All-Ireland Football quarter-final: Galway beat Armagh on penalties after thriller

Matthew Tierney struck the decisive penalty for Galway in the shootout

Armagh’s All-Ireland dream is over for another year after they fell to a heartbreaking penalty shootout defeat by Galway with their riveting and tempestuous quarter-final having finished level after extra-time at Croke Park.

At the end of a ferocious and spellbinding contest played on the edge, Matthew Tierney struck the decisive penalty to send Galway into the last four where they will face Ulster champions Derry.

Galway’s shootout triumph was a suitably nerve-shredding climax to a game that displayed the best and worst elements of the sport, from Rian O’Neill’s stunning last-gasp free to force extra-time to the disgraceful mass brawl that broke out seconds later.

There may well be sanctions to follow the scenes that followed the full-time whistle – which resulted in red cards for Nugent and Galway’s Sean Kelly – but for now Galway will savour the feeling of having come out on top of a blood-and-thunder championship battle.

In contrast, it is a gut-wrenching end to a rollercoaster of a year for Armagh with the Orchard County bowing out after failing to back up their qualifier wins over Tyrone and Donegal by taking out the Connacht champions.

For a while, however, Armagh dared to dream of a semi-final place after fighting back from six points down to force extra-time thanks to late Aidan Nugent and Conor Turbitt goals despite Greg McCabe’s 62nd-minute dismissal.

And when Rory Grugan scored Armagh’s third goal early in the second period of extra time, Kieran McGeeney’s side found themselves two points up only for Cillian McDaid to raise a Galway green flag three minutes later.

Jemar Hall’s well-taken score edged Armagh ahead once again in the dying embers of extra-time before McDaid swung over another crucial score to set up the shootout which the Tribesmen won 4-1 after a head-spinning 90 minutes of action finished 3-18 to 2-21.

Galway nearly throw it all away Armagh’s late comeback was overshadowed by the mass brawl that broke out in front of the tunnel at full-time

While the sides were level after a gripping first half, Galway seized control with Johnny Heaney’s 40th-minute goal quickly followed by a Shane Walsh point as the Tribesmen surged into a four-point lead.

Armagh’s hopes of mounting a late comeback were dashed when McCabe was sent off by David Coldrick for a high shoulder on Tierney with 10 minutes remaining.

However, given renewed purpose with the announcement that eight minutes of additional time were to be played, Armagh went for broke and breathed new life into the Orchard County faithful on the terraces when Nugent palmed the ball into the net from close range.

That brought the Ulster side back to within three, and while Galway quickly responded to stretch their lead out to four through Damien Comer, the Connacht champions gifted Armagh a second goal when goalkeeeper Conor Gleeson’s attempted clearance was booted into the net by Conor Turbitt.

Then, with 30 seconds remaining, Shane Walsh’s wayward crossfield pass gave O’Neill the chance to deliver a hair-raising finale that was ultimately overshadowed by the unsavoury scenes that took place at the end of the regulation 70 minutes.

After two more goals in extra-time, the sides still couldn’t be separated, paving the way for the first senior football championship shootout at Croke Park.

With Shane Walsh, Damien Comer and Rob Finnerty converting Galway’s first three kicks and Rian O’Neill converting after Stefan Campbell’s skied effort, Turbitt sent his effort onto the post, allowing Tierney to sweep home and send Galway into the last four for the first time since 2018 at the end of a championship classic that had everything.