by Darragh Maloney
Donegal advanced to the Ulster Senior Football Championship semi-final after squeezing past Armagh on a scoreline of 1-09 to 1-08.
Brian McIver's men finally managed to beat Armagh after years of heartache at the hands of their great rivals.
They did it in the most dramatic fashion with a last-minute goal from substitute Brendan Devenney, the ball dropping through the hands of the unfortunate Armagh goalkeeper Paul Hearty.
Donegal had been second best for most of the second half in what was one of the most intense and gripping matches you will see in the Championship this year.
It was always going to be a low-scoring affair but the physical exchanges between the teams were something to behold.
Armagh were beginning their quest for a fourth consecutive Ulster title and history was on their side in recent meetings with Donegal. They had won Championship matches between the sides in each of the last five years and it was 14 years since Donegal had managed a victory.
The first half was just as tight as was predicted with the sides level three times. Donegal edged it on the scoreboard and were 0-5 to 0-4 in front having played against a stiff breeze. They rarely hit the heights of their National League success but they matched Armagh physically and just about deserved their advantage at the break.
Armagh needed a big start to the second half and they certainly got it. Diarmuid Marsden’s point was followed by a goal from Oisín McConville in the 42nd minute and that really rattled Donegal. It put Armagh three points clear and left the home team struggling for their Ulster Championship future.
Neil Gallacher and Kevin Cassidy were being out-played by Kieran Toner and Paul McGrane around the middle of the park and Kieran McGeeney was starting to find space deep inside Donegal territory.
Donegal tried their best to get going but Armagh were in control and were starting to dominate and the Ulster champions were looking good to record yet another win over their north-west rivals.
Brian McIver’s team kicked a string of bad wides in the final ten minutes and they looked to be heading out of the Ulster Championship. Over the years, Armagh have been one of the best in the game at closing matches out but they kept giving Donegal opportunities to close the gap.
Colm McFadden brought Donegal to within two of Armagh with six minutes to go before Devenney launched a shot towards the Armagh goal. Kevin Cassidy went in after it but goalkeeper Paul Hearty was under the ball. A combination of Cassidy and the sun in the eyes of Hearty saw him lose the flight of the ball and it dropped behind him and into the net. That was in the last minute of normal time.
Armagh had been cool when they were in front but they needed to hurry to force a replay. They could not manage it and it was Donegal who were ruthless in injury-time and they held on to book a semi-final place against Tyrone.
It was not a vintage display from Donegal but they will not be the slightest bit bothered by that. All that mattered today was a win over Armagh. They may not have fully deserved it but you need some luck if you are going to win things and Donegal got that today.
