Five players were red carded and 12 yellow cards doled out as Armagh turned over All-Ireland champions Tyrone in an explosive clash at the Athletic Grounds this afternoon.
The five reds came after an ugly stoppage time melee at the end of the game.
Tyrone were hit with four of them and lost skipper Padraig Hampsey, Player of the Year Kieran McGeary, Peter Harte and Michael McKernan.
Armagh had Greg McCabe red carded after the flare-up, with Aidan Nugent hit with a yellow card.
Tyrone finished with six yellow cards and four reds in total to Armagh’s six yellows and one red, as referee David Gough took a zero tolerance approach to the late row.
Armagh had the game well sewn up by that stage, making it back-to-back wins following last weekend’s five point victory over Dublin at Croke Park
Kieran McGeeney’s side were superb in the first half, with their decision to concede all of Tyrone’s kickouts paying dividends.
The problems Tyrone had in breaking them down were highlighted by the issues they had getting Cathal McShane and Darren McCurry on the ball in the first half.
Two of Tyrone’s four first half points were beauties, but they came from defenders - Michael McKernan and Padraig Hampsey - a trait of the side in last year’s All-Ireland triumph.
At the other end Armagh tore them to pieces.
Greg McCabe (6 minutes) and Jason Duffy (37 minutes) took their goals supremely well, stepping around Niall Morgan to slot to the net as Armagh built a 2-8 to 0-4 half-time lead.
Morgan also saved with his feet from midfielder Stephen Sheridan on 16 minutes, while centre back Niall Rowland hesitated with a goal and fisted the ball away across goal, when he should have shot himself.
It was a sign of the modern game and the home side’s athleticism and commitment to attack that three of Armagh’s four first half goal chances fell to defenders and midfielders.
Armagh played some great football in the first half, counterattacking at frightening pace.
But they also showed that prized ability in modern day football to break down a mass defence with angled, cutting runs.
The game was well handled by Meath referee Gough, who doled out six yellow cards in the first half, and was consistent in punishing high challenges.
There were plenty of hard illegal hits, but Gough kept a lid on what is always a ferociously contested affair until it kicked off in stoppage time at the end of the game.
Rian O’Neill was the star turn again, supplying a delightful foot pass over the top for the first goal, but he now has a serious support cast across the Armagh side.
O’Neill took a fine mark late on too when Armagh were under the cosh as Tyrone cut their lead to five points at one stage, but it was too little, too late.
ARMAGH: B Hughes, G McCabe (1-0), A Forker, A McKay (0-1), C Mackin, N Rowland, J Og Burns (0-1), C Mackin (0-1), S Sheridan, J Hall (0-1), R Grugan (0-2, 2fs), T Kelly (0-1), A Nugent (0-1), R O’Neill (0-4, 2fs), J Duffy (1-1).
SUBS: S Campbell (0-1) for Kelly ht, M Shields for Connaire Mackin 44mins, N Grimley (Blood-Sub) for Sheridan (51-64mins) C O’Hanlon for Duffy 63mins, J Morgan for Rowland 68mins.
TYRONE: N Morgan, M McKernan (0-1), P Hampsey (0-1), L Rafferty, C Meyler, F Burns, P Harte, B Kennedy, M Donnelly, K McGeary (0-1), D Canavan (0-1), N Sludden (0-1), N Donnelly (0-1), C McShane (0-7, 7fs), D McCurry (0-1, f).
SUBS: J Munroe for M Donnelly ht, C Shields for Rafferty ht, P Donaghy for McCurry 46mins, C McKenna for N Donnelly 52mins, B McDonnell for Sludden 75mins,
REFEREE: D Gough (Meath)
