Inspired late points from Michael Murphy and Patrick McBrearty saw Donegal over the line against Armagh at Croke Park, 1-12 to 1-11.

A frenetic encounter, which started out in glorious sunshine before the heavens opened during a pulsating second half, swung one way and then the other but the Tir Chonail men ultimately became the third side through to this year's All-Ireland semi-finals, albeit by the skin of their teeth.

Humiliated at this stage by Mayo last year, Jim McGuinness' charges were pushed all the way today but their big-match experience saw them book a date with either Dublin or Monaghan in three weeks' time.

Armagh, who led with just three minutes left, will be kicking themselves as they deserved at least a share of the spoils and had two late opportunities to force a replay - but Tony Kernan was off target twice from injury-time frees.

Donegal were outplayed for long periods of the opening half and went 19 minutes without a score, but Odhran MacNiallais's 23rd-minute goal was instrumental in helping them assume a 1-5 to 0-6 half-time lead. The winners got stronger as the half progressed and were well on top when the short whistle sounded.

The Ulster champions opened the scoring in the fourth minute when Murphy tapped over a routine free, which was moved forward for dissent after Odhran MacNiallais had originally been fouled.

Armagh, who made a late change to their starting XV with Finnian Moriarty replacing James Morgan at corner back, went straight back into attack but their captain Jamie Clarke surprisingly pulled his shot wide from 20 metres.

The Orchard County were level on eight minutes when Tony Kernan made a mockery of Donegal's trademark blanket defence by smashing over a fantastic point off the outside of his right boot from 50 metres.

There were astonishing scenes in the tenth minute when a double fracas broke out - at the Hill 16 end of the field (which Donegal were attacking) and at midfield - with both Armagh manager Paul Grimley and his assistant Kieran McGeeney involved. The end result of the mini dust-up was a yellow card for Orchard midfielder Aaron Findon, presumably for knocking over the Donegal team doctor.

The underdogs edged in front when Aaron Kernan clipped over a very soft free off his trusty left peg and Colm McFadden wasted a couple of presentable scoring chances. Andy Mallon was off target at the other end before Stefan Campbell and Stephen Harold squandered another couple of Armagh opportunities.

In the 20th minute, Aidan Forker belted over the fourth point of the match - and Armagh's third. Donegal were rattled but they were let off the hook by six Armagh wides inside the opening 21 minutes…

The match was turned on its head in the 23rd minute when MacNiallais ghosted in for a brilliant Donegal goal, drilling the ball low to the corner of the net (beating Philip McEvoy at his near post). The goal was Donegal's first score in 19 minutes!

But Armagh replied purposefully to roar back ahead with a couple of quick points from full forward Campbell and corner back Mallon: 0-5 to 1-1 after 25 minutes.

Murphy nonchalantly levelled the scores by stroking over a lovely free from the ground and Jim McGuinness' charges were back in front after their captain chipped over a simple free from straight in front of the posts on the half-hour.

As the game opened up, full back Neil McGee showed that there are two sides to Donegal's ultra-defensiveness when he raided forward to register his second-ever championship point. Kyle Carragher replied with a neat score three minutes from the break: 1-4 to 0-6.

In stoppage time at the end of the first half, McFadden thumped over a free from close range to ensure the 2012 All-Ireland champions of a two-point interval advantage.

After Murphy's long-range effort bounced back into play off the woodwork, Tony Kernan flicked over a simple free to open the second-half scoring and halve the deficit; when the ball broke to McFadden close to goal in the 42nd minute, he fisted over the score that restored his side's two-point cushion.

Tony Kernan arrowed over an excellent point from a tight angle at the Hill 16 end almost instantly; Donegal's response was equally rapid - a fine fetch and finish from McBrearty.

A foul on Ryan McHugh culminated in a McFadden pointed free and Donegal led by 1-8 to 0-8 after eleven minutes of the second half. Almost ominously, the rain started to spill down as Tony Kernan sent an Armagh shot wide, but his brother Aaron popped up on 49 minutes with an excellent point - from the wrong side for a left-footed player.

Another smashing Murphy free flew over the black spot in the 55th minute as the Tir Chonail men once more led by a goal, 1-9 to 0-9, and justice was probably done when Murphy then missed a free which should never have been awarded in the first place. Not for the first time this evening, a Donegal player had gone over very easily.

The Kernan brothers were keeping Armagh in this game and Tony pulled back another point twelve minutes from time before they sensationally moved ahead: Stefan Campbell's initial fisted effort came back off an upright and Donegal goalkeeper Paul Durcan could only look on in horror as the ball ricocheted off him and crossed the line for an Orchard County goal.

MacNiallais found his shooting boots to bring the sides level again in the 61st minute but Aaron Kernan then played provider in picking out substitute Michael Murray, who turned, shot and edged Paul Grimley's men back in front with seven minutes remaining.

With two minutes left, Michael Murphy made it 1-11 apiece with an inspirational left-footed point - his first from play - and McBrearty slotted another point within 30 seconds as the Ulster champions took the lead again in the 69th minute.

Armagh were awarded a free outside the 45-metre line in the second minute of injury time and Tony Kernan elected to kick it with the outside of the foot but his shot blew badly wide. The Orchard County were awarded another late, late free and this time Tony Kernan's effort dropped short as Donegal held on for the narrowest of victories.

Donegal - P Durcan; E McGee, N McGee (0-1), F McGlynn; R McHugh, K Lacey, P McGrath; O MacNiallais (1-1), N Gallagher; C Toye, M Murphy (0-5, 4f), A Thompson; C McFadden (0-3, 2f), L McLoone, P McBrearty (0-2). Subs: R Kavanagh for C Toye, M McElhinney for L McLoone, D O'Connor for C McFadden, M O'Reilly for P McBrearty.

Armagh - P McEvoy; A Mallon (0-1), C Vernon, F Moriarty; M Shields, B Donaghy, A Kernan (0-2, 1f); S Harold, A Findon; A Forker (0-1), S Campbell (1-1), T Kernan (0-4, 1f); J Clarke, K Dyas, K Carragher (0-1). Subs: B Mallon for K Carragher, E Rafferty for A Findon, R Grugan for K Dyas, M Murray (0-1) for A Forker, K Toner for S Harold.

Referee - J McQuillan. Tweet

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