By Frank Shouldice

Armagh 1-9 Donegal 0-9

IN the end Paul McGrane’s goal separated the sides at Croke Park, but Armagh were well worth their win to clinch a remarkable sixth Ulster title over the past eight years.

McGrane pounced after the restart when the teams were deadlocked on 0-4 apiece. He collected an infield pass from Steven McDonnell and turned Brendan Boyle before rifling a shot past Paul Durcan.

Donegal tried to close the deficit but they missed injured playmaker Michael Doherty, and Francie Bellew played brilliantly on returned veteran Adrian Sweeney.

Christy Toye faded after a late shoulder charge by Kieran McKeever, yet Brian McIvor’s team were still in with a chance at the finish. They had defended strongly, with Karl Lacey blotting out McDonnell and Eamon McGee and Barry Dunnion holding up well.

However, even with McDonnell kept relatively quiet, Ronan Clarke was in fantastic form, winning ball and kicking three points. Oisín McConville was also a threat and Kieran McGeeney covered every inch of the pitch from midfield.

Donegal’s young players responded to the physical challenge -– referee Michael Monaghan brandished 13 yellow cards –- and they refused to buckle against Joe Kernan’s experienced campaigners. In the closing minutes McGeeney made a fine block on Lacey and in a final throw of the dice Michael Hegarty placed sub Stephen McDermott for an angled shot on goal.

Paul Hearty smothered the drive and Armagh, despite predictions that they are pass their sell-by date, march on with a third All-Ireland in their sights.

Kerry 0-10

Cork 0-10

WHAT’S wrong with Kerry this season? They failed to build on two unimpressive outings against Waterford and Tipperary and almost threw the Munster final against traditional rivals Cork.

In contrast to Jack O’Connor’s charges, Billy Morgan’s players showed huge appetite for the game. They competed for everything and raced into an early lead, scoring seven of the first eight points inside 33 minutes.

However, Cork’s momentum derailed when Anthony Lynch elbowed Kieran Donaghy to earn a red card. Kerry hit back with three consecutive scores before the break. Dara Ó Sé and Donaghy then took control at midfield and hauled Cork back through Bryan Sheehan and sub Darren O’Sullivan.

Frees by James Masters kept Cork two ahead going into the final quarter when Donaghy picked up his second yellow card for a foul nobody but the referee saw. His dismissal swung possession back to Cork and with Gooch Cooper virtually anonymous it fell to Paul Galvin and Sheehan to level it.

Sheehan then nudged Kerry ahead but Masters kept his nerve to convert an equalizing free. The Cork marksman then seemed to have grabbed an injury-time winner, but the umpires and referee cancelled it out by calling it a square ball even though Masters never got near the square.

It was a clumsy finish to a strange game and for next Sunday’s replay out-of-sorts Kerry will have to raise it.

Laois 0-9

Tyrone 0-6

JULY turned cold for Tyrone as the depleted All-Ireland champions made a meek exit from the qualifiers.

Full credit to Laois for bouncing back from an atrocious display against Dublin. They played with the wind in the first half and punched holes in Tyrone’s defense through Billy Sheehan and Chris Conway.

Tyrone were oddly rudderless up front. Owen Mulligan made no impression and even Stephen O’Neill’s 26th minute appearance had little impact. However, Laois supporters might have worried that their 0-6 to 0-3 halftime lead would not be enough before turning into the wind and rain.

Conway then added a free and Laois sized up for the game with a determination even Tyrone could not match. Mulligan missed a free and as the match wore on, Mick O’Dwyer’s side showed great composure to keep possession. A fine team move put Conway through to nail their last point and last year’s champions can have no complaints.

“It wasn’t designed for us this year,” rued Mickey Harte afterwards. “It’s been a difficult year. It’s very hard to see quality players getting serious injuries but it happens and it happened to us. I know the good people of Tyrone — not the ones who have a knee-jerk reaction for everything — will understand that these players have been doing their best.”

Leitrim 0-9

Sligo 1-7

ALAS poor Leitrim, beaten for the second time by a single point at Páirc Mhic Dhiarmada. It’s 32 years since Sligo won in Carrick-on-Shannon, and their historic escape was thanks largely to David Kelly’s 13th minute goal after good work by Eamon O’Hara.

Despite huge local interest it was low quality fare. Sligo led by 1-2 to 0-3 at halftime and they clung onto that lead, assisted by several bad Leitrim wides.

Clare 0-10 Fermanagh 0-15

THE winning margin flattered Fermanagh and it took the introduction of Martin McGrath in the third quarter to spark a big finish.

Played in wet wintry conditions at Cusack Park, Denis Russell

and Tom Brewster exchanged the opening points. The Ernesiders edged ahead, but Russell chipped away at the lead and by the third quarter a Ger Quinlan point made it all square.

The home side then went two ahead but they failed to score after the 61st minute. Fermanagh, in contrast, hit seven points without reply, through freetaker Brewster and former All-Star McGrath, to keep their season alive.

Monaghan 0-6 Wexford 0-8

AFTER a week’s adverse publicity over an incident in the Offaly match, Mattie Forde led Wexford to a tricky win in Clones. Heavy rain made it a low-scoring affair and the sides were level on 0-4 apiece by the interval.

Tom Freeman edged Monaghan ahead but Wexford seized the game by the scruff. Two points by Forde, followed by a red card for Paul Finlay put paid to Monaghan’s chances. Diarmuid Kinsella added a lovely point and despite having Eric Bradley sent off late on, Wexford held out for the win.

Clare 2-15

Offaly 1-9

BRIAN Whelehan made a late appearance -– his last in an Offaly shirt -– but even he could not have turned this hurling encounter around. Clare contrived 25 wides, conceded a soft goal -– Joe Bergin’s long delivery deceived Davy Fitzgerald -– but still won by nine points.

Offaly even led by 0-5 to 0-3 after 23 minutes before a two-goal salvo settled it. Tony Carmody raced through for the first and Derek Quinn took a Niall Gilligan pass to claim the second. Bergin’s fortuitous goal in the third quarter kept Offaly respectable and had Dylan Hayden beaten Fitzgerald with two efforts later it could have been different.

Instead, Clare picked off points between their wides to leave it very comfortable at the end.

Laois 1-13 Waterford 2-17

LAOIS hurlers gave Waterford an unexpected test but in the end there was no surprise at the outcome. Goalkeeper Pat Mullany made three brilliant saves before sustaining an injury and Damien Culleton’s early goal was a real spur for the midlanders.

Points by Michael Walsh and David Bennett put the Decies ahead by 0-11 to 1-5 at the interval, but when John Mullane smashed home a great goal the writing was on the wall. James Young, Joe Phelan and Joe Fitzpatrick kept Laois in touch before Walsh’s goal sealed it . . .

GALWAY strolled to victory over Westmeath (by 3-21 to 0-6) while Limerick had it harder against Dublin at the Gaelic Grounds. Having opened up against Offaly, expectations were high for Gary Kirby’s side but they led by just four points at the break against a rugged, competitive Dublin team. Brian Begley’s late goal made it safe, seeing Limerick home by 2-16 to 1-13 to earn a quarterfinal clash with champions Cork.