Armagh ease past Down to set up Derry Ulster final

Shane McPartlan's long ball set up Andrew Murnin's goal and the Armagh midfielder then waltzed through the Down defence to score his side's second major

Armagh will face holders Derry in the Ulster Final on 14 May after a dominant but not entirely convincing 4-10 to 0-12 win over Down at a wet Clones.

As Armagh's intensity dropped, Down cut the margin to 2-4 to 0-6 by half-time.

Armagh did lift the pace after the break and Ciaran Mackin flicked their third goal before Rian O'Neill netted.

Orchard County manager Kieran McGeeney appeared to give his players a stern talking to as he kept them on the pitch for a couple of minutes after the half-time whistle.

It did seem to have the desired effect in the second period with Armagh holding Down scoreless for nearly 25 minutes after the resumption as the Orchard men hit an unanswered 2-3.

In the first half, Armagh's attack appeared to have an over-reliance on long balls, which while they did yield Murnin's goal as he fisted a long McPartlan delivery past Niall Kane, is a tactic which probably is not going to ruffle better teams.

But semi-finals are primarily about winning and while the watching Derry boss Rory Gallagher is unlikely to have been particularly impressed by Armagh's display, he will be expecting much better from Kieran McGeeney's side in a fortnight who will be involved in the county's first provincial final since 2008.

Down, meanwhile, will have to regroup for their second-tier Tailteann Cup campaign.

More to follow.

Armagh: E Rafferty; C O'Neill, A McKay, A Forker; Ciaran Mackin, G McCabe, J Og Burns; B Crealey, S McPartlan; J Duffy, J Hall, R O'Neill; R Grugan, A Murnin, C Turbitt.

Subs: S Magill, J Morgan, B McCambridge, R McQuillan, C Cumiskey, C Higgins, Connaire Mackin, S Sheridan, S Campbell, A Nugent, O Conaty.

Down: N Kane; P Laverty (capt), S Annett, M Rooney; D Magill, N McParland, D Guinness; C Poland, R McEvoy; C Doherty, R Johnston, L Kerr; P Branagan, P Havern, E Branagan.

Subs: C Smyth, A Doherty, R Carr, P Branagan, C Fitzpatrick, A Gilmore, A Morgan, J Johnston, S Johnston, G Collins, E Brown.

Referee: C Lane (Cork)