Wexford pulled off a sensation when defeating Ulster champions Armagh by 1-14 to 0-12 in the first of this year's football quarter-finals at Croke Park. The Model County produced a spirited display in the closing quarter, outscoring the favourites by 1-6 to 0-3 during that period. Mattie Forde bagged the game's decisive goal eight minutes from time and he also floated over three late points to cap a Man of the Match display. The Ulster monopolists enjoyed clear superiority in the first half but they were unable to shrug off their opponents and the Slaneysiders - who managed just one point from play in the first half - must have been delighted to trail by just a single point at the turnaround, 0-6 to 0-5. Armagh were the better team during the first six minutes or so, as both teams sized each other up tentatively, but the best they could manage was a couple of wides from Stephen Kernan and Ronan Clarke. At the Hill end, Forde, who nursed a heavily strapped leg and seemed hampered by a thigh problem, boomed a kick uncharacteristically wide. Steven McDonnell punished naïve Wexford defending with a thundering shoulder followed by a precise left-foot finish to open the scoring in the ninth minute. Charlie Vernon doubled the gap with a calm finish, though he was completely unopposed as he took his score. Meanwhile, the hard-working and vigilant Ulster champions were coping easily with rather tame Model County attacks. Clarke hit Armagh's fourth wide from his left foot after leading Philip Wallace a merry dance and the same player skied an aimless kick into the Wexford goalie's arms 60 seconds later. Then, on 16 minutes, came an inspirational burst of play from Francie Bellew: the Armagh full back beat Forde to the ball and surged forward with purpose before picking out McDonnell, who surprisingly kicked wide. Bellew then fouled Forde and the ball was moved forward ten yards when he held onto the Wexford talisman, who had no trouble from the resultant free to half the deficit, 0-1 to 0-2 with 19 minutes played. Considering how one-sided the early exchanges had been, the margin was extraordinarily slender. It was non-existent after 21 minutes when Ciaran Lyng floated over a beautiful left-footed free from the deck after another alleged Bellew foul on Forde. Aaron Kernan restored the Armagh lead with a great point from play, while PJ Banville was off target at the other end before Clarke hit the score of the match. The Orchard full forward was outnumbered but still he got to the ball and landed a superb point from an almost impossible angle, which dropped over via the upright. Lyng pointed again on 25 minutes to make it 0-3 to 0-4 - three frees for Wexford V four Armagh points from open play. The leaders were unfortunate when Brian Mallon's shot came back into play off a post and Forde levelled the scores for the second time with an exquisite finish from a sideline ball after tenacious defending had thwarted a purposeful Armagh attack. On the half hour, Wexford stole into the lead for the first time when PJ Banville clipped over their first point from play after captain Colm Morris got forward well to support his attackers. Clarke had Armagh back on terms with another truly tremendous finish on 32 minutes. The Armagh forward was under supreme pressure but he demonstrated immense upper body strength to hold off his markers and score. Clarke converted his third great point of the half when he swivelled to deliver a screamer off his left foot: 0-6 to 0-5 with 34 minutes gone. Wexford corner back David Walsh picked up a yellow card for a cynical foul on the marauding Aaron Kernan in first-half injury time. Armagh had an overlap and would almost certainly have added a seventh score but for Walsh's untidy intervention on the eldest of Joe's sons. The luckless Kernan limped off with an ankle injury and - with their left-sided place kicker absent - McDonnell missed the free from the right. The short whistle sounded with the odd point from eleven separating the sides. Jeers of derision rang around Croke Park when the referee awarded a free to Forde, who appeared to dive, within a minute of the restart. Bellew got a yellow card for nothing and Lyng clipped over the levelling point from in front of the posts. A good run by Vernon resulted in a foul on Clarke and Aaron Kernan - rejuvenated by the magic sponge during the break - made it 0-7 to 0-6 in the 41st-minute free. Armagh were again frustrated by poor officiating on 43 minutes when they were brought back to re-take a sideline kick when they were in a wonderful position if play had been allowed to continue, as it should have been. There was nothing wrong with the quick kick taken by O'Rourke. Paul Hearty, Vernon and Finian Moriarity all joined their No.3 in the notebook within a few minutes as Armagh began to sense the possibility of the game slipping away from them. The Ulster champions were clearly edgy. Lyng bravely volleyed the breaking ball over the bar to make it 0-7 each with 22 minutes left. Seconds later, Forde got his first point from play - a fantastic finish - and the Model County led by one. Brian Mallon had the counties level for the sixth time on 50 minutes after taking a pass from Paddy McKeever (who replaced Stephen Kernan) and - within 30 seconds - McDonnell had the northern raiders back in front when he found himself in loads of space to score. Wexford had a bad miss but there was just a point in it with a quarter of the match left. McDonnell added another fabulous point when he was placed by Aaron Kernan and cut inside Walsh to finish with aplomb. Championship debutant Collie Byrne ended Armagh's scoring run with a confident point to close the margin to one again, 0-10 to 0-9, with 15 minutes remaining. McDonnell was away from Walsh but Paddy Russell called Armagh back for a free. Aaron Kernan stayed calm to knock over his third point of the match despite the unbearable pressure, 0-11 to 0-9. From here, Armagh let the game slip away from them. Redmond Barry pointed for Wexford on the stroke of the hour after some sloppy Armagh defending, a score which set up a grandstand finish for the final ten minutes. In the 62nd minute, Forde goaled for Wexford. Eric Bradley picked out the All Star attacker with a great pass over the top and Forde stayed calm, selling Hearty a dummy before rolling the ball into an empty net. Incredibly, Wexford led by 1-10 to 0-11. When Lyng tapped over a free, the underdogs led by three, 1-11 to 0-11. Aaron Kernan decreased the arrears with a free but Barry drove over an inspirational Wexford score and it was all over when Forde jinked to curl over another point three minutes from the end, 1-13 to 0-12. A minute from the end, Armagh came agonisingly close to getting a goal when Aaron Kernan's free was flicked goalwards but blocked on the line. Armagh were denied a free close to goal following a late Wexford tackle and Forde stretched the gap to four in the first minute of added time. Wexford - A Masterson, D Walsh, P Wallace, B Malone, A Morrissey, D Muphy, C Morris, E Bradley, B Doyle, R Barry (0-2), P Colfer, C Byrne (0-1), C Lyng (0-5, 4f), PJ Banville (0-1), M Forde (1-5, 2f, 1s). Subs -C Deely for Morrissey, N Murphy for D Walsh, R Stafford for Byrne, T Wall for Colfer, A Flynn for Doyle. Armagh - P Hearty, E McNulty, F Bellew, F Moriarty, A Kernan (0-4, 3f), A O'Rourke, C McKeever, P McGrane, K Toner, C Vernon (0-1), B Mallon (0-1), M O'Rourke, S McDonnell (0-3), R Clarke (0-3), S Kernan. Subs - P McKeever for S Kernan, B Donaghy for Vernon, P Kernan for Moriarty, D McKenna for Toner. Ref - P Russell (Tipperary) Tweet

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