Ulster SFC: Monaghan topple Armagh 4-17 to 2-21 in thrilling semi-final

Darren Hughes scored Monaghan's fourth goal of the first half

Monaghan scored three injury-time points to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat having surrendered a healthy lead to Armagh in a thrilling 4-17 to 2-21 Ulster SFC semi-final win.

Leading by seven at the break having scored four first half goals, Monaghan were on the cusp of a memorable loss as Armagh roared back to take a two-point lead late in the second half.

However Conor McManus (twice) and Stephen O'Hanlon struck late as the Farney men finished strongly to reach their first final since 2015.

It was a sensational game played against a sombre backdrop, after the death of Monaghan under-20 captain Brendan Óg Duffy in a two-car collision on Friday night, just hours after he captained his side to a semi-final victory of their own.

Despite immense sadness, and searing heat on what was the hottest day of the year, both sides delivered an encounter for the ages that will live long in the memory.

Kieran McGeeney's young Armagh side are left to reflect on a poor defensive display in the opening 30 minutes and a difficult finish, having overturned a seven-point deficit to lead by two with just six minutes of regular time remaining.

• As it happened: Monaghan edge Armagh in dramatic semi-final

Monaghan race clear as Armagh defence wilts in first half

Armagh entered the contest without regular first choice keeper Blaine Hughes, their man of the match against Antrim in the last round, with Killeavy youngster Shea Magill handed his Championship debut.

It was a brutally tough opening half hour for Magill, whose defence offered little cover against a rampant Monaghan attack spearheaded once more by McManus, who had been an injury doubt in the lead up to the game.

It took the Farneymen's main man just two minutes to score the first goal, dummying past Magill to roll it home after Ryan McAnespie had been allowed to surge deep into Armagh territory.

The space continued to show itself for Monaghan, with Jack McCarron pouncing on a botched kick-out for his side's second goal after 10 minutes, before the Currin man turned provider five minutes later, dummying and squaring for Micheal Bannigan to finish as Monaghan racked up 3-6 by the water break.

It was a break sorely needed by Armagh, if not for brief respite from the heat then for a swift reboot. The Orchard did come to the party with some free scoring of their own, with Rian O'Neill notching five first half scores as they tried to work themselves back into the contest.

But up front was not where their problems lay. It was at the back, where Monaghan's late runners continued to burst through unchallenged.

Darren Hughes scored his side's final point of the half, again gliding through slotting past the helpless Magill to help bring up a seven-point half-time lead.

Second half replacements shift momentum

The opening exchanges from the second half suggested the pace of the first half would not be sustained. An understandable conclusion in such temperatures, and one that suited Monaghan as the sides exchanged points with Armagh unable to eat into Monaghan's lead.

McGeeney turned to his bench early, first before the interval with the introduction of Aidan Forker shoring up the defence and then with Conor Turbitt coming on to reinvigorate their forward line.

Conor Turbitt's 59th minute goal marked a huge turning point for Armagh

The momentum of the game totally shifted when Turbitt got up in front of Rory Beggan to flick Rian O'Neill's driven ball into the net, with the Armagh majority in the crowd raising the decibel level in response.

By the hour mark there appeared to be an inevitability surrounding the momentum captured by Armagh, and when Tiernan Kelly cut inside to slide a low left footed effort past Beggan they looked well on their way to securing a memorable comeback.

But Monaghan had other ideas. Led by McManus who, far from being undercooked, lasted the course and displayed nerves of steel to knock over three consecutive points, including two frees, to push his side back ahead in the embers of the game with O'Hanlon clipping over the final score to seal the win.

Monaghan: R Beggan (0-2, 2f); K Duffy, C Boyle, R Wylie; K O'Connell, K Lavelle, R McAnespie; D Hughes (1-0), N Kearns (0-1); M Bannigan (1-1), A Mulligan, D Ward (0-2); C McCarthy, J McCarron (1-1), C McManus (1-6, 4f).

Substitutes: R Farrelly, K Hughes, K McMenamin, C Walshe, S Carey (0-1), F Kelly, S O'Hanlon (0-2), D Wylie, A Woods, B McBennett, D Malone.

Armagh: S Magill; J Morgan, A McKay, R Finn; C O'Hanlon (0-1), G McCabe, C Mackin (0-1); N Grimley (0-1), O O'Neill (0-3); J Hall, R O'Neill (0-6, 3f), J Og Burns (0-2); R Grugan (0-3), A Murnin, S Campbell (0-1).

Substitutes: R Grugan, C O'Neill (0-1), B Donaghy, C Turbitt (1-1), S Sheridan, P Burns, R Kennedy, A Forker, R McQuillan (0-1), B Crealey, T Kelly (1-0).