Donegal And Armagh Set For Ulster Final Shootout

It couldn't hap again, could it? A 3rd successive punishment shootout connected Ulster Final day?

Armagh selector Conleith Gilligan insisted past week that nan Sam Maguire Cup holders hadn't been practising penalties moreover though their shootout grounds since nan dastardly spot-kicks tie-breaker infiltrated nan title is zero and four.

He claimed that nan words 'penalty shootout' hadn't moreover been uttered astatine Armagh training.

But that was past Thursday. It's difficult to ideate that Armagh players haven't been lining up astatine regular intervals complete nan past week successful an effort to hit Ethan Rafferty and Blaine Hughes from nan spot.

"From chatting to nan boys they've done it each which way," said Gilligan of Armagh's approaches to exorcising their shootout hoodoo.

"They practised it to decease and they didn't win. They didn't practise and didn't triumph past they practised again and they didn't triumph truthful it's nan benignant of point wherever you conscionable person to put it to nan backmost of your mind.

"Maybe each nan defeats connected penalties intends nan adjacent 1 you're mentally amended prepared to beryllium successful that business aliases possibly those defeats won't thief you successful nan future......at immoderate constituent it will travel again but hopefully it's not astatine nan weekend."

But while it seems scarcely conceivably that lightning could onslaught thrice connected Anglo-Celt Cup last time astatine Clones, nan reality is that it almost seems destined to happen.

Any attempted crystal shot gazing going into Saturday's title inevitably comes up pinch different tight battle.

It will beryllium a immense astonishment if location is much than 2 points betwixt nan sides astatine nan extremity of normal clip and nan smart money, immoderate astir nan result of a imaginable shootout, could beryllium connected nan provincial decider going to extra-time erstwhile more.

The immense Orchard County travelling support that will battalion into St Tiernach's Park will dream that nan Armagh team's metamorphosis into a broadside that tin adjacent retired nan large games will make nan quality connected Saturday evening arsenic nan men successful orangish activity their first provincial title since 2008.

Armagh seemed to person triumph successful their grasp erstwhile they led 0-15 to 0-11 aft 53 minutes of last year's provincial decider.

Donegal's assemblage connection astatine that shape suggested a beaten squad but astatine that very moment, Jim McGuinness' sound trim done nan Clones cauldron arsenic he exhorted his players for more.

As Armagh looked for nan decorativeness line, their attempts astatine keep-ball led to their advantage unravelling pinch Donegal hitting nan adjacent 5 points earlier extra-time ensued

And while Armagh concisely regrouped to lead by 2 successful extra-time, nan inevitable shootout was required pinch Shaun Patton's prevention to contradict Shane McPartlan's 2nd spot-kick clinching Donegal's abrupt decease triumph aft each erstwhile 11 penalties had been scored.

The show of a head-in-hands Aidan Forker being consoled by his past two-year boy Ross aft nan last whistle was 1 of nan enduring images from past May's contest.

Yet immoderate 11 weeks later, Forker was ecstatically hoisting nan Sam Maguire Cup aloft in nan Hogan Stand.

The astonishment All-Ireland semi-final triumph complete Kerry aft extra-time seemed to beryllium nan infinitesimal erstwhile Armagh yet genuinely believed successful themselves.

Interviewed seconds aft nan last whistle, man of nan lucifer Rian O'Neill, usually nan astir softly spoken of fellows, roared: "They said we couldn't triumph tight matches......we won a tight lucifer today."

Armagh had to thrust their luck successful nan All-Ireland decider arsenic Galway missed a bagful of chances but gaelic football's Holy Grail was theirs and that accomplishment has fostered a belief and a composure that was evident successful their triumph complete Tyrone 2 weeks ago.

On that juncture pinch nan scores level, Armagh recovered themselves successful possession of nan shot aft winning different Niall Morgan kickout erstwhile nan hooter sounded.

They proceeded to methodically activity nan winning people arsenic a foul connected Conor Turbitt group up a free from consecutive successful beforehand of nan posts, 21 metres retired which Rory Grugan was ne'er going to miss.

"That's very overmuch subordinate led. Once possession is won, cipher is benignant of trying to propulsion nan trigger because they deliberation 'here's my chance for glory successful a crippled that tight'," said Conleith Gilligan.

As for nan holders, their expected progression to nan provincial decider has been functional alternatively than peculiarly awesome - though location is that suspicion they person been keeping their powder dry, peculiarly successful their astir caller wins complete Monaghan and Down.

Dara O Baoill was peculiarly awesome successful nan opening triumph complete Derry successful Ballybofey but that was a crippled wherever nan Oak Leafers butchered respective extremity chances earlier Donegal took power precocious successful nan 2nd quarter.

Donegal had to repel a second-half comeback from nan Farney men earlier chiselling retired 0-23 to 0-21 occurrence successful nan quarter-final and Jim McGuinness' broadside past laboured somewhat successful nan 1-19 to 0-16 triumph complete Down.

Michael Murphy, Patrick McBrearty, Oisin Gallen and teenage talent Finbarr Roarty were each replaced good earlier nan extremity 2 weeks agone arsenic readying for nan provincial decider was already nether way.

The absence of centre half-back Caolan McGonagle's beingness beingness and expertise to thrust astatine nan guidance defence was evident successful Donegal's 2 astir caller contests and his readiness pursuing his calf wounded would beryllium a large boost for nan provincial holders.

Whether nan Buncrana man plays aliases not, 1 must expect Donegal returning to nan precocious tempo crippled that marked them retired arsenic early All-Ireland favourites a mates of months ago.

But while nan attraction will quickly move to nan All-Ireland bid aft this weekend, cipher will beryllium expecting thing different than a heavyweight 'shootout' betwixt these 2 aggravated rivals.

And aft he bulled caput first into Michael Murphy's thorax - picking up a reddish paper successful nan process - erstwhile greeting nan Glenswilly man's return to nan inter-county shape successful Ballybofey a mates of months ago, will Armagh skipper Forker - if so he is progressive aft being named connected nan chair amid his caller backmost rumor - opt to get up adjacent and unit pinch nan Donegal fable erstwhile more?

Watch nan Ulster last connected BBC Two NI & nan BBC iPlayer from 16:55 BST connected Saturday; unrecorded matter commentary pinch in-game clips, study and highlights connected nan BBC Sport website