56), C Murphy for Hughes (58)

Monaghan: S Garland; S Mohan, C Duffy, C McElwain; M Gamal, B Kerr, S Treanor; M Murnaghan, J Beattie; F Maguire, A Jones, M Bannigan; D Garland (0-1), D McAllister (0-1), B McGinn (0-6, 5f)

Subs: J Mealiff for Maguire (37), D Gleeson (0-1) for Garland (43), S McMahon for

Referee: Noel Mooney (Cavan)