Sligo timed their run to perfection to deny Armagh by the narrowest of margins in this evening’s Nicky Rackard Cup decider at Croke Park.

The Yeats County snatched victory from the jaws of defeat on a scoreline of 2-14 to 2-13.

Substitute Kieran Prior sent over the match-winning score in the fourth minute of stoppage time and it capped off a dramatic comeback.

They trailed by four points approaching the 70 minute mark before Conor Griffin reduced the deficit to three.

A Gerard O’Kelly Lynch goal two minutes into injury-time got them back on level terms before Prior popped up with the decisive score.

Sligo captain James Weir lifts the Nicky Rackard Cup. ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo.

It was tough luck on an Orchard County side that had led by 1-10 to 1-8 at the halfway stage.

O’Kelly-Lynch gave Sligo a dream start when finding the back of the Armagh net in the second minute but that was cancelled out by Danny Magee.

Magee raised a second green flag after the break but they were caught on the line and it was Sligo that got to mount the steps of the Hogan Stand.

Sligo - M Burke; J Weir, N Feehily, K O’Kennedy; R McHugh, L Reidy, K Banks; R Cox (0-1), J Starr (0-1); G Cadden, C Griffin (0-1), K Raymond (0-8, 7f, 1'65); T O’Kelly Lynch, G O’Kelly Lynch (2-1), K Gilmartin. Subs: S Crowley (0-1) for T O’Kelly Lynch, M Gordon for K O’Kennedy, K Prior (0-1) for G Cadden.

Armagh - S Doherty (0-1f); C Rice, O McCann, P Quinn (0-1); T Nevin, D Bridges, C Clifford; S Toal, S Renaghan; D Gaffney (0-6f), O Curry, P McGrane; D McKenna (0-1), D Magee (2-0), E McGuinness (0-2). Subs: N Curry (0-2) for O McCann, J O’Connor for S Toal.

Referee - J Connors.

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