Determined Armagh take the points
Armagh captain Rory got five of their ten first half points, the first three coming from placed balls with influential midfield duo Stephen Sheridan and Charlie Verdon also pointing from play.
Ethan Rafferty was also causing the Yeats men plenty of trouble, he scored two fine points from play in the opening 35 minutes as the youthful Sligo had a lot to contend with from their powerhouse experienced opponents.
Armagh were pouncing on the Sligo kick-out and turning over possession at every chance they got.
Niall Murphy was covering a lot of ground for Sligo but the Armagh defence were quick to dispel any notions of a Sligo score.
The hardworking Mark Shields grabbed possession from a Sligo player and passed to Rafferty, who sent over a fabulous point from play on 19 minutes as they led by six.
A foul on Cummins saw Sligo off the mark with 27 and a half minutes played, referee Brendan Cawley bringing it forward for dissent and it was easy for Marren to convert. Another Marren free for a foul on Coen brought it back to six points on 33 minutes but the Armagh advantage grew again with an excellent Rafferty point followed by the last score of the first half, a Grugan free, as the Orchard County led 10 points to two at the break.
Sligo needed a goal to bring life into their challenge but instead it was the Ulstermen who pounced early after the resumption. A perfect pass from Niall Rowland saw Andrew Murnin palm into the net two and a half minutes in as Armagh were on the ascendancy.
Substitute Niall Grimley was making his presence felt, converting a well-struck free on 42 minutes as their lead kept increasing. Aidan Forker then scored one of the points of the game from down the left, the Armagh support showing their appreciation. Substitute Kyle Cawley was only seconds on the pitch when he was involved in setting up Coen for Sligo’s fourth point, which was quickly followed by another from the St Mary’s man. Cawley had a clear cut chance at finding the net for Sligo, Pat Hughes’ initial shot was saved but Cawley’s attempt went inches wide on 51 minutes.
Another Sligo goal chance involving Marren, Cawley and Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch went out for a ‘45, which Marren duly converted, adding another following a Murphy attempt. The gap was ten points at that stage, Grimley and Marren swapping frees before Grimley pointed again followed by Rafferty as Armagh certainly put the game to bed on 66 minutes when Murnin linked up with Rafferty who blasted into the net.
Sligo keeper Aidan Devaney pulled off a great save in the 72nd minute as Armagh finished with 14 points to spare.
SCORERS Armagh; R Grugan 0-6 (5f), E Rafferty (1-3), A Murnin (1-0) N Grimley 0-3 (2f), N Rowland, M Shields, S Sheridan, C Vernon, A Forker 0-1 each. Sligo; A Marren 0-6 (4f, 2 ‘45’s), S Coen 0-3.
ARMAGH: B Hughes, P Burns, A McKay, P Hughes, N Rowland, G McCabe, M Shields, S Sheridan, C Vernon, R McShane, A Forker, R Lappin, R Grugan (C), A Murnin, E Rafferty. Subs: N Grimley for Lappin (h/t), J McElroy for McCabe (53), McCabe for McElroy (56), B Crealey for McShane (59), McElroy for Forker (67).
SLIGO: A Devaney, L Nicholson, E McGuinness, M Gordon, K Cawley, D Cummins, G O’Kelly-Lynch, J Clarke, P O’Connor, N Ewing, F Cawley, S Carrabine, S Coen, P Hughes, A Marren. Subs: C Breheny 6 for Clarke (32), L Caughan 5 for F Cawley (44), S Carrabine 5 for Cummins (45), Kyle Cawley 5 for O’Connor (48).
REFEREE: B Cawley (Kildare).