Armagh slugged out a hard-earned victory over old foes Donegal at the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds.
The proverbial four-pointer could go a long way in terms of safety for both sides in their respective Division 1 futures with only two rounds remaining.
With the pressure mounting before and towards the pulsating finish, Rían O'Neill once again rose to each and every pitch of the occasion in front of a partisan crowd.
The more weighty the tension, the more O'Neill seems to rise. Having landed five points on the scoreboard, his early yellow card signalled intent and his relieving catch in front of his own goalmouth at the death was the feather on the cap on a momentous night for the hosts.
The slow-burner began with two goalkeepers landing the first blows, Ethan Rafferty cancelling out Shaun Patton’s now trademark ’45.
That was the only time Donegal led in the entire contest and with Armagh happy to soak and see what the visitors had to offer they were content in standing their ground and forcing Paddy Carr’s men to bashfully shoot from distance.
Armagh full-forward Andrew Murnin enjoys nights like this too. The mercurial attacker was on it early on in leaping for possession and claiming a successful mark thanks to some clever Aidan Forker approach play.
Despite some light relief from Conor O’Donnell and Oisín Gallen, O’Neill and Murnin pushed the lead out to four points 0-07 to 0-03 at half-time.
With Aidan O’Rourke viewing from the stands, Donegal needed a way back into the game up front. They looked to the unlikely figure of Hugh McFadden for that inspiration.
Quietly coming on at the end of the first half, midfielder McFadden had a massive say in Donegal’s revitalised second half play.
Scoring twice and assisting another, the makeshift focal point provided clarity and directness to their play. The ploy was enough to narrow the game to the minimum.
With the home crowd now getting restless, O’Neill settled all around him to assist Murnin again while scorching over a ’45 to build up a needed four-point cushion.
In the back of their minds, Donegal knew the possibility of the head-to-head rule could be a factor in avoiding relegation. That, no doubt fuelled their surging three unanswered points in the finale but with newly-elected GAA president Jarlath Burns in the stand, his son Jarly Óg Burns fuelled O'Neill to have the final say.
Armagh: Ethan Rafferty (0-01f); Paddy Burns, Barry McCambridge, Aidan Forker (0-01); Aaron McKay, Joe McElroy, Greg McCabe; Ciarán Mackin, Jarly Óg Burns (0-01); Jason Duffy, Rían O’Neill (0-05, 4f, 1'45), Stefan Campbell (0-01); Callum Cumiskey; Andrew Murnin (0-03, 1m), Conor Turbitt.
Subs: Tiernan Kelly for Duffy (56), Rory Grugan (0-01f) for Turbitt (58), Ross McQuillan for Campbell (61), Niall Grimley for Cumiskey (70).
Donegal: Shaun Patton (0-02, 1’45, 1f); Mark Curran, Brendan McCole, Caolan McColgan, Daire Ó Baoill, Stephen McMenamin, Peadar Mogan; Jason McGee (0-01), Michael Langan, Caolán McGonagle, Eoghan Bán Gallagher, Caolan Ward; Conor O’Donnell (0-01), Oisín Gallen (0-02, 2f), Jamie Brennan (0-01).
Subs: Hugh McFadden (0-02, 1m) for Ward (34), Ciaran Thompson (0-01) for McColgan (49), Rory O’Donnell for Gallen (62), Jeaic McKelvey for Gallagher (67).
Referee: Jerome Henry (Mayo).
