County Down took on County Armagh at the Coleraine Showgroundson Tuesdayevening in a game that the fans were expecting to be a real thriller . On twelve minutes the first chance arrived for County Armagh as Eoin Toal failed to get on the end of a corner, if he had connected at all, the men from the Orchard County would have been ahead . County Down’s first chance came from a strike thirty yards out from Jack Henderson but he was thwarted by Craig Robinson in the County Armagh goal .
Twenty five minutes had passed and it was County Down who came so close as Josh Kelly’s cross was headed just wide from the rising Chris Murray at the back-post . County Armagh took the lead a minute later as Lorcan Forde headed a free-kick after County Down failed to clear their lines.
County Armagh had another great chance to go two-nil ahead as Cathal McGinty volleyed over a Zac Wilson free-kick. County Down however equalised after a well worked goal when Henderson slipped in Niall Cassidy and he slotted the ball across Robinson and into the net on the stroke of half-time .
County Down had a superb chance to go Two-One ahead at the start of the second half as Jack Sharvin’s cross was headed just wide by Aaron Devlin at the back post . The game was very scrappy with both sides panicking in possession, playing the long ball option with no reward, both sides clearly nervous of conceding a second .
County Armagh carved out a rare opportunity to go ahead as Oisin Smyth crossed low for Owen McConville but he could only poke his shot wide of goal and it was Smyth who then created another chance shortly afterwards, as he ran from deep to cross for Conor Kerr who hit a sweet shot that brought a superb save out of County Down keeper, Matthew Davidson, as he tipped the ball away from goal.
However, against the run of play County Down took the lead as Chris Murray’s in-swinging free-kick landed on the head of Adam Garland and he made no mistake in powering it past Robinson and into the net . County Armagh could have immediately got back level as Pablo Andrade shot just wide from just inside the area. Armagh then had another good chance to equalise as Toal could have finally got his name on the score-sheet but he slid the ball just wide from a low McConville cross.
County Down had a great opportunity to wrap the game up as Scott McArthur was played in but he shot just wide of goal under pressure from the onrushing Robinson . With two minutes remaining County Armagh had the perfect chance to level but Shea Geraghty was well tackled by Kyle Calderwood just when he was about to pull the trigger. County Armagh were putting on all the late pressure and were so close to scoring as Andrade’s sweet cross was headed just wide by Smyth who rose like a salmon .
This was the last chance of the match as County Down ran out Two-One winners