ARMAGH handed a championship 1-12 to 0-12 victory to struggling Tyrone in this error-ridden Ulster Championship quarter final at Omagh.
The losers’ scarcely believable tally of 18 wides during the 70 minutes evoked memories of a couple of Antrim performances in recent years.
Tyrone, who in contrast shot only three wides, won despite being totally outplayed for long tracts of the match.
Armagh captain Jarlath Burns put in probably the best individual display of this year’s Bank of Ireland Ulster Championship to date.
Incredibly, the Silverbridge man trudged off at the end a loser.
Inevitably, it was a match laced with numerous controversies.
Not least the ultimately decisive goal which came four minutes from the end of normal time.
Matt McGleenan appeared fortunate to get away with a push on Justin McNulty prior to palming home the decisive goal.
In the second-half Danny Ball brought on Brian Dooher from the bench.
The UCD student made an immediate impression by edging Tyrone back into the lead with a superb shot from a tight angle which went over the bar via the upright.
Right on the blow, Oisin McConville notched his eighth point of the day.
But it was too late. Armagh must have felt sick.
Tyrone: F McConnell, P Devlin, P O’Neill, C Lawn, N Donnelly, F Devlin, S McLaughlin, E Kilpatrick, S McCallan, A Cush (0-2), S Lawn, G Cavlan (0-1), C McBride (0-1), M McGleenan (1-2), P Canavan (0-5).
Subs: J Gormley for O’Neill (half-time), B Dooher (0-1) for Cavlan (60 mins)
Armagh: B Tierney, E McNulty, C Hanratty, J McNulty, A McCann, D Horisk, J Rafferty (0-1), J Burns, K McGeeney (0-1), M Toye (0-1), P McGrane, D Marsden, G Houlahan (0-1), N Smyth, O McConville (0- 8).
Subs: C O’Rourke for Houlahan (50 mins), M McQuillan for Toye (60 mins), C Short for Smyth (62 mins). Ref: Pat McEneaney (Monaghan)
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THE gulf between senior and intermediate level hurling in Antrim was never more evident than in this Senior Championship preliminary round game at Casement Park.
Former all-Ireland club champions Loughgiel simply demolished last season’s Intermediate champs Gort na Mona by 3-23 to 1-6 in a game where excitement was a missing ingredient.
Seven points ahead after 11 minutes it was clear this was never going to be a contest.
With wind advantage in the second-half all hell was let loose and the North Antrim lads smacked home a couple of goals and five points in another 11-minute blitz.
Loughgiel: A McCloskey 0- 11; L McMullan 1-2; B McGarry 0-3; K McGarry 1-1; E McGarry 0-2; P Gillan, J Young, C Smith, N Gillan 0-1 each.
Gort na Mona: S Caldwell 1-2; T Doyle 0-3; J Captain 0-1.
Ref: V Trainor (Armoy)
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DAVID Simpson stole the limelight at the Bridgestone Alliance gala in the Grove pool at the weekend with the only record of the two-day event – an Ulster Junior Record of 26.91 seconds for the 50 metres butterfly.
He was right on the tail of Larne international Andrew Reid who won in 26.55. Andrew was in superb form, also winning the 50 butterfly 26.55 and the 50 back 28.49.
He was second in the 100 fly behind Leander butterfly king Mark Madine who broke the magic minute to win the 100 in 59.85 and clinched the 200 in 2:10.23.
In the 100 backstroke race Stefanie Larkin 1:10.63, Ruth McLaughlin 1:11.11 and Paula Sharkey 1:14.23 cruised majestically home in 1-2-3 formation ahead of the pursuing flotilla.
Ruth Morrison was awesome in grasping the 100 metres glory 1:01.75 three seconds ahead of the field.
