Ulster SFC semi-final: Cavan and Armagh have to do it all again after thriller

Armagh and Cavan will replay their Ulster Football semi-final next Sunday at Clones after playing out a thrilling 1-14 to 0-17 draw after extra-time.

Armagh looked set for victory as Jarlath Og Burns' goal helped them go four ahead in the second half.

However, Cavan refused to yield and two sensational points by veteran sub Cian Mackey helped them force extra-time despite Ciaran Brady's sending off.

Mackey again was Cavan's hero as he hit the final equaliser as the light faded.

Once again, Armagh's failure to hold on to a lead was evident after their inability to see off Down in normal time two weeks ago, before eventually triumphing in extra-time.

But Kieran McGeeney's side will have another chance next Sunday (16:00 BST) in a Clones double-header which will also feature the All-Ireland qualifier between Monaghan and Fermanagh.

Both teams probably deserve their second chance after producing totally committed displays in testing conditions.

Play did become decidedly ragged in extra-time with misplaced passes and spilled possession the order of the day as both sides looked spent and the swirling wind and rain made it difficult to retain possession.

The opening 10-minute period of extra-time failed to produce a score before Stefan Campbell summoned a burst of speed to fist Armagh ahead while the influential Burns was unable to return after taking a knock to his face.

That one point seemed set to be enough to secure Armagh's final spot against Donegal or Tyrone on 22 June but Mackey's 88th-minute score levelled proceedings once more after the Orchard men's attempt to play keep-ball broke down and Conor Rehill forced a turnover.

Another Cavan substitute Oisin Pierson and Mackey both had difficult last-gasp chances to break Armagh hearts but were off target.

After respective opening wins over Monaghan and Down, the task for Cavan and Armagh to put back-to-back performances together and both managed it for the most part.

Cavan were aiming to secure their first Ulster final appearance since 2001 with Armagh's last provincial decider back in 2008 when they defeated Fermanagh after a replay.

Goalscorer Burns will feel that he should have hit the net as early as the second minute as he fired wide with only Raymond Galligan to beat after being set up by late inclusion Mark Shields and the impressive Aidan Forker.

It was the only real goal chance in the first period as there was never more than a point between the teams.

Burns recovered from his missed goal chance to slot over two superb efforts from play as Cavan's main physical presence Gearoid McKiernan was well contained by Armagh early on.

The two Burns scores put Armagh 0-4 to 0-3 ahead after 16 minutes before Conor Moynagh scored Cavan's first point from play with a delightful effort with the outside of his right boot.

Martin Reilly, Cavan's star man against Monaghan, struggled to find space as he was shackled by Forker but Armagh's other highly-regarded defensive marker James Morgan found himself substituted by Kieran McGeeney 10 minutes before half-time after picking up an early yellow card.

Points by the lively Jemar Hall and free-taker Rian O'Neill nudged Armagh ahead again before the break only for McKiernan to break clear of Shields and Niall Grimley to set up substitute Christopher Conroy for a levelling score.

Breffni full-back Padraig Faulkner was harshly black carded late in the first half for a challenge on Grimley and wing-back Gerard Smith hobbled off just seconds later with a hamstring injury to leave Cavan manager Mickey Graham with a daunting half-time reshuffle.

It was more of the same immediately after the break as efforts by Paul Hughes and Hall were cancelled out by a superb Dara McVeety point and a Murray score before Armagh appeared to have struck a decisive blow when Burns coolly stroked to the net on 41 minutes following a brilliant move involving Forker and Jamie Clarke.

Cavan looked in serious trouble a minute later as O'Neill's free extended Armagh's lead to four, which was still the margin in the 48th minute after Forker's point responded to Murray's latest successful place kick.

The Breffnimen - helped by two superb points from substitute Stephen Murray - reduced the margin to two with 12 minutes left but they then seemed to have sustained another terminal blow when substitute Ciaran Brady received a straight red card for swinging an elbow back into Shields as the Armagh man challenged him.

But, undaunted, Cavan were on terms by the 66th minute as McVeety's superb effort from play was followed by an even better Mackey score.

Armagh regained the lead a minute later as Clarke notched his only score following the softest of frees awarded for a challenge by Moynagh on O'Neill, after the Armagh man had appeared to lose possession.

But the irrepressible Mackey refused to yield as he swung over another sensational effort to ensure extra-time, which Armagh centre-back Brendan Donaghy was forced to watch from the sidelines after he was red carded in the final act of a rollercoster 70 minutes.

Extra time was short on quality but the 16,715 crowd remained spellbound despite the increasing chill in the air.

The vast majority of them will be happy to come back for more of the same next Sunday.

Cavan: R Galligan, J McLoughlin, P Faulkner, C Moynagh (0-1), G Smith (0-1), K Clarke, C Rehill, C Brady, G McKiernan (0-2f), M Reilly, D McVeety (0-2), N Murray (0-5), O Kiernan, T Galligan, C Madden.

Subs: Ciaran Brady for Moynagh (4 mins, temp), Ciaran Brady for Faulkner (BC, 27), C Conroy (0-1) for Smith (28), C Mackey (0-3) for Madden (46), S Murray (0-2) for Conor Brady (52), O Pierson for T Galligan (70), P Graham (extra-time), J Brady for Niall Murray (81), B Fortune for Moynagh (BC, 84), Madden for Kiernan (87).

Armagh: B Hughes, J Morgan, M Shields, P Hughes (0-1), R Kennedy, B Donaghy, A Forker (0-1), J Óg Burns (1-2), N Grimley, A Nugent (0-2), R Grugan, J Hall (0-1), J Clarke (0-1f), R O'Neill (0-4 3f), Stefan Campbell (0-1)

Subs: J McElroy (0-1) for Morgan (23 mins), E Rafferty for Campbell (58), A Murnin for Grugan (65), N Rowland for Forker (70), B Crealey for Nugent (70), C Vernon for Burns.

Referee: Derek O'Mahony (Tipperary).