ORCHARD TOUGH IT OUT AND REMAIN IN TITLE RACE

ARMAGH sealed their third win in Division One with a gusty five-point victory over Kildare in brutal conditions at the Athletic Grounds last night.

Andrew Murnin’s goal on 20 minutes helped the hosts take a one-point lead into the break and the Orchard County landed some fine scores to pull clear in the final quarter as Kildare’s relegation concerns deepen.

The Leinster side opened the scoring with early points from Paddy Woodgate and Daniel Flynn (mark).

Armagh were on level terms after 15 minutes with points from Aidan Forker and Tiernan Kelly, but the incessant rain made conditions extremely difficult for both teams.

Ben McCormack and Jemar Hall exchanged superb scores from play before the Orchard County struck for what proved to be the game’s only goal.

The industrious Hall was involved in the move along with Jarly Óg Burns, but the ball broke kindly for Andrew Murnin, who drilled a shot from the ground which cannoned off the post and beyond the reach of Mark Donnellan.

Glenn Ryan’s showed plenty of grit to level the game on the half-hour mark via points from Jimmy Hyland and two from Woodgate before a free from Rian O’Neill gave Armagh a 1-4 to 0-6 lead at the break.

With conditions failing to improve on the restart, this game was always likely to be decided by the impact of the respective benches. On that front, McGeeney got one over on the side he managed for seven seasons.

Stefan Campbell kicked two brilliant points from play after coming on early in the second half while fellow substitute Jason Duffy converted a stunning mark from near the far sideline.

Kildare were reliant on Jimmy Hyland’s frees to keep them in touch, but with star attacker Flynn well marshalled throughout, they never looked like landing a blow on Armagh in the closing stages.

ARMAGH: E Rafferty; G McCabe, A Forker (0-1), A McKay; J Morgan, N Rowland, J Óg Burns (0-1); C Mackin, B Crealey; J Hall (0-1), R Grugan (0-2, 0-1f), T Kelly (0-1); A Murnin (1-0), R O’Neill 0-3, 0-2fs, 0-1 45), C O’Hanlon. Subs: S Campbell (0-2) for Hall (46), J Duffy (0-1, 0-1m) for Murnin (51), Connaire Mackin for Rowland (54), C O’Neill for O’Hanlon (64), N Grimley for Crealey (70).

KILDARE: M Donnellan; M O’Grady, S Ryan, R Houlihan; J Sargent, J Murray, D Ryan; A Masterson, K Flynn; F Conway, B McCormack (0-1), P Cribbin; P Woodgate (0-3, 0-1f), D Flynn (0-1, 0-1m), J Hyland (0-4, 0-3fs). Subs:

D Kirwan (0-1) for Woodgate (46), K O’Callaghan for Conway (51), K Feely for K Flynn (51), T Archbold for Sargent (62), A Beirne for Murray (62).

J McQullian (Cavan).