Football League: Armagh miss out on promotion as Antrim go down

Two Tipperary players get to grips with Orchard forward Jamie Clarke at the Athletic Grounds

Armagh's promotion hopes were dashed as Michael Quinlivan's injury-time goal gave Tipperary a 3-8 to 0-16 win.

The winners were guaranteed a spot in Division Two and the Ulster side were undone by three second-half goals from Quinlivan to send Tipp up.

Antrim return to Division Four with Sean McCormack's point seven minutes into injury time securing a 0-16 to 1-13 draw for 13-man Longford.

Longford's superior scoring difference means they stay in Division Three.

With Offaly escaping thanks to a dramatic 3-15 to 4-11 victory over relegated Laois, the Saffrons needed a victory at Corrigan Park to remain in the division while avoiding defeat was enough for Longford to stay up.

Antrim led 0-6 to 0-3 after 17 minutes with their points coming from CJ McGourty (2), Peter Healy, Brendan Bradley, Ruairi McCann and Declan Lynch.

Longford fought back and slotted over the final three scores of the half to hold a 0-10 to 0-7 advantage at the interval.

CJ McGourty put Antrim in front late in the game but the Saffrons now face life in Division Four

McGourty converted a penalty 15 minutes into the second half after Longford's Andrew Farrell was sent-off and Antrim were just a point behind.

Lynch quickly levelled but Longford moved two points clear before they had a second player dismissed with Padraig McCormack red-carded.

McGourty hit three points without reply to put Antrim ahead going into added time but Sean McCormack had the final say with his last-gasp equaliser.

Armagh also endured late heartbreak as they narrowly missed out on promotion at the Athletic Grounds.

Scoring burst

Rory Grugan, Jamie Clarke, Aidan Forker, Niall Grimley and Andrew Murnin were on target as the hosts hit five unanswered points.

Armagh enjoyed a 0-7 to 0-4 half-time lead but Longford were level two minutes into the second half thanks to Quinlivan's opening goal.

Grugan split the posts twice to help the Orchard side restore their three-point advantage but it was cancelled out as the Tipp forward netted again.

Armagh responded with points from Murnin, Oisin O'Neill (2) and Clarke to go four clear before the visitors launched their late comeback.

The gap was halved before Quinlivan fired into the Orchard net in the first minute of stoppage time.

Tipperary boss Liam Kearns admitted that Armagh had been the better side for "long spells" as home boss Kieran McGeeney endured more league heartbreak following their equally dramatic relegation from Division Two last year.

"We had goal chances ourselves and missed them. That came back to bite us today," added the Armagh manager.