Armagh 1-17
Roscommon 1-12

Armagh are into the last 12 of the All-Ireland SFC after comfortably accounting for Roscommon at a damp Dr Hyde Park.

The Orchard County's five-point victory was no more than they deserved after they controlled the game for long periods. Time and again, their direct brand of football penetrated Roscommon's blanket defence with Tony Kernan and Jamie Clarke notching four points each.

Experienced wing back Ciaran McKeever, who was named the Sky Sports Man of the Match, and rampaging midfielder Stephen Harold were also impressive for the ever-improving Ulster side.

John Evans' charges, who failed to score from play in the first half and racked up a dozen wides over the 70 minutes, remained in contention until six minutes from the end when Stefan Forker's punched goal propelled Armagh into a 1-15 to 0-11 lead and ensured they avenged their 1-9 to 1-11 defeat at the same venue two years ago.

Substitute Ciaran Murtagh pulled a goal back for Roscommon late on, but there was no stopping Armagh who, having also beaten Tyrone last weekend, have real momentum going into the All-Ireland Qualifier round four draw.

The visitors made two late changes which saw Brendan Donaghy and Kyle Carragher replace Michael Murray and Eugene McVerry in their starting line-up. A Diarmuid Murtagh free gave the Rossies an early advantage, but it was the only time in the game that they led as Tony Kernan ('45) and Stefan Campbell replied with scores for Paul Grimley's men.

Murtagh's second placed ball made it 0-2 apiece after nine minutes before Armagh kicked three points in-a-row to take control. Kernan and Andy Mallon doubled their lead before a long ball from Ciaran McKeever found Carragher who duly split the posts.

Roscommon reduced the gap to the minimum with frees from Murtagh and Cathal Cregg before Kernan's third point (second from play) gave Armagh a 0-6 to 0-4 lead after 22 minutes.

The visitors were well on top at this juncture and opened up a three-point lead once again when Jamie Clarke showed great strength to hold off Niall Carty and kick a super score in the 27th minute. Big midfielder Aaron Findon got his fist to a high delivery by Kernan to make it 0-8 to 0-4 after 32 minutes.

Just before half-time, both sides made substitutions. Roscommon introduced David O'Gara for Ciaran Cafferkey, while Eugene McVerry replaced Aidan Forker in the Armagh attack.

A big talking point at half-time was the hosts' failure to score from play in the opening 35 minutes, but it didn't take them long to put that right on the restart with Kevin Higgins fisting over via the inside of the upright after barely 20 seconds.

Jamie Clarke restored Armagh's four-point lead from a free off the ground, only for 19-year-old Enda Daly to reply for the Rossies.

Tony Kernan then scored one of the points of the game from a free close to the stand sideline. But Roscommon were coming more into it and reduced the arrears to two, 0-8 to 0-10, thanks to efforts from Conor Daly and Diarmuid Murtagh (free).

The Orchard County introduced the vastly experienced Aaron Kernan for Stefan Campbell in the 46th minute and before long they had regained their four-point advantage. Predictably, Clarke was involved in both, sprinting clear to score the first and then draingn half the Roscommon defence to him before cleverly laying possession off to his Crossmaglen team-mate Carragher for a lovely score.

Cathal Shine, who had a couple of wides in the first half, kept the home side in it with only his second ever championship point, only for Clarke to cancel it out with another gem.

The winners had a major let-off in the 55th minute when Kevin Higgins' audacious drop-kick from 30 metres was punched clear by the alert Philip McEvoy. Roscommon, however, managed to recycle possession back to Murtagh for his fifth point.

Armagh responded once more with a fisted point from Stephen Harold before Senan Kilbride instinctively flicked over with a goal at his mercy after the ball had come back off the upright.

Harold powered through for his second fisted point before the result was finally put beyond doubt when Stefan Forker rose highest to punch Aaron Kernan's long delivery to the net in the 64th minute.

Kevin Dyas tagged on a point to put eight between the sides, but Roscommon didn't drop the heads and had the margin back to five in the 68th minute when substitute Ciaran Murtagh fired a first-time shot to the net after Philip McEvoy could only parry his brother Diarmuid's initial shot.

But the Orchard underlined their superiority with an immediate reply from sub Rory Grugan. Another replacement, Donie Smith, got one back for the Connacht side before Eugene McVerry shot a late goal chance into the side-netting.

Armagh - P McEvoy; A Mallon (0-1), C Vernon, J Morgan; M Shields, B Donaghy, C McKeever; S Harold (0-2), A Findon (0-1); T Kernan (0-4, 2f, 1'45), K Dyas (0-2), S Campbell (0-1); K Carragher (0-2), A Forker, J Clarke (0-3, 1f). Subs: E McVerry for A Forker, A Kernan for S Campbell, R Grugan (0-1) for T Kernan, S Forker (1-0) for K Carragher, F Moriarty for M Shields.

Roscommon - D O'Malley; N Carty, S McDermott, N Collins; D Keenan, N Daly, C Cafferkey; C Shine (0-1), K Higgins (0-1); I Kilbride, E Smith (0-1), C Daly (0-1); S Kilbride (0-1), C Cregg (0-1f), D Murtagh (0-5, 4f). Subs: D O'Gara for C Cafferkey, R Stack for I Kilbride, D Smith (0-1) for E Smith, C Murtagh (1-0) for C Cregg, M Finneran for S Kilbride.

Referee - E Kinsella. Tweet

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