Dublin 0-14
Armagh 0-11

Bernard Brogan struck for 0-9 as Dublin claimed their first win over Armagh in the All-Ireland SFC since 1977 this evening at Croke Park.

The Oliver Plunkett's sharpshooter was on fire as he registered all but one point of his team's first-half tally and struck for a further four scores in the second-half to help show Paddy O'Rourke's team the exit door in this year's championship.

As for Armagh, they were over reliant on full-forward Steven McDonnell, who was well marshalled by young defender Rory O'Carroll over the 70 minutes, which did no harm to Dublin's cause.

It took seven minutes for Ciaran McKeever to open the scoring for the visitors after racing forward from centre-back to latch on to possession and strike over a fine point.

Steven McDonnell doubled the Orchard men's lead with a nerveless free into the Hill, before Alan Brogan, who blasted a goal chance wide in the opening minutes, set-up brother Bernard for Dublin's first over.

A left-footed Aaron Kernan free pushed Armagh back two in front, but it was Dublin that looked the more dangerous outfit on the break in the early stages as the deadly Bernard Brogan produced a brilliant finish down the other end to trim the difference back to the minimum.

Both sides racked up their wides' tally after that, with Dublin more guilty of inaccuracy having struck seven in the first 20 minutes.

A nice break off a high ball offered Jamie Clarke the chance to double the scores once more and the Crossmaglen ace made no mistake in tapping over from no distance.

Brian Mallon stretched the Ulster side's lead with a point before hitting the deck and they were firmly in their groove when Malachy Mackin lofted over a third unanswered point to open up a four-point lead for the first time.

A Bernard Brogan free ended a 16-minute scoring drought for the Dubs and when Niall Corkery won back possession in his own half the corner-forward fired over his third from play to keep his side within touching distance.

The same pair combined again with a similar result in Brogan sliding the ball over from an acute angle before Stephen Cluxton closed the half at 0-6 each with a '45' won by Corkery, who had a fair shout for a penalty when his effort of a goal was foot-blocked.

After the restart, Dublin picked up where they left off in the first-half with a direct ball into Brogan, who turned sharply and shot a first lead for the men from the capital.

McDonnell's first point from play tied it up again, but Pat Gilroy's team pulled away slightly after that with three unanswered scores in five minutes.

After goal chances for Corkery and Bernard Brogan went by the wayside, Dublin composed themselves and rattled over scores from Brogan, Kevin McManamon and Philly McMahon to move 10-7 clear.

Armagh recovered well by hitting three points of their own - all from McDonnell (two frees) - but through Brogan Dublin regained control and the lead on the hour through a free won by McManamon.

Two minutes later the game's turning point arrived when Brian Mallon snuck through and slid the ball past Cluxton, but some heroic work from McMahon denied him the back of the net and what would surely have been the score to swing it for Armagh.

Dublin went down the other end and registered insurance points via Paul Flynn and Brogan (free).

A Joe Feeney point kept Armagh within a chance, but those were buried two minutes into injury-time when a short Brogan free dropped to substitute Eamonn Fennell, who lashed over to confirm Dublin's place in round four of the qualifiers.

Dublin - S Cluxton (0-1, 1 '45) ; M Fitzsimons, R O'Carroll, P McMahon (0-1) ; K Nolan, G Brennan, B Cahill; MD MacAuley, R McConnell; D Henry, A Brogan, B Cullen; N Corkery, B Brogan (0-9, four frees), E O'Gara. Subs: K McManamon (0-1) for O'Gara (ht), E Fennell (0-1) for Corkery (45 mins), P Flynn (0-1) for Henry (55 mins), D Magee for McConnell (59 mins), P Andrews for Cullen (64 mins).

Armagh - P Hearty; A Mallon, B Donaghy, V Martin; P Duffy, C McKeever (0-1) , F Moriarty; C Vernon, K Toner; M Mackin (0-1), A Kernan (0-1, a free) , G Swift; B Mallon (0-1), S McDonnell (0-5, three frees), J Clarke (0-1). Subs: J Feeney (0-1) for Toner (35 mins), J Lavery for Mackin (52 mins), T Kernan for Vernon, F Hanratty for B Mallon (both 68 mins).

Ref: J McQuillan (Cavan) Tweet

Most Read Stories