Armagh vs Donegal Preview
Armagh will play Donegal in the Ulster Senior Football Championship Final. Throw-in is at 4:00 pm on Sunday 12th May at St. Tiernach’s Park in Clones. It’s a massive game for both teams, as they look to secure provincial bragging rights. They’ll also be hoping to ignite their All-Ireland campaigns.
Donegal beat Tyrone after extra time to seal their place in the final. Meanwhile, Armagh squeaked past Down by a single point. Jim McGuinness is looking to win his fourth Ulster Championship as Donegal coach and his first since his return. The Orchard County hopes to collect their 15th Ulster title ever.
The Tír Chonaill men enter this clash as slight favourites, but the bookmakers aren’t confident. The Ulster Championship is arguably the most competitive of the four provincial GAA competitions. This tightly poised match-up has all the makings of an instant classic.
Armagh vs Donegal Head-to-Head and Key Stats
Armagh and Donegal know each other well after many epic clashes. The Orchard County had the better of the noughties as they won the 2004 Ulster Final. They also beat Donegal in an All-Ireland semifinal the previous year.
Both teams have a strong pedigree in this competition. Donegal is the most recent winner with their last victory coming in 2019. It’s been a longer drought for Armagh who haven’t lifted the Anglo-Celt Cup since 2008.
In 2022, Armagh won an All-Ireland qualifier by 10 points. Recently, there hasn’t been a lot between these two teams. They drew in a Division II league game earlier this season. Then, Donegal narrowly defeated Armagh in the league final, 0-15 to 0-14. Tír Chonaill won by a single point in stoppage time.
Donegal led at the end of the first half, but Armagh never gave up and retook the lead at Croke Park. Shaun Patton made a great save to stop Jarly Og Burns from scoring a goal. Ciaran Thompson put four crucial points over the bar for his team. Donegal scored three of the game’s last four to seal the tightest of victories.
It’s fair to say that most experts didn’t expect both teams to be here. Donegal has enjoyed a strong Ulster Championship under the return of Jim McGuinness. They shocked favourite Derry in a crushing victory before a hard-fought win over Tyrone in the semi-final.
Donegal suffered an early blow before the Tyrone match because of Shaun Patton’s quad injury. Gavin Mulreany replaced the former League of Ireland soccer star in their starting lineup. This affected Donegal’s kicking game, and Tyrone pressed them back in the first half.
Tyrone led 0-8 to 0-5 at half-time, but Donegal instantly responded after the break. Jason McGee scored a couple of points from midfield to reduce the deficit. There was end-to-end action, but Tyrone stayed ahead until stoppage time. Then Brendan McCole sent the game to extra-time at 0-14 apiece.
Donegal kept fighting, and finally, Paddy McBrearty sealed the victory. He put the game beyond Tyrone as Tír Chonaill won 0-18 to 0-16. They showed immense heart to earn their spot in the final. McBrearty was one of Donegal’s standout players on the day. McGuinness substituted him but brought him back on because of his veteran leadership.
It was a different story for Armagh against Down in the other semi-final. They survived an almighty scare after Down scored a brace of goals. Armagh showed their fighting spirit to stay in the game and win it when all seemed lost.
Rian O’Neill deserves immense credit for his performance. The Crossmaglen star scored two points and showed great leadership. He inspired his teammates to keep fighting against a plucky Down team. Aidan Forker was also excellent, as he kept his team in touch at the break.
Armagh vs Donegal Predictions
Predicted Score: Donegal 1-15 Armagh 0-13
Our betting site suggests that this will be a very close game. We agree, but predict that Donegal will emerge victorious in a hard-fought clash. Tír Chonaill has better forwards than the Orchard County and experienced leaders. Meanwhile, the return of Shaun Patton adds an extra dimension to their attack
Patton is emerging as one of the best goalkeepers in the league. Jim McGuinness confirmed that the keeper will make the Ulster Final. Patton’s kickouts and long frees are elite and a key part of the manager’s game plan. Gavin Mulreany did well when he stepped in, but he’s not on the same level as his teammate.
They’ll be hoping for more from Oisin Gallen in the final. The dynamic forward scored three points against Tyrone, but they were all frees. Donegal needs more from him in open play and hopes that he’ll add to his goal tally.
Donegal has shown incredible resilience in their recent games against Derry and Tyrone. Many analysts would argue that Armagh isn’t as good as either of these teams. However, this is a final so The Orchard County may raise their levels.
Jarly Og Burns rocked the county in October after opting out of the 2024 season. He changed his mind two months later but hasn’t set the world on fire since his return. There’s no doubting the forward’s quality, but Armagh needs him to step up. There’s a lot of pressure on his shoulders.
Andrew Murnin and Conor Turbitt are both in decent form and will hope to put Donegal’s outstanding defence under pressure. Jason Duffy scored the winning point for Armagh in the semi-final. He gave a good account of himself after replacing the unimpressive Ben Crealey. Duffy likely did enough to start against Donegal on Sunday.
Jim McGuinness may be the difference between the two teams. The Donegal coach has buckets of experience across multiple sports and has revived his county side. It’s looking like a sensational return for the Glenties native. But his counterpart, Kieran McGeeney, captained Armagh to All-Ireland glory and has a strong winning mentality. He’ll be looking to exploit potential Donegal fatigue after their extra-time exertions against Tyrone.
Tiredness could be a serious factor for Donegal. There should be some concerns around McGuinness’ decision to reintroduce Paddy McBrearty after initially substituting the 30-year-old. Will this be a game too many for the team considered as favourites by our online betting site?
Armagh vs Donegal Betting Tips
Donegal enters the game as the more likely to beat Armagh in the Ulster Final. Betting on GAA events can be tricky when teams are similar in quality. That’s the case here as little separates these teams. You can bet on Donegal to win this game outright at 7/10. This means that a €10 bet on The Tír Chonaill men would see a profit of €7. Armagh is available at 1/1, so the same stake would see a €10 profit.
The goalscoring markets are exciting for this game. Andrew Murnin, Conor Turbitt, and Oisin Gallen are all 15/4 to score at any time in this game. Donegal’s midfield is more consistent at supplying their forwards, so it may be worth going with Gallen.
This Ulster Final will probably be a tight game between two evenly-matched rivals. It also increases the chance that there won’t be any goals. This market is available at 16/5 and would see a €32 profit. It’s also worth considering the winning margin. We’ve already predicted a hard-fought five-point victory for Donegal. One goal could be decisive in this game. Our online betting site thinks a four to six-point victory is most likely for the Tír Chonaill men. This is available at 4/1 and would see returns of €50.
Remember to check live betting during the game, especially if Armagh takes an unexpected lead. This scenario would stimulate markets, including second-half winners and last goalscorers.
Another prop bet to consider is the first scoring play of the match. Donegal is 7/4 to score first from open play, with returns of €27.50. The same bet on Armagh would deliver returns of €28.75 at 15/8. Finally, it’s not too early to bet on the All-Ireland Championship. Currently, betting sites have Donegal as the fifth most likely team to win it at 11/1. This would see returns of €120.00. Meanwhile, Armagh is 16/1 to win the Sam Maguire Cup. A successful €10 would see a massive €160 profit.
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