Gaelic Games

Armagh get off the mark with impressive win over off-colour Tyrone

Kieran McGeeney hails impact of goalkeeper Ethan Rafferty, who scored five points

Tyrone's Peter Teague and Shea O'Hare block a shot from Conor Turbitt of Armagh during the Allianz Football League Division One game at Box-It Athletic Grounds. Photograph: Leah Scholes/Inpho
Tyrone's Peter Teague and Shea O'Hare block a shot from Conor Turbitt of Armagh during the Allianz Football League Division One game at Box-It Athletic Grounds. Photograph: Leah Scholes/Inpho
Francis Mooney
Sat Feb 01 2025 - 21:29
NFL Division One: Armagh 1-23 Tyrone 0-19

All-Ireland champions Armagh are off the mark with their first points of their 2025 Division One campaign, a heart-warming derby win over Ulster neighbours Tyrone at the Box-It Athletic Grounds.

They led by 16 points at one stage, and held on despite being pegged back to seven by the Red Hands, who passed up a string of opportunities to kick for two-pointers in the second half.

A high-scoring contest at the Armagh city venue, with 10 members of the home side on target, reflected positive on the new rules, with manager Kieran McGeeney’s men using the extra space to carve out opportunities, and pick off a string of two-pointers in front of a crowd of 14,366.

McGeeney hailed the impact of goalkeeper Ethan Rafferty, drafted into the side to replace All-Star nominee Blaine Hughes as a prematch change, for his ability to link play and kick long-range scores, finishing with a 0-5 haul that included a couple of two-pointers.

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Tension rises between Tyrone's Conn Kilpatrick and Greg McCabe of Armagh. Photograph: Leah Scholes/Inpho
Tension rises between Tyrone's Conn Kilpatrick and Greg McCabe of Armagh. Photograph: Leah Scholes/Inpho

“Ethan is pushing hard and he wants to get playing. Blaine has done nothing wrong and has been flying as well. Hopefully the two will push each other on,” he said.

“We were missing Tiernan Kelly, Paddy Burns, Aaron McKay, Joe McElroy, Peter McGrane – five or six missing and Niall [Grimley].

“You need a full panel. Young Darragh McMullan has come in and done really well, [Oisin] Conaty and Tomás McCormack in the corner.

“Greg [McCabe] had a great game for us as well. We’ve a lot of young boys putting their hands up which is good for us, but we’d still like the other boys back as well.”

Armagh kicked four two-pointers in a dominant first half and it would have been five had goalkeeper Niall Morgan not got a fingertip to Andrew Murnin’s long-range effort as it crept over the bar.

Rafferty twice hit the target from beyond the 40-metre arc, with Ross McQuillan and Aidan Forker also earning a bonus point from distance.

They created a rash of goalscoring chances as well against an out-of-sorts Red Hand side that was frustrated repeatedly by a disciplined defensive effort.

The Orchard men hit the net in the 20th minute, Oisin Conaty’s superb pass sending Rory Grugan away to cross for Murnin to punch to the net for a seven-point advantage.

Tyrone got points on the board through Shea O’Hare, Seanie O’Donnell and Darren McCurry, but they trailed by 14 at the interval, 1-14 to 0-3.

They stretched the advantage out to 16 before Tyrone started to find a measure of penetration, with Darren McCurry converting a couple of frees from outside the arc, but they passed up other opportunities to kick two-pointers from play.

Armagh newcomers Tomas McCormack and Darragh McMullan slotted neatly to the system with competent displays, helping their side resist spells of sustained pressure.

The Red Hands clawed back slowly, with Brian Kennedy, Seanie O’Donnell and O’Hare all on target, before Michael McKernan sent over his second two-pointer.

McGeeney’s men were never in danger, comfort and stability guiding them safely over the finish line as they rounded off their first home game since lifting Sam with scores from Murnin and Turbitt.

Armagh: E Rafferty (0-2-1); T McCormack (0-1), B McCambridge, J Duffy; R McQuillan (0-1-1), A Forker (0-2-0), G McCabe; B Crealey, C Mackin; O Conaty (0-1), R Grugan (0-1, f), D McMullan (0-1); J Hall (0-1), A Murnin (1-4), C Turbitt (0-4, 1f). Subs: S Campbell for McQuillan (56), C McConville for Grugan (67), J Og Burns for Mackin (68).

Tyrone: N Morgan; A Clarke, P Teague, N Devlin; M McKernan (0-2-0), F Burns, S O’Hare (0-2); B Kennedy (0-1), L Gray (0-1); S O’Donnell (0-2), K McGeary (0-1), A Donaghy; D McCurry (0-2-2, 2tpf), M Donnelly, R Cassidy. Subs: C Kilpatrick for Donaghy (h-t), E McElholm (0-1) for Cassidy (h-t), R Brennan for Burns (45), C Daly for Gray (45), C McShane for Donnelly (67)

Referee: J McQuillan (Cavan).