Monaghan have booked their place in the All-Ireland semi-finals, defeating Armagh in a dramatic penalty shootout at Croke Park this evening.
The game between the pair was an attritional one, with both sides very defensive in their approach and doing their best to avoid giving scoring opportunities to the opposition. The result of that was a rather tough game to watch.
The scores were tied at 0-12 at the end of the game, meaning the sides would be headed for extra-time. The additional periods were even more cagey, with only two points scored in the first 20 minutes before injury time.
However, the two sides would then trade scores in dramatic fashion at the end to send the game to penalties.
Conor McManus levels the sides with the last kick of the game! - A penalty shootout will decide who reaches the All-Ireland Semi-Final.
Watch the game live now on https://t.co/C7FxP1q5Ku pic.twitter.com/QRN4bLtrvJ
— The GAA (@officialgaa) July 1, 2023
In the end, Rory Beggan would be the hero. The Scotstown man saved two penalties in the shootout, with Monaghan winning after sudden death.
Kieran McGeeney unhappy over decision that cost Armagh
Armagh will be licking their wounds tonight having been knocked out of the championship on penalties for the second consecutive season.
In saying that, they will also feel that they never should have been in that position. They certainly created the better scoring opportunities in normal time, something they failed to make the most of.
Some Armagh supporters could also point out that could have been given a free in the dying moments of normal time that would have won them the game.
It can when Armagh were chasing a winning score in injury time, with Conor Turbitt being cleaned out by a shoulder from Monaghan's Gary Moghan. It was a heavy hit, although you could argue that it was a fair shoulder.
Kieran McGeeney certainly felt it should have been given, making his way onto the pitch to remonstrate with the officials about the decision.
Kieran McGeeney needs to be careful here! pic.twitter.com/YhJVObVTZ2
— The Gaelic Corner (@thegaeliccorner) July 1, 2023
However, others will feel that he had little to complain about.
Speaking GAAGO, the punditry duo of Marc Ó Sé and Paddy Andrews said that referee Conor Lane probably made the correct decision in not awarding the free.
Andrews: In real time it looked like a foul. I actually don't think it's a free, it's a really good hit from Gary Mohan. It's a risky play to make going in with your body in front of the posts with a place in the championship on the line.
I think it's a fair hit. McGeeney and the Armagh fans are frustrated because they felt that was the opportunity to win the game. I think Conor Lane got that one right.
Ó Sé: I'll tell you one thing for Conor Lane. That is really hard in real time, you don't get to watch replays and he had to call that.
Andrews: It looked bad in real time from where we were.
Ó Sé: It did, it was a side to side charge, he got it right. In fairness to Kieran McGeeney, he comes onto the field and probably thinks it's an unfair challenge. That's where they're looking for the win, it was disappointing for Kieran McGeeney and he showed his frustration.
Kieran McGeeney's frustration will have only grown since then, although it seems that the referee made the right call on this occasion.
For Armagh, they will be devastated to have come up just short on the big occasion yet again.
SEE ALSO: Marc Ó Sé Throws Cheeky Covid Dig At Tyrone After Heavy Loss To Kerry
