A dramatic Armagh comeback rescued an Allianz Football League Division 2 draw from their trip to Cork with stoppage-time points from Aidan Nugent and Oisín Conaty.
The Rebels had trailed until second-half goals from Chris Óg Jones and Luke Fahy turned the tide but Rory Grugan's 69th-minute strike brought Armagh back within one.
Conor Corbett added a point but it wasn’t enough. Cork still had the final shot from Steven Sherlock but his left-footed effort faded inches wide.
It meant already qualified Armagh advanced to the final behind Donegal, while the late defeat denied Cork third place, finishing fourth.
There were changes on either side before the throw-in as Rían O’Neill, Tiernan Kelly, and Jason Duffy replaced Stefan Campbell, Andrew Murnin, and Aidan Forker for Armagh. On the home front, goalkeeper Micheál Aodh Martin and Maurice Shanley took over from Christopher Kelly and Kevin Flahive.
In cold conditions, this open and entertaining game equalled the scoring of the hurling semi-final that preceded it.
Cork had a strong wind at their backs in the first half and Colm O’Callaghan made the most of it. He supplied Paul Walsh for a first-minute mark to open their account before slotting two of his own, including a lovely curling kick.
Shanley added another but Conor Turbitt was in fine form at the other end. He reeled off three fine points, two from play and one free he won himself.
Armagh’s movement began to trouble the hosts. Conaty cut through the Cork defence in the 17th minute but blazed over the bar. They returned two minutes later for the lead goal.
Grugan’s gorgeous pass split the rearguard and while Connaire Mackin’s shot was well saved by Martin, corner-back Peter McGrane pounced to palm home. 1-05 to 0-05 now.
It was tit-for-tat from there to the break. In the 35th minute, Cork almost struck on the counter after Greg McCabe was harshly denied a free. Ian Maguire sent Jones streaking into space as Blaine Hughes back-peddled. His delayed shot lobbed the keeper but also the crossbar.
A Ben Crealey point on the whistle made it 1-09 to 0-09. Armagh’s efficiency was the key difference as they didn’t miss the target with any shot all half.
The sides were back level in the 43rd minute with a rasper to the roof of the net off the outside of Jones’ boot after Brian Hurley turned over possession.
It was a bad time for Armagh’s shooting, perfect until the 45th minute, to begin to misfire and when Hurley added a point, the hosts were ahead 1-12 to 1-11.
Armagh boss Kieran McGeeney was yellow-carded for his protests after a foul on substitute Stefan Campbell but Turbitt’s free brought them level again.
On the hour, Cork jumped ahead off another attacking turnover, this time by Jones. Conor Corbett again played the linkman and Fahy slid the ball under Hughes.
A late handling error by Martin under Nugent’s dipping shot allowed Grugan to find the net and Armagh would maintain their unbeaten record at the death.
Cork: MA Martin; M Shanley (0-01), D O’Mahony, T Walsh; L Fahy (1-00), S Meehan, M Taylor (0-01); I Maguire (0-01), C O’Callaghan (0-03); P Walsh (0-01m), S Powter, B O’Driscoll (0-01); C Óg Jones (1-03), C Corbett (0-01), B Hurley (0-04, 3f).
Subs: K O’Hanlon for P Walsh (49), S Sherlock for Hurley (56), E McSweeney for O’Hanlon (64, inj), M Cronin for Powter (67), K Flahive for T Walsh (70+2).
Armagh: B Hughes; P Burns, B McCambridge, P McGrane (1-00); G McCabe, A McKay, T Kelly; Connaire Mackin, B Crealey (0-02, 1m); J McElroy, R Grugan (1-03, 3f), J Duffy; C Turbitt (0-05, 2f), R O’Neill, O Conaty (0-04).
Subs: J Óg Burns (0-01) for Mackin (21, inj), A Nugent (0-01) for Duffy (h-t), R McQuillan for McElroy (h-t), S Campbell for O’Neill (49), O O’Neill for McCambridge (70+2).
Referee: B Griffin (Kerry).
