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Ulster SFC 2024: Fermanagh 0-9 Armagh 3-11 - Orchard men ease into semi-finals

Matt Gault - BBC Sport NI at Brewster Park
·4 min read
Stefan Campbell scores Armagh's third goal of the afternoon
Armagh were already well in control by the time Stefan Campbell palmed in their third goal in the 29th minute [Getty Images]

Armagh set up another Ulster Football Championship semi-final with Down after easing past Fermanagh in a one-sided quarter-final at Brewster Park.

Fermanagh passed up an early goal opportunity when Oisin Smyth's shot was blocked on the line by Aaron McKay.

Armagh hit goals through Conor Turbitt, Jarly Og Burns, Stefan Campbell to lead 3-4 to 0-2 at the break.

In a subdued second half, Armagh kept Fermanagh at arm's length to run out 11-point winners and march on.

Armagh, still without an Ulster title since 2008, came into this quarter-final having missed the chance to bank some silverware in the Division Two final when they failed to perform against Donegal.

They also travelled to Brewster Park knowing that their last championship visit to Fermanagh resulted in a deeply disappointing defeat in 2018.

But the Orchard, perhaps carrying a chip on their shoulder, ensured they endured no such headaches here with three first-half goals to scream clear of the Ernemen and effectively end the game as a contest long before the interval.

Down will undoubtedly provide a stiffer challenge in the semi-finals, but given Armagh's ruthless demonstration of firepower in Enniskillen, they will be heavily fancied to reach a second successive provincial final.

Armagh blow Ernemen away in first-half

It could have been a different story, of course. After early Armagh scores from Andrew Murnin and Rian O'Neill, Fermanagh passed up a golden opportunity to score the opening goal when Ultan Kelm, having eluded O'Neill and Conor Turbitt down the left, picked out Oisin Smyth.

Spinning past Blaine Hughes, Smyth looked destined to raise a green flag only for Aaron McKay to produce a stunning goal-line block.

Moments later, Kelm was black-carded for pulling down a breaking Murnin, with Armagh capitalising on their numerical advantage when Rory Grugan jinked past a couple of Erne defenders and played inside to Turbitt, who calmly sidestepped Ross Bogue and found the net.

Another Armagh goal followed two minutes later. After Jarly Og Burns' purposeful surge forward, Bogue did well to save Murnin's goal-bound shot, only for the ball to fall to Burns who had the simple task of tapping into an empty net in the 19th minute.

Campbell and Grugan celebrate Campbell's goal
Stefan Campbell (left) and Rory Grugan (right) both impressed for Armagh [Inpho]

While Sean Cassidy's free put Fermanagh on the board, Armagh continued to flood forward in numbers, with Burns opting to fist the ball over the bar when bearing down on goal.

Then, in another well-crafted move from the favourites, Stefan Campbell palmed the ball into Bogue's net to put the visitors well out of sight.

While their hopes had been dashed in the first half, Fermanagh admirably stuck to their task after the break and matched Armagh's haul of seven points.

Armagh, who also won here in Division Two earlier in the year, were unable to add to their goal count, but scored points through Turbitt and the impressive Ciaran Mackin early in the second half to keep the scoreboard ticking.

Fermanagh refused to lie down, but while Fionan O'Brien ended the afternoon with 0-4, Armagh substitute Oisin O'Neill scored the final point of the game to seal a comprehensive success and move into the last four.

Armagh boss Kieran McGeeney will be pleased with the manner in which his players conducted their business at a ground where they have slipped up in the past.

However, bigger challenges lie ahead, starting with Down for a place in the decider.

As for the Ulster Championship, after a low-key weekend with neither game truly capturing the imagination, all eyes turn to Celtic Park and the hugely anticipated meeting of Mickey Harte's Derry and Jim McGuinness' Donegal.

'We did the donkey work in the first half'

Man of the match Rory Grugan, speaking to BBC Sport NI: "We did a lot of the donkey work in the first half, we managed to turn them over a few times and get the goals and once you have that cushion you can play the game on your own terms."

Fermanagh: Ross Bogue; Lee Cullen, Che Cullen, Oisin Smyth; Declan McCusker (capt), Shane McGullion, Cian McManus; Ronan McCaffrey, Joe McDade; Conor McGee, Conor McShea, Fionan O'Brien (0-4); Ultan Kelm (0-1), Garvan Jones (0-1), Sean Cassidy (0-1f).

Subs: Josh Largo Elis for Ronan McCaffrey '22, Brandon Horan for Conor McGee '48, Conor Love (0-2) for Garvan Jones '48, Jonathan Cassidy for Oisin Smyth '60, Darragh McGurn for Declan McCusker 61.

Black card: Ultan Kelm ('11).

Armagh: Blaine Hughes; Paddy Burns, Aaron McKay, Peter McGrane; Joe McElroy, Ciaran Mackin (0-2), Aidan Forker; Rian O'Neill (0-1), Ben Crealey; Stefan Campbell (1-2), Rory Grugan (0-1f), Conor Turbitt (1-1, 1f); Oisin Conaty, Andrew Murnin (0-1), Jarly Og Burns (1-1).

Subs: Barry McCambridge (0-1) for Aaron McKay '44, Connaire Mackin for Rian O'Neill '56, Tiernan Kelly for Conor Turbitt, Oisin O'Neill (0-1) for Jarly Og Burns '48, Aidan Nugent for Andrew Murnin '57.

Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan)

Att: 7,096