Armagh 4-10 Down 0-12: Orchard men set up Ulster SFC Final with holders Derry

Armagh will face holders Derry in the Ulster Final on 14 May after a dominant but not entirely convincing 4-10 to 0-12 win over Down at a wet Clones.

Down led early on but Andrew Murnin's fisted goal was followed by Shane McPartlan's burst through the Mourne defence to put Armagh 2-3 to 0-3 ahead.

As Armagh's intensity dropped, Down cut the margin to 2-4 to 0-6 by half-time.

Armagh did lift the pace after the break and Ciaran Mackin flicked their third goal before Rian O'Neill netted.

Orchard County manager Kieran McGeeney appeared to give his players a stern talking to as he kept them on the pitch for a couple of minutes after the half-time whistle.

It did seem to have the desired effect in the second period with Armagh holding Down scoreless for nearly 25 minutes after the resumption as the Orchard men hit an unanswered 2-3.

In the first half, Armagh's attack appeared to have an over-reliance on long balls, which while they did yield Murnin's goal as he fisted a long McPartlan delivery past Niall Kane, is a tactic which probably is not going to ruffle better teams.

Semi-finals primarily about winning

But semi-finals are primarily about winning and while the watching Derry boss Rory Gallagher is unlikely to have been particularly impressed by Armagh's display, he will be expecting much better from Kieran McGeeney's side who in a fortnight will be involved in the county's first provincial final since 2008.

Down, meanwhile, will have to regroup for their second-tier Tailteann Cup campaign.

Depending on your view, Armagh were either playing well within themselves in the first half or demonstrating a lethargy born out of complacency - or perhaps a bit of both.

However, Down, despite going into the game with morale high after their win last weekend over struggling Donegal, weren't good enough to exploit Armagh's lack of intensity.

The Mournemen had plenty of the ball in the first half but they fired five wides - all from scoreable positions - in addition to dropping two shots short into Ethan Rafferty's palms.

A Pat Havern free did give Down a second-minute lead but Eugene Branagan missed an opportunity to extend their advantage before Armagh hit back to move 0-3 to 0-1 ahead as Aidan Forker's leveller was followed by a Jason Duffy score and a Rory Grugan free.

Grugan's score came after Duffy had hit the crossbar with a looping goal attempt, with the Orchard men looking fortunate to be awarded a free by referee Conor Lane following the subsequent scramble.

It was then Down's turn to be given a contentious free, which Havern pointed in the 19th minute, only for Armagh's first goal to arrive two minutes later as Murnin outjumped Niall Kane to fist to the net in trademark fashion.

Another Havern free was quickly followed by Armagh's second goal at the other end as McPartlan, inexplicably, was allowed to waltz past three Down players before rifling past Kane.

But instead of pushing on, Armagh went back into their shell for the remainder of the first period as Ryan Johnston finally managed a Down score from play before further Patrick Branagan and Liam Kerr points cut the half-time margin to 2-4 to 0-6 after Conor O'Neill had added to the Orchard men's total.

McGeeney's words did stir Armagh following the resumption as Jemar Hall and Murnin added scores from play before Mackin's goal ended the game as a contest.

The Camlough man seemed to get the faintest of touches to a long ball from Crossmaglen star O'Neill, who had been a late inclusion in Armagh's starting line-up after his recent injury problems.

O'Neill, like several of his colleagues, was subdued in the first half but he finished the match strongly as he cut inside from the right flank before outfoxing Kane with a clever dinked finish for Armagh's fourth goal.

Down hit five late points but the job was done for Armagh, although man-of-the-match Murnin hobbling off in the closing stages was a concern for the Orchard men as was a hamstring issue for Ben Crealey which led to his replacement by Connaire Mackin just before half-time.

Armagh: E Rafferty; C O'Neill (0-1), A McKay, A Forker (0-1); Ciaran Mackin (1-0), G McCabe, J Og Burns; B Crealey, S McPartlan (1-0); J Duffy (0-2), J Hall (0-1), R O'Neill (1-0); R Grugan (0-1), A Murnin (1-1), C Turbitt.

Subs: R McQuillan for Hall 50 mins, Connaire Mackin for Crealey 35, S Campbell for McPartlan 50, A Nugent for Turbitt 55, C Cumiskey for Murnin 60.

Not used: S Magill, J Morgan, B McCambridge, C Higgins, S Sheridan, O Conaty.

Down: N Kane; P Laverty (capt), S Annett, M Rooney; D Magill, N McParland, D Guinness; C Poland, R McEvoy (0-2); C Doherty, R Johnston (0-1), L Kerr (0-1); P Branagan (0-1), P Havern (0-6), E Branagan.

Subs: A Doherty for McAleenan 48, R Carr for P Branagan, A Gilmore for Annett 40, S Johnston for E Branagan 40, E Brown for Poland 57.

Not used: C Smyth, A Morgan, C Fitzpatrick, J Johnston, G Collins.

Referee: C Lane (Cork)