Write a commentDown will be more than happy following both their wins over Armagh on Sunday at Pairc Esler in Newry in front of a 16,000 crowd. Armagh left Newry with a two point defeat in both their senior and minor Championship clashes with old rivals Down. Armagh were without manager Kieran McGeeney who had to sit out the game due to his 12 week sideline ban, with stand-in manager John Toal.
In the minor game with added time a minute in, Armagh were awarded a penalty with Tiernan Kelly taking the kick but a terrific move to the left by Down goalkeeper Jack Hazard stopped the chance of a draw at full time and although Kelly put the ball over the bar, the game was over.
In a closely fought encounter it was Down who had that little extra, keeping ahead throughout the game. Two goals from Down’s Conor McCrickard were matched by two from Armagh’s Tiernan Kelly and Ross McQuillan but it wasn’t enough.
Final score Down 2:13 Armagh 2:11.
In the senior game Armagh with two goals from Armagh’s Mark Shields and Andrew Murnin leaving them leading 2:4 to 0:9 at the end of the first half it looked like a thrilling game was in store and so it was. Armagh though only managed to score three more points in the second half with many missed opportunities.
With 10 minutes injury time already played Jamie Clarke was awarded a free and took his point to leave the final score Down 0:15 Armagh 2:7. With 47 minutes on the clock it must have been one of the longest waits for Down supporters for the end of a game but the final whistle put an end to 25 years of waiting for a Championship win over Armagh.
Final score Down 0:15 Armagh 2:7
Down seniors now have to wait and see who wins next Sunday between Cavan and Monaghan and they will play the winners on 24 June at The Athletic Grounds. Armagh will be in action the same weekend in a 1B Qualifier against Fermanagh.
Down Minors v Armagh Minors at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Down's Conor Clarke is tackled by Armagh's Jamie Haughey. Down Minors v Armagh Minors at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Down's Conor Clarke is tackled by Armagh's Jamie Haughey. Down Minors v Armagh Minors at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Armagh's Kieran Doyle and Down's Ruairi McCormick wrestle for the ball. Down Minors v Armagh Minors at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Down's Conor McCrickard surges forward during Down Minors v Armagh Minors at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Down's Conor Clarke and Armagh's Jamie Haughey race for the ball. Down Minors v Armagh Minors at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Down Minors v Armagh Minors at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Down's Rory Anderson breaks away from Armagh's Kieran Doyle. Down Minors v Armagh Minors at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Down's Rory Anderson breaks away from Armagh's Kieran Doyle. Down Minors v Armagh Minors at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Down Minors v Armagh Minors at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Down Minors v Armagh Minors at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Armagh's Sean McCarthy on the ball. Down Minors v Armagh Minors at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Down's Liam Kerr breaks away from Armagh's Jack Haddock. Down Minors v Armagh Minors at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Down's Ross Carr on the ball. Down Minors v Armagh Minors at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Down's Conor McCrickard gets his shot in. Down Minors v Armagh Minors at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Down's Ruairi McCrickard and Armagh's Justin Kierans in full flow. Down Minors v Armagh Minors at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Armagh's Tiernan Kelly under pressure from Down's Tim Prenter. Down Minors v Armagh Minors at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Down V Armagh at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Down V Armagh at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Armagh's Justin Kierans and Down's Callum Fitzsimmons. Down Minors v Armagh Minors at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Armagh's Ziggy Burnickis gets the ball. Down Minors v Armagh Minors at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Armagh's Aodhan McEvoy tries to escape the clutches of Down's Brendan Gallen and Ruairi McCormick. Down Minors v Armagh Minors at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Armagh's Tim Prenter forges ahead of Down's Ruairi McCrickard. Down Minors v Armagh Minors at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Down Minor Manager James McCartan.
Armagh's Conor Turbitt is tackled by Down's Brendan Gallen. Down Minors v Armagh Minors at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Armagh's Tiernan Kelly under pressure from Down's Finn McElroy. Down Minors v Armagh Minors at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Down's Finn McElroy blocks Armagh's Tiernan Kelly's shot. Down Minors v Armagh Minors at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Down's Shane Annett looks at his options. Down Minors v Armagh Minors at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Armagh Manager Paul McGrane. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Down Manager James McCartan. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Down Minors v Armagh Minors at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Downs Conor Clarke shakes hands with the ARmagh minor team after Down beat them by two points at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
The Mayobridge Band at Pairc Esler celebrating their 40th year. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Down Senior team just before kick off. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
The Mayobridge Band at Pairc Esler celebrating their 40th year. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Down Senior team in the pre match parade. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
The Armagh senior team at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Down's Jerome Johnston is tackled by Armagh's James Morgan. Down v Armagh in the Senior Championship at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Down's Jerome Johnston is closely followed by Armagh's James Morgan. Down v Armagh in the Senior Championship at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Down's Caolan Mooney on the ball. Down v Armagh in the Senior Championship at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Armagh's Charlie Vernon and Down's Connaire Harrison tustle for the ball. Down v Armagh in the Senior Championship at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Down's Ryan Johnston breaks away from Armagh's Aaron McKay. Down v Armagh in the Senior Championship at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Down v Armagh in the Senior Championship at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Armagh's Mark Shields celebrates his goal. Down v Armagh in the Senior Championship at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Down's Caolan Mooney. Down v Armagh in the Senior Championship at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Down's Ryan Johnston on the ball with Armagh's Joe McElroy in pursuit. Down v Armagh in the Senior Championship at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Armagh stand-in manager, John Toal. Down v Armagh in the Senior Championship at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Down v Armagh in the Senior Championship at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Down v Armagh in the Senior Championship at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Down v Armagh in the Senior Championship at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Down's Shay Millar and Armagh's Aaron McKay. Down v Armagh in the Senior Championship at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Tha fans came out in force at Down v Armagh at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Tha fans came out in force at Down v Armagh at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Tha fans came out in force at Down v Armagh at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Tha fans came out in force at Down v Armagh at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Tha fans came out in force at Down v Armagh at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Tha fans came out in force at Down v Armagh at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Tha fans came out in force at Down v Armagh at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Tha fans came out in force at Down v Armagh at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Tha fans came out in force at Down v Armagh at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Tha fans came out in force at Down v Armagh at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Tha fans came out in force at Down v Armagh at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Tha fans came out in force at Down v Armagh at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Tha fans came out in force at Down v Armagh at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Tha fans came out in force at Down v Armagh at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Tha fans came out in force at Down v Armagh at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Tha fans came out in force at Down v Armagh at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Tha fans came out in force at Down v Armagh at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Tha fans came out in force at Down v Armagh at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Tha fans came out in force at Down v Armagh at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Tha fans came out in force at Down v Armagh at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Tha fans came out in force at Down v Armagh at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Tha fans came out in force at Down v Armagh at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Tha fans came out in force at Down v Armagh at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Armagh's Stephen Sheridan hits the ground with Down's Niall Donnelly in pursuit. Down v Armagh in the Senior Championship at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Down v Armagh in the Senior Championship at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Armagh's Stefan Campbell under pressure from Down's Darragh O'Hanlon. Down v Armagh in the Senior Championship at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Armagh's Anthony Duffy an dDown's Ryan Johnston in action. Down v Armagh in the Senior Championship at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Armagh's Joe McElroy under pressure from Down's KEvin McKernan. Down v Armagh in the Senior Championship at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Down's Kevin McKernan. Down v Armagh in the Senior Championship at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Armagh's Jamie Clarke on the ball. Down v Armagh in the Senior Championship at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Armagh's Anthony Duffy under pressure. Down v Armagh in the Senior Championship at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Armagh's Jamie Clarke under attack. Down v Armagh in the Senior Championship at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Getting shirty at Down v Armagh in the Senior Championship at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Getting up close and personal at Down v Armagh in the Senior Championship at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Sideline action at Down v Armagh in the Senior Championship at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Frantic dying seconds of Down v Armagh in the Senior Championship at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Celebrating their win over Armagh. Down v Armagh in the Senior Championship at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
The Armagh Minor team line out at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
The Down Minor team line out at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Down minors welcome the senior team on the pitch at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
The Down senior team who defeated Armagh at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Armagh and Down teams on parade at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Armagh and Down teams parade in front of the stand at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Armagh subs bench at Pairc Esler. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
