Armagh stun Cork to reach last eight
ARMAGH 4-9
CORK 3-11
ARMAGH held off a powerful final quarter surge by Cork to earn a precious victory in Group 1 of the TG4 All-Ireland SFC at O’Connor Park in Tullamore and reach the quarter-finals.
The Ulster finalists were rank outsiders for this contest, but with just 13 minutes left they led 4-9 to 1-8 buffer and though Cork recorded 2-3 without reply it wasn’t enough, although they still win the group.
Rhona Ni Bhuachalla gave Cork their first goal on 12 minutes but Armagh were just four points adrift, 1-5 to 0-4, at the interval.
Cork Ciara O’Sullivan was sin-binned, but Orchard star Aimee Mackin had to go off through injury.
Yet Armagh midfielder Caroline O’Hanlon blasted a goal and Blaithin Mackin, Kelly Mallon and Mairead Watters also found the net in a blistering spell to open up a 10-point lead.
Cork hit back with goals by Maire O’Callaghan and Libby Coppinger and a run of points cut the gap to the minimum, but Armagh managed to hold on for a famous win.
Scorers for Armagh: C O’Hanlon 1-3 (0-1f), B Mackin 1-2, K Mallon, M Watters 1-0 each, A Mackin 0-3 (1f), T Grimes 0-1.
Scorers for Cork: D O’Sullivan 0-5, M O’Callaghan, R Ni Bhuachalla, L Coppinger 1-0 each, O Finn 0-3 (1f), C O’Sullivan 0-2, E Scally 0-1.
CORK: M O’Brien; E Meaney, E Spillane, S Kelly; M Duggan, A Hutchings, D Kiely; M O’Callaghan, A O’Sullivan; D Kiely, C O’Sullivan, C Collins; O Finn, D O’Sullivan, R Ni Bhuachalla.
Subs: E Scally for Hutchings, L Coppinger for Collins (both h-t), S Noonan for Ni Bhuachalla (46).
ARMAGH: A Carr; S Marley, C McCambridge, M Moriarty; M Sheridan, C Morgan, C McKenna; T Grimes, C O’Hanlon; N Marley, K Mallon, C Marley; A Mackin, B Mackin, A McCoy.
Subs: M Watters for A Mackin (h-t), A Donaldson for C Marley (47).
Referee: M Farrelly (Cavan).
– DAIRE WALSH