McKeever heroics help Armagh edge past the Saffrons
THE old dog for the hard road, Ciaran McKeever dug Armagh out of a hole at the Athletic Grounds last night.
The veteran defender turned goal-poacher hit 1-1 and provided four assists as Kieran McGeeney’s side kept their promotion hopes alive, going top of Division 3 of the NFL – for a few hours at least.
There was little else for the Orchard faithful to cheer in a first half that saw trusted finishers implode.
They were lucky to be on level terms halfway through, having hit 11 wides and dropped four more short before the break.
McKeever palmed home at the far post from Stefan Campbell’s cross to round off a sweeping move and edge his side in front for the first time.
But CJ McGourty was on song from placed balls for the Saffrons, and they turned around deadlocked on 1-3 to 0-6.
Aaron McKay and Rory Grugan eased the home side ahead, but stubborn Antrim refused to wilt, and while they were on the back foot for long stretches, they broke with purpose to stay with McGeeney’s men.
McGourty was the man with the cool head and the lethal left foot which had the sides level for a sixth time, but full back Charlie Vernon rallied the Orchard troops with two superb points.
It looked as if Antrim’s resistance had finally been broken, but they fought back, and had a chance to go level, but Blaine Hughes pulled off a terrific save from a McGourty penalty.
Antrim finished with 13 men, after straight red cards for Murray and Stephen Beatty, while. Armagh’s Stephen Sheridan also saw red in a bad-tempered close to the tie. However, McGeeney’s men can now look to a final-day battle with Tipperary.
ArmAgh: B Hughes; J Morgan, C Vernon, P Hughes; N Rowland (S Heffron 60), B Donaghy, A McKay; S Sheridan (0-1), B Crealey (A Forker 32; A Findon BC 67); N Grimley (C O’Hanlon 41), G McParland, R Grugan; S Campbell (A Duffy 51), C McKeever (O O’Neill 54), J Clarke.
Scorers: C McKeever 1-1, G McParland, C Vernon 0-2, J Clarke, R Grugan, N Grimley, S Sheridan, A Duffy, A Forker, A McKay 0-1. Wides: 15 (11).
Antrim: C Kerr; C Hamill, P Gallagher, P Healy; P McBride, D Lynch (O Eastwood BC 72), P McAleer; J Dowling (S McVeigh 47), S Beatty; K Niblock, R McCann (N Delargey 45), M Fitzpatrick; CJ McGourty, C Murray, B Bradley.
Scorers: CJ McGourty 0-9 (7f, 1 ’45), P McBride 0-2, C Murray, B Bradley 0-1. Wides: 6 (3).
referee: N Cullen (Fermanagh).