Armagh 1-26 Louth 0-14
Armagh earned their first win of the 2022 season with an impressive 15 point trouncing of Louth on Sunday.
The Orchard fielded a blend of youth and experience in both halves, completely switching the team at the break.
Paddy McBride ran riot in the opening half, notching 0-4 from midfield as Armagh built up a 11-7 half time advatnage.
Darren Geoghegan was the stand out performer for the visitors. He recorded all but one of his sides tally in the opening 35 minutes.
Scores from Fionntan Donnelly (3), Danny Magee, McBride (2) and Dylan McKenna put Armagh comfortably ahead 0-7 to 0-1 at the water break.
Louth fought back through Geoghegan, but another McBride brace along with further scores from McKenna and Dean Gaffney (free) assured Armagh of their lead at the halfway point.
A new look Orchard side took the field for the second half, making 14 changes to the team. Only Shea Gaffney remained from the opening half.
Gaffney picked up a second yellow card however and made way five mintues after the turnaround. This threatened to turn the game, but Fintan Woods saved the resulting penalty to sway momentum back in Armagh’s direction.
It was the first of two brilliant saves by the Middletown netminder, while his clubmate Ryan Gaffney was in superb form at the other end.
Gaffney, making his first appearance since March of 2020, top scored with 0-9. Eoin McGuinness also entered the fray at the interval and finished with an impressive 1-2.
Padraig O’Connor’s side now face QUB in the final round of the McGurk Cup on Thursday evening in the Dub.
Armagh Team: Simon Doherty, Oisin Richards, Patrick Quinn, Caolan Rice, Oisin Keenan, Shea Gaffeny, Jim Short, Paddy McBride 0-4, Michael Lennon, Dean Gaffney 0-1 (1f), Lorcan Oliver, Shaun Toal, Danny Magee 0-1, Dylan McKenna 0-2, Fionntan Donnelly 0-3 (2f|). Subs: Fintan Woods for S. Doherty, David Bridges for O. Richards, Liam Woods for C. Rice, Paudie Lappin for O. Keenan, Stephen Renaghan for P. Quinn, Odhran Curry for J. Short, Niall Lennon 0-1 for P. McBride, Stephen McKearney for M. Lennon, Marty Moan 0-2 for D. Gaffney, Nathan Curry for L. Oliver, Ryan Gaffney 0-9 (4f) for S. Toal, Mattie Lennon for D. Magee, Eoin McGuinness 1-2 for D. McKenna, Shea Harvey 0-1 for F. Donnelly, Jim Short for E. McGuinness.
