Armagh impress in league win over Monaghan

Armagh cruised past Monaghan 1-27 to 0-18 at Clones to open their Division One account with a win, but Cavan, Fermanagh and Antrim all lost on Sunday.

Kieran McGeeney’s men took a grip over the Farbey men in Clones as they got their season off to a flying start.

In Division Two, Cavan squandered a seven-point lead in Pairc Ui Chaoimh as a late Cork rally saw them claim a last-gasp 0-24 to 2-17 win.

Fermanagh lost their Division Three opener in Enniskillen with Wexford taking a 1-13 to 0-12 win as Declan Bonner’s tenure got off to a slow start.

Mark Doran’s first league game in charge of Antrim also resulted in a slow start with Carlow 2-16 to 1-15 winners in Portglenone.

It was an impressive first outing for Kieran McGeeney’s side, with 11 different player registering scores as they breezed past the Farney men by 12 points without getting out of first gear.

Andrew Murnin put the icing on the cake with a rasping goal right into the top corner of the net in the dying embers, his final tally stood at 1-3.

In reality, the game was over at half-time despite Monaghan’s three second-half two-pointers they were always second best.

Gabriel Bannigan was without all but one of the Scotstown contingent after their run to the All-Ireland club semi-final with Ryan O’Toole starting and by today’s viewing the return of the others can’t come quick enough.

It was nip and tuck across the first half of the opening stanza with both sides getting to grips with their season opener.

The Orchard County started to break away with three scores without reply, two from Conor Turbitt and another from Andrew Murnin opened up a three-point gap.

Monaghan went almost 10 minutes without a score before Dylan Byrne played a brilliant ball inside to find Karl Gallagher. The former AFL recruit opting to fist over the bar with a goal chance on.

The proved to be Monaghan’s last score of the half as Armagh hit six unanswered points to lead 0-15 to 0-4 at the break, with nine different scorers.

It could have been worse for the Farney men going in at half-time as their opponents also registered seven first half wides.

Armagh controlled the tempo of the game on the second half, and were unfazed by a pair of Monaghan two-pointers in a matter of minutes from Andrew Woods and Stephen O’Hanlon.

O’Hanlon raised a third orange flag soon after to narrow the gap back down to eight, but that was as good as it got for the home side.

Murnin finished off a fine, flowing passing move right into the top corner to add further gloss to the win, with Armagh running out comfortable winners.

Cavan led by seven points with 63 minutes gone but conspired to lose to Cork in Pairc Ui Chaoimh.

A goal from Arva’s Ciaran Brady in the second half gave the Breffni County a four-point lead, having gone in at the break 0-13 to 1-8 behind – the goal coming from Dara McVeety.

Despite a black card to Ryan Brady, Cavan managed to tighten their grip on the contest and moved seven points in front when Paddy Lynch kicked a two-point free.

Dermot McCabe’s side were restored to 15, but the Rebels rallied.

Sean McDonell, Steven Sherlock (two-pointer), and a couple of frees from Mark Cronin left just two points between the teams.

Chris Og Jones brought John Cleary’s men to within a point on 74 minutes and there was still time for Sherlock to boom over a free from outside the arc to complete a remarkable turnaround.

In Enniskillen, Declan Bonner endured a disappointing start to his Fermanagh tenure.

Newly promoted Wexford claimed a four-point victory over the Ernesiders in Brewster Park.

Gavin Sheehan netted 24 minutes into what was a quiet first half. A huge two-pointer from Pairic Hughes on the stroke of half-time proved decisive and sent Wexford in 1-5 to 0-6 ahead at the break.

Fermanagh’s Darragh McGurn struck from beyond the arc with 15 minutes to go, but Sean Nolan, who racked up seven points on the day, kept the Leinster side’s noses in front.

A two-point score from Cathal Kehoe heading into added time confirmed the win for Wexford.

Mark Doran’s first game in charge of Antrim also ended in defeat as the Saffrons slipped to a loss to Carlow in Portglenone.

The Saffrons raced into a three-point lead but quickfire goals gave Carlow control. Niall Roche found the net before Chris Blake stepped up to convert from the penalty spot.

Joe Murphy’s side built up a five-point advantage, but a Niall Burns score from outside the arc helped Antrim claw their way back and they trailed just 2-4 to 0-9 at half-time.

After the break, Conor Doyle, Blake and Colm Hulton all produced orange flags for the visitors.

A goal from Joseph Finnegan on 58 minutes brought Antrim back to within four points, but Paddy McDonell and Conor Crowley kept Carlow’s tally rising as they secured the victory.

Meanwhile, the Division Three hurling clash between Tyrone and Donegal finished in a 3-23 to 1-18 win for the Tir Chonaill men.