Gavin McParland netted in each half as Armagh came from behind to beat St Mary's by 2-11 to 0-14 in dreadful conditions at the Athletic Grounds.

With 985 hardy souls paying to see what proved to be an entertaining tussle, the losers led by five points shortly after the restart before Armagh - with the elements in their favour - turned the screw with a stunning unanswered 1-6 salvo.

With Armagh men firing over scores at both ends, 'The Ranch' led by 0-11 to 1-5 at the interval, corner forward McParland nailing all but one point of the hosts' first-half tally.

Playing with wind advantage, Paddy Tally's side raced into a 0-3 to 0-1 lead inside ten minutes thanks to points from Thomas Canavan, Ryan Johnston and Jerome Johnston. McParland had supplied the Orchard County's opener as the first two scores of the game were exchanged.

Jack Grugan from Ballymacnab stretched the visitors' advantage over his native county and Canavan ensured that the three-point gap remained intact when he clipped over St Mary's fifth point after McParland had stroked over an Armagh free: 0-5 to 0-2 after 20 minutes.

The match was slipping away from Kieran McGeeney's charges once Canavan registered his second successive point - and third of the evening - followed quickly by a seventh Mary's over from Aidan Forker, another man scoring against his own county.

But Armagh were soon level thanks to a further 1-2 from the on-song McParland, who knocked over a brace of points before netting from the penalty spot in the 26th minute following a foul on Sean Connell: 1-4 to 0-7 with that entire 1-4 Orchard haul coming from one player!

Back came the students with a run of four consecutive points: Man of the Match Jerome Johnston edged St Mary's back ahead and Ryan Johnston doubled the gap with five minutes left in the first half; Grugan and Canavan provided the next two scores for the determined third-level combination.

On the stroke of half time, centre back Ciaran McKeever gave the home support something to cheer about as he drilled over an inspirational score to become only the second player from the Armagh starting XV to score and in the process left the Orchard men within three at the short whistle.

Jerome Johnston floated over the opening score of the second half into the wind and Canavan was on hand to stretch the margin out to five, 0-13 to 1-5. As conditions deteriorated, Tony Kernan hit back for the Orchard County. After almost ten minutes without a score, Jamie Clarke reduced the deficit to three points after collecting a superb pass from McKeever.

Conditions are getting worse. The posts are just about staying intact. pic.twitter.com/JV3B2Ba0sx

- Armagh GAA (@Armagh_GAA) January 14, 2015

 

And it was a two-point game with 15 minutes left thanks to Eugene McVerry. Substitute Clarke bagged his second point to leave the minimum between them and, predictably, it was that man McParland who stepped up with his second major of the match to propel the victors into a 2-9 to 0-13 lead.

The momentum was now completely with 'Geezer's charges and Declan McKenna and Connell added points before Tim Harney executed a fantastic save to deny Grugan a Mary's goal. The students never gave up and Kieran McGeary pulled back a point but it was Armagh who claimed their second successive group victory in this year's McKenna Cup.

Armagh - T Harney; E McArdle, B Donaghy, J Donnelly; S Connell (0-1), C McKeever (0-1), C Vernon; D McKenna (0-1), S Harold; S Forker, T Kernan (0-1f), F O'Neill; O MacIomhair, S Sheridan, G McParland (2-4). Subs: P Courtney for F O'Neill, M Murray for J Donnelly, E McVerry (0-1) for O MacIomhair, J Clarke (0-2) for S Forker, C Rafferty for G McParland.

St Mary's - R Burns; R Wilson, J Morgan, D Morrow; P McBride, A Forker (0-1), H Loughran; C McCann, B Og McGilligan; J Johnston (0-3), K McGeary (0-1), R Johnston (0-2, 1'45); T Canavan (0-5, 2f), M Fitzpatrick, J Grugan (0-2). Subs: B O'Hagan for M Fitzpatrick, C Quinn for C McCann.

Referee - C Trainor.

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