Roscommon return to top of Division 1 with Armagh win

What an Allianz Football League campaign this is turning into for Roscommon.

In front of their own supporters, Davy Burke's men upped the ante in the second half to stun Armagh in front of around 8,000 supporters at Dr Hyde Park.

With Jason Duffy hitting 0-04 from play, Armagh found scores easier to come by in the opening half, despite playing into a strong wind, to lead by 0-08 to 0-07 at the change of ends.

But, as they have done in all their games to date, Roscommon rallied after the break, and Enda Smith’s 51st-minute penalty proved to be the decisive score.

A cagey opening saw both teams intent on giving little away early on. After 20 minutes, Roscommon’s only two points had come from full-back Conor Daly.

Armagh, on the other hand, looked more dangerous going forward and two points from Duffy handed Kieran McGeeney’s men a narrow 0-03 to 0-02 lead after 16 minutes.

By the 27th minute, the visitors led by double scores, 0-06 to 0-03, thanks to another brace of scores from Duffy, the latter after the Armagh forward had run the length of the field following a blistering counter-attack.

But Roscommon gained some traction with scores from Ciarán Lennon, Enda Smith and a free from Ciaráin Murtagh to restore parity before Armagh edged back in front through a brace from Rian O’Neill.

Robbie Dolan’s spectacular point on the stroke of half-time left Roscommon trailing by a point at the break.

The home side signalled their intent early in the new half with scores from Ben O’Carroll and Diarmuid Murtagh before Murtagh’s 42nd minute free left the Rossies 0-10 to 0-08 ahead.

Barry McCambridge pulled one back for Armagh but when O’Carroll was hauled down by the Armagh centre-back after great work by Keith Doyle, Smith held his nerve and