A brace of second-half goals from Gavin McParland propelled Armagh into the ESB All-Ireland minor final by virtue of a 2-10 to 0-10 defeat of Kerry. The Orchard County bossed the second-half completely, scoring 2-6 in that period while the Kingdom managed just three points after the interval - and just one from play. Kerry edged the first half to lead by three points at the interval thanks to four lovely frees from Eanna O'Connor and a couple of fine Paul O'Sullivan saves as Armagh's forwards got in behind the defence but couldn't find the net. Early points were traded as the match started brightly with good play from both teams. Wing back Greg Gibson kicked a lovely point to put Kerry ahead in the fifth minute, 0-2 to 0-1. Orchard full forward Eugene McVerry had a good goal chance but struck his shot too close to Kerry 'keeper O'Sullivan, who saved well from point-blank range in front of the Hill. McVerry then created an opening with an excellent soccer-style run along the endline, with Rory Grugan converting a nice free after he himself had been fouled. Eanna O'Connor put the Kingdom back in front when he drilled a long-range free high and handsome over the bar from off the ground, but Mullabawn clubman McVerry levelled again in the 18th minute when he jinked inside his man to score off his left boot. A minute later, the dependable O'Connor drove another booming free over the bar to restore the Munster champions' advantage. Peter Carragher was pulling off some excellent catches in the midfield for the Ulster men and they were unlucky when Grugan was wrongly penalised for overcarrying as he bore down on goal. Armagh's frustration was compounded when Jack Sherwood pointed Kerry's fifth point via an upright to leave two between them. Gavin McParland was fortunate to win an Armagh free after he had twice carried the ball out over the sideline undetected and McVerry took advantage when he knocked over a 25th-minute point to halve to deficit, 0-5 to 0-4. Robbie Tasker fired a shot wide as Armagh strained to get level. In the 28th minute, O'Connor thumped over his third long-range free of the afternoon to make it 0-6 to 0-4. Kerry centre back James Coffey picked up a yellow card for fouling Armagh No.11 Andrew Murnin. On the stroke of the half-hour, O'Sullivan made his second vital goal save when he deflected Conor King's effort onto a post before scrambling the ball off the line. It was a good piece of play from the Kerry custodian and Jack Kennedy's men tagged on another good O'Connor free in injury time to lead by three at the interval, 0-7 to 0-4. Paul McShane's charges took a total grip of the match after the break to run out comprehensive winners. Armagh were level within seconds of the restart when McParland latched onto a perfect pass from the roving Carragher to slide the ball calmly to the net. The northerners had been threatening the three-pointer throughout the match and they were now right back in the game, 1-4 to 0-7. Three minutes later, Tasker found himself in a one-on-one with O'Sullivan, who once more diverted the shot off a post and clear. The inspired Kingdom 'keeper also saved Grugan's follow-up with his foot. It was unlucky for Armagh, who had now hit the post twice, but O'Sullivan arguably deserved his slice of luck as he had now made four great saves. Grugan pointed Armagh ahead from a close-range free after McParland was pulled down as he tried to get through on goal. The perpetrator of that foul, Padraig O'Connor became the third Kerry player to go into the book (Ian Galvin had been yellow-carded early in the half). On 41 minutes, Grugan delightfully curled over a left-footed free after a foul on Murnin. Armagh had been completely dominant since the resumption and they now led by two, 1-6 to 0-7. In the 43rd minute, McParland skilfully took his second goal after being set up by wonderful approach play from Tasker and McVerry. It was hard to tell which set of supporters was happiest - Armagh's or Cork's. O'Connor got Kerry's first point of the second half in the 44th minute - from a free - and O'Sullivan easily saved Tasker's first-time goal effort before McVerry dropped a free short. As Armagh maintained their four-point lead, there was a period of scrappy play from both teams before the match went into its final ten minutes McVerry should have pointed in the 51st minute but his fisted effort came back off the woodwork before McParland was also off-target from the rebound. A lovely Grugan point a minute later, after Tasker provided the assist, made it 2-7 to 0-8 with eight minutes left. McParland dropped a shot short as Armagh continued to miss opportunities and wing back James Morgan received a yellow card five minutes from the end for something that occurred off the ball. McVerry swivelled to take his third point following some sloppy Kerry defending and O'Connor tagged on his sixth pointed free in the 58th minute. It was all Armagh as Grugan effortlessly took his fifth point of the match - his second from play - to make it 2-9 to 0-9. Kerry almost got in for a late goal but Armagh goalie Stephen O'Reilly did well to send Niall O'Shea's effort over the bar for a point. Three minutes of injury time were added and Armagh continued to flood forward in waves, with Grugan striking the closing point deep into stoppage time to complete a great day at HQ for this impressive young team. Tweet

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