Armagh 0-11 Down 1-10
The Armagh minors finished their league campaign with a defeat on Saturday, losing to Down by two-points.
It was their third defeat on the trot, but Armagh fought hard to the finish and were unfortunate to come up short.
A Down goal early in the second half put the visitors eight-points ahead, but Armagh battled back bravely.
Down were reduced to 14 men offering the Orchardmen a lifeline and they rattled off the last six scores to narrow the gap.
Ryan Nugent got Armagh off to a great start with a powerful score inside the opening sixty seconds.
Down replied with a point, while Michael Hughes also saw his score cancelled out by the opposition.
The Mourne men, led by Down legend Benny Coulter, took control and fired over the next four points.
Daragh McNulty got Armagh up and running again and traded two scores with Down while Fionn O’Tuathail fisted over just before the break to leave it 0-8 to 0-5.
Down hit 1-3 on the bounce at the start of the second half, but were then reduced to 14 for a second bookable offence.
McNulty fired over his third and fourth, either side of scores Eoin Kane and O’Tuathail to narrow the gap to five-points.
Kane added another, while Adam Reavey also got on the scoresheet to put his side within two-points of the leaders.
That was as good as it got however, and attentions will now turn towards the Ulster Championship. Armagh have been drawn into the same group as Tyrone, Antrim and Cavan.
