Kerry secured their place in the Allianz Football League Division 1 final against Donegal and Armagh survived another year in the top flight after a rip-roaring contest on Sunday.
It was a magnificent game of football, played at breakneck championship speed, with some stunning scores, marvellous defending and outstanding skills overall.
It was a game Kerry looked like running away with as they marched into a ten-point lead, but there are few better comeback teams this season than Armagh and they did it again.
In fact, it is another game Armagh should have won, because they had possession for the last two minutes and played the clock down until the final seconds but they failed to get the winning shot away, which Kerry defended brilliantly.
Still, with the news filtering through that Galway had beaten Dublin, meaning Armagh were safe from relegation, there was huge cheer among the 12,124 fans at the Box-IT Athletic Grounds.
Once again Armagh were slow coming out of blocks and with Kerry in unforgiving mood it was all one-way traffic in the opening 20-minutes.
It was scintillating stuff from the defending All-Ireland champions with David Clifford and Dylan Geaney accounting for ten of Kerry's 12 first half points.
Kerry were in total control, not allowing any Armagh players outside of goalkeeper Blaine Hughes a kick of the ball inside the opening six minutes, by which period the Kingdom had rattled over five points.
Clifford’s kicking was exhibitioner stuff but so too Joe O’Connor’s clever pop tackle to cleanly disposes of Ross McQuillain. Kerry defended aggressively and dominant too and they were full value of their ten-point lead with 20 minutes played.
The tables turned though with Armagh owning the last 15 minutes of the half, winning eight battles of the last kick-outs of the half. Cian McConville broke Armagh’s duck, Darragh McMullan then floated over a two-pointer and while Clifford fisted over his fifth between Ben Crealey and Jarly Og Burns, momentum was with the Orchard.
Conor Turbitt replaced Oisin Conaty and he kicked over a two-pointer with his first touch and he tagged on another to make it a one-point game. But O’Connor replied for Kerry before the break to leave two in it.
Armagh came racing out in the second after with points from Greg McCabe, Ross McQuillan and Tomas McCormick, Clifford kept Kerry’s nose in front but Oisin O’Neill’s goal on 47 minutes put Armagh ahead for the first time.
It was a lead that swapped places multiple times and the sides were level twice, the majestic Clifford kicked ten points, including two two-pointers, although Seanie O’Shea was held to only a single point.
At the other end Cian McConville and Conaty were on target although Conor Turbitt was denied a goal Michael Burns’ goal-line clearance.
At the end Armagh had the chance to grab the winner, they couldn’t kick too early, in case Kerry replied and in the end they failed to hit the target.
So, a draw was a fitting result and if today’s display from both teams is anything to go by - then bring on the championship.
ARMAGH: Blaine Hughes, Gareth Murphy, Aaron McKay, Peter McGrane, Ross McQuillian (0-03), Tiernan Kelly, Jarly Og Burns (0-01), Paddy Burns, Ben Crealey (0-01), Tomas McCormack (0-02) Darragh McMullen (0-04, 1tp), Greg McCabe (0-01), Cian McConville (0-03, 0-2f), Jason Duffy, Oisin Conaty (0-02).
Subs: Oisin O’Neill (1-01, 0-1f) for J Burns (28’), Conor Turbitt (0-03, 1tp) for Conaty (30’), Oisin Conaty for Duffy (38’), J Burns for Crealey (blood sub 46’), J Burns for P Burns (52’), Callum O’Neill for Kelly (63’).
KERRY: Shane Murphy, Paul Murphy, Jason Foley, Dylan Casey, Tom O’Sullivan (0-04, 2tp), Mike Breen, Armin Heinrich, Joe O’Connor (0-02), Sean O’Brien, Mark O’Shea, Seanie O’Shea (0-01), Graham O’Sullivan, Dylan Geaney (0-04), David Clifford (0-10, 2tp, 0-02), Keith Evans.
Subs: Micheal Burns for G O’Sullivan (46’) Tomas Kennedy for K Evans (46’), Killian Spillane for D Geaney (59’).
Referee: Brendan Cawley (Kildare).
