Armagh captain Aidan Forker had words with Donegal boss Jim McGuinness after the Clones contest
John Haughey
BBC Sport NI Journalist at Clones
‘Jimmy’s winning matches’ was blasting out from the Clones PA system even if the saviour himself did not appear overly enamoured with Donegal’s unofficial GAA anthem.
“That’s wrong. The players are winning the matches and that’s something that gets lost in the ether. There’s too much about that,” a suddenly almost irritated Jim McGuinness told BBC Sport NI after he had spoken of his joy at his Donegal team’s retention of the Ulster Football title with an extra-time victory over All-Ireland champions Armagh.
“See in that 10 seconds to go there and they lose possession..the game’s gone. It’s not Jimmy doing that.”
McGuinness was talking about the frantic closing moments of extra time as Donegal attempted to hold on to the ball and their one-point lead as Armagh pressed them deep into their own territory before Dara O Baoill was able to boot the ball into the crowd when the hooter sounded.
As Donegal’s celebrations began, things turned ugly for 90 odd seconds seemingly sparked by an Armagh fist connecting with a jubilant opponent who had ventured too close to the Orchard County bench.
A melee ensured with Garda personnel involved in separating some of the warring parties after scenes which included Aidan Forker appearing to have words with McGuinness amid some vigorous finger pointing by the Armagh skipper following his side’s third successive Ulster Final defeat – all beyond regulation.
Order was soon restored and, with the Donegal fans singing along deliriously in tribute to the manager as the players celebrated lifting another Anglo-Celt Cup, it was instructive to remember that the Glenties man has now managed his beloved county to five of their 12 provincial titles.
Highlights: Donegal claim back-to-back Ulster titles with victory over Armagh
The seven-point advantage that Donegal twice built in the first half had been founded on attacking Ethan Rafferty’s kickout.
The Armagh keeper found a team-mate on a remarkable 23 out of 24 occasions in the provincial semi-final against Tyrone.
It was a different story a fortnight on as Donegal picked off several of Rafferty’s re-starts which included one soaring catch in midfield by his opposite number Shaun Patton and a couple of steals by fit-again centre half-back Caolan McGonagle.
McGuinness insisted he was expecting Armagh’s fightback which made Donegal’s eventual triumph amid the frantic conclusion all the sweeter.
“Armagh always find a way to come back into the game and ask those questions of you.
“We should have had the game won in normal time and we let it slip, so I’m so proud of them that they found a way to get doubled down and win that game.”
Armagh seemed to have the momentum as Jarly Og Burns put them ahead for the first time three minutes into extra time after the magnificent Oisin Conaty’s sixth point from play in the final 10 seconds of normal time had ensured the 20 additional minutes of action.
The Orchard led by one on two further occasions in extra time but crucially couldn’t add to their advantage – with Rory Grugan, amid being subdued in open play by Ryan McHugh, missing a crucial point-scoring chance early in the second 10-minute period – before Ciaran Moore’s goal suddenly had Donegal ahead once more.
After convincing Michael Murphy to return to county colours last autumn, the manager’s embrace with the Glenswilly man after full-time was replete with emotion. Tears were soon flowing as the 35-year-old hugged his father Mick.
“His leadership on the pitch and his skill level obviously, it was just fantastic to have him in our group for this game and I’m so delighted that he’s come back and he’s got an Ulster championship medal again. That’s massive for him,” added McGuinness of Murphy.
After cramping up Murphy had to be replaced midway through the first period of extra time but not before a vital contribution which included three superb scores from play and a remarkable off-balance first-half catch to win a free which skipper Patrick McBrearty pointed.
In the closing seconds of normal time as Donegal attempted to hold onto a one-point advantage, Murphy did his bit as his burst past an Armagh challenge on the right flank used up a few more seconds, but his team-mates were unable to show similar composure with the ball being coughed up for Conaty’s equaliser.
Armagh keeper Ethan Rafferty hinted that he felt Stefan Campbell should have earned a free four minutes from the end of extra time when the sides were level
As Donegal celebrated, Armagh keeper Rafferty hinted at a degree of upset in the Orchard camp about Stefan Campbell not earning a free with four minutes to go in extra time.
Rafferty’s two-point free a minute earlier had levelled the contest after Ciaran Moore’s goal for Donegal.
“We been here three times. Three extra times, and you’re sort of banking on it being straight down the middle,” said Rafferty, whose recovery from his first-half kickout difficulties led to him being named the BBC Sport NI man of the match by pundit Philly McMahon.
“They’ll probably argue they had some as well, but it’s tough to take no matter what happened really.”
For his part, McMahon felt Campbell had been harshly done by.
“It’s hard in the moment for the referee to call that but when you see it slowed down you can make a better decision on it,” said the former Dublin defender.
“He takes four steps, cuts in, kind of lifts his feet off the ground and gets his feet taken from him, so for me it is a free in. Maurice [Deegan, former inter-county referee] had a look at it as well and said it might have been a free in as well.”
Small margins indeed.
