Armagh started their NFL campaign in blistering style with a comprehensive win over Monaghan in front of almost 8,000 in Clones on Sunday.
With both teams short seasoned campaigners, Armagh’s panel depth showed as Kieran McGeeney’s men led from start to finish, racking up an impressive 1-25 from open play, with 11 players on the scoresheet, including both starting midfielders and all three half-backs.
Having been 11 points clear by the end of the first half with the breeze at their backs, a late goal from Andrew Murnin saw a fluid Armagh side edge the second half as well to finish 12 clear of their neighbours.
Still, speaking to GAA+/BBC after being named Player of the Match, Murnin played down Armagh’s performance, saying: “We left a lot of scores behind us, especially in the first half with the wind where we missed a couple of chances, but we’re delighted to get out with the win.”
Armagh mixed their kicking and running games to good effect throughout, with Murnin noting: “If the kick is on, we give it, but on the flip side of that, you saw how dangerous we were running through. We’re built for pace and power through that middle with the likes of Jarly and with Ross coming in, so whatever way we have to do it to get over the line, we’ll do it.”
Monaghan manager Gabriel Bannigan admitted that his team had been “way off it” in the first half and that Armagh had looked much more cohesive. With Monaghan’s injury list having grown during the last week, along with Ryan Wylie missing yesterday’s match through illness, Bannigan acknowledged that his new-look panel will be tested in the absence of most of their Scotstown contingent.
Armagh opened their account with early points from Joe McElroy and Oisín Conaty as they set the tone for a first half where they caused the Monaghan defence all sorts of problems from a variety of sources.
Conor Turbitt grew into the game in the second quarter as he hit four points to help widen the gap and while Karl Gallagher fisted over from a goal chance at the other end, Armagh’s ease of moving the ball forward was underlined from the next kick-out, as they quickly scythed through for Burns to cancel out the previous score.
The 2024 All-Ireland champions led by 0-15 to 0-4 at half-time and although Monaghan got the first point of the second half through Mícheál Bannigan, Armagh responded via Oisín O’Neill, Callum O’Neill and two in quick succession from Cian McConville. Monaghan registered the only three two-pointers of the afternoon with a brace from outside the arc from Stephen O’Hanlon and another from Andrew Woods, but it was academic to the result as several other efforts from that range dropped into the hands of Blaine Hughes, who had been given the nod ahead of Ethan Rafferty.
Armagh, meanwhile, were continually able to work the ball in to easy shooting positions even against the breeze, with Turbitt among those to add to his tally, including one from a superb Oisín O’Neill assist. Having threatened to hit the net on a couple of occasions, Armagh put some gloss on their win when the impressive Murnin got on the end of a slick move to crash home the only goal of the game in the 68th minute past NFL debutant Jack Kiernan, who was deputising for Rory Beggan.
Armagh will be very encouraged by their performance in this league opener as they prepare to host Galway in round two (a repeat of the 2024 All-Ireland final), while Monaghan face an important game against fellow promoted side Roscommon.
S O’Hanlon 0-7 (2 2-pt); A Woods 0-3 (1 2-pt); M Bannigan 0-3 (1f); K Gallagher, D McElearney, D Byrne, E Walsh, T Hughes 0-1 each.
C Turbitt 0-6; A Murnin 1-3; Jarly Óg Burns, C McConville (1f), O O’Neill (1f) 0-3 each; C O’Neill, O Conaty, G McCabe 0-2 each; J McElroy, T Kelly, R McQuillan 0-1 each.
J Kiernan; D Byrne, D Treanor, D McElearney; D Ward, R O’Toole, T Hughes; K Gallagher, G Mohan; J Irwin, M Bannigan, J Irwin; S Mooney, A Woods, S O’Hanlon.
L Kelly for Mohan (42); L McDonald for Irwin (46); R McAnespie for Mooney (56); E Walsh for Woods (61); O McGorman for O’Toole (63).
B Hughes; G Murphy, T McCormack, P McGrane; G McCabe, T Kelly, J Óg Burns; C O’Neill, A Murnin; J McElroy, C Turbitt, F O’Brien; C McConville, O O’Neill, O Conaty.
R McQuillan for O’Brien (48); J Duffy for Murphy (61); D McCarthy for Burns (65).
P Faloon (Down).
