Armagh secured their place in the All-Ireland Championship winners enclosure for Tuesday morning's draw with a comfortable five-point win over a wasteful Derry, who get another shot next week too.
It was Armagh's first win in normal time in the Box-IT Athletic Grounds this season and a game where they thrilled early on and then managed it out when needed.
Derry boss Ciaran Meenagh made late changes to his side with young Shea Downey coming in for Diarmuid Baker, while Niall Toner got the nod ahead of Paul Cassidy at half-forward.
Armagh started with the team announced earlier in the week, with Gareth Murphy the only change from the Ulster final starting side, in place of the injured Paddy Burns.
Armagh led by nine at the break but after a pulsating opening 25 minute played at breakneck speed, while the last ten turned almost cagey with only one point scored in that period.
The Orchard men came storming out, with sweeping runs after midfield over-loads and the Oak Leafers simply couldn’t live with them in the opening exchanges, but importantly they did start winning battles before half-time.
Conor Turbitt's two-pointer, a brace from the lively Tomas McCormack and another from Jason Duffy put Armagh 0-05 to 0-01 ahead with a frenetic 11 minutes played.
Darragh McMullan stretched Armagh’s lead and they looked to be shifting through the gears when wallop – Derry were back in the game.
Lachlan Murray made no mistake from close-range after intercepting Blaine Hughes’ short kick-out and within 30 seconds Niall Toner tagged on a point to leave the scores 1-02 to 1-06 with 17 minutes gone.
A minute later, Tiernan Kelly (above) gave the perfect response, when after being given the advantage for being fouled he confidently rifled the ball past a stunned Shea McCluskey, he couldn't have tucked it any tighter in the corner.
Both sides racked up their wides tally but Oisin Conaty’s two-pointer, was a kick of beauty and Jarly Óg Burns wrapped up Armagh’s scoring for the half on 21 minutes.
Derry’s Lachan Murray was the only scorer in the last 14 minutes, which was a serious drop-off in pace and Oak Leaf players such as Padraig McGrogan were winning their battles.
Both sides could have grabbed another goal, with Hughes denying Conor McCluskey and Peter McGrane and Gareth Hughes coming close at the other end.
It was two-points apiece in the opening ten minutes of the second half as the rain came down in sheets, with Murray and Shane McGuigan where on target for Derry, while Turbitt and Andrew Murnin weighed in for Armagh.
However, the tide hinted at turning with Conor Doherty landing two fine points after winning three midfield battles in a row, but a quick reply from Joe McElroy and Conaty settled the Orchard support as the chants began.
Blaine Hughes’ 45 made it an eight-point game with 12 minutes remaining and there was no-one leaving the ground early.
Oisin O’Neill’s converted free with his first touch after a Derry breach gave Armagh healthy lead going into the last ten minutes stretch and while Paul Cassidy’s two-pointer was a reminder that Derry weren’t going away but at no point did Kieran McGeeney’s men look like losing the game and the comfortably got over the line.
Armagh: Blaine Hughes (0-02, 1tpf), Peter Grane, Aaron McKay, Gareth Murphy, Joe McElroy (0-01), Tiernan Kelly (1-00), Greg McCabe, Jarly Og Burns (0-01), Andrew Murnin (0-01), Cian McConville, Darragh McMullan (0-01), Tomas McCormack (0-02), Conor Turbitt (0-04, 1tp), Jason Duffy (0-02), Oisin Conaty (0-03, 1tp)
Subs: Ross McQuillan for McCabe (53’), Oisin O’Neill (0-01, free) for Duffy (59’), Rory Grugan for Murnin (67’)
Derry: Shea Guckin, Diarmuid Baker, Ruairi Forbes, Conor McCluskey, Conor Doherty (0-03), Gareth McKinless, Padraig McGrogan (0-01), Eoin McEvoy, Brendan Rogers, Ethan Doherty (0-02, 1tp), Conor Glass, Niall Toner, Niall Loughlin (0-01) , Shane McGuigan (0-01), Lachlan Murray (1-02).
Subs: Paul Cassidy (0-02, 1tp) for Downey (42’), Dan Higgins for Toner (48’), James Sargant for Forbes (54’), Sean Young (0-01) for Lachlan Murray (56’).
Referee: Martin McNally (Monaghan).
Watch Mayo v Monaghan in the All-Ireland Football Championship first round on Sunday from 3.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player.
Watch The Saturday Game from 9.50pm and The Sunday Game from 9.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on all matches on the RTÉ News app and on rte.ie/sport
