Armagh manager Kieran McGeeney expressed his disappointment at the decision not to award a goal following Rian O’Neill’s second half penalty against Monaghan at the Athletic Grounds on Saturday night.
The Ulster rivals played out a draw in a game that was littered with talking points with Monaghan also losing Conor McManus to a straight red early in the second half.
Orchard County substitute Conor Turbitt scored what proved to be the game’s only goal on 53 minutes as Armagh’s unbeaten start to their Division One campaign continued with the game finishing on a 1-7 to 0-10 scoreline.
Yet, moments before Turbitt’s goal, O’Neill crashed his penalty off the underside of the crossbar with Rory Beggan clearing his sides to prevent the Crossmaglen attacker from scoring the rebound.
Replays showed that the ball actually crossed the line and Armagh should have been awarded a goal, something which aggrieved their manager.
“I watched the replay and the penalty was about two feet over the line,” said McGeeney.
“Things like that. . . they missed a couple of shots, but when you’re missing penalties, bouncing two balls in front of goals on a muk patch and that cost us two other goals.
“They (Monaghan) did some wides from long distance, but when you are missing goal chances it is going to cost you. I felt bad for Rian (O’Neill) - you can see it is about two feet over.”
Both sides will feel they could have claimed both points from an entertaining game as Monaghan held a 0-8 to 0-4 lead at half-time, but Seamus McEnaney’s side also posted 10 wides in a wasteful first 35 minutes for the Farney.
Turbitt’s goal kick-started Armagh’s comeback and his Clann Eireann clubmate Tiernan Kelly kicked the point which moved the home side into a one-point lead on 62 minutes.
However, a free from Jack McCarron salvaged a draw for Monaghan, who held possession for the entirety of the four minutes of injury-time without taking a shot at the posts.
The Armagh manager rejected the notion that his side might have settled for a draw at half-time and says their first half showing wasn’t as bad as the scoreline suggested.
“I felt we were doing okay apart from one period when we shipped two or three points and we were playing against the breeze,” added McGeeney.
“Monaghan are a good side. Going in at two points down at half-time would have been great. Going in four points down. . . boys looking for goals when the simple scores were on - that was disappointing.
“It is a battle and those games are important to us. I thought they were exceptional in the last 10 minutes.
“Maybe there were a few harsh calls, but I thought they stood up really well.
“You’re playing a really good team who hold possession well - they are probably the best at it in the country. I thought the boys were extremely disciplined.”
