Armagh are through to an Ulster minor championship semi-final date with Monaghan after defeating All Ireland champions Tyrone in an entertaining encounter at St.Tiernach’s Park Clones yesterday afternoon.

It was Armagh who led by two points at half-time ,but that was scant reward for the amount of possession that they enjoyed in the opening half hour.

Their full forward line of Robbie Tasker, Eugene McVerry and Gavin McParland causing problems or the Tyrone defence every time they gained possession.

McVerry and John McCullagh exchanged early points before Armagh grabbed a goal in the 12th minute when Tasker expertly converted from the penalty spot past Tyrone goalkeeper Niall Morgan after Conor King had been fouled.

McParland then added two points, but they proceeded to hit a few wides which allowed Tyrone to come back into the game.

Niall Gavin and John McCullagh hit two points each for Tyrone to only trail 1-03 to 0-4 at the break.

Armagh hit two early points in the second period, but Tyrone substitute Shay McGuigan blasted to the net in the sixth minute to take the holders right back into the game.

Points from Barry Tierney and McCullagh had Tyrone two in front, but in the 58th minute Armagh were awarded a second penalty following another foul on King and it was left to Tasker to step up and once again he tucked it away.

The game had now swung in favour of the league champions with both McParland and King weighing in with quality scores to put them three ahead.

Tyrone though refused to give up without a fight, but despite a sustained period of pressure they could only record a solitary point from defender Declan Connolly as they lost an Ulster championship game for he first time in three years.

Armagh will now face a tougher task when they go up against Monaghan in the last four, while Down will face the winners of the Donegal v Antrim tie for the right to contest the Ulster final.

Tyrone: N Morgan, S McGarrity, R McNamee, D Connolly (0-1), C Hicks, T Canavan, T McCann, S Warnock, M Faloon, L Gervin, B Tierney (0-1), B McGarvey, N Gavin (0-3), R O’Neill, J McCullagh (0-4). Subs: S McGuigan (1-0) for Canavan, H Conlon for Faloon, C Daly for Gervin

Armagh: S O’Reilly, K Downey, R Finnegan, K Nugent, D McKenna, N Rowland, J Morgan, P Carragher, J Donnelly, R Grugan, A Murnin, C King (0-1), R Tasker (2-2), E McVerry (0-1), G McParland (0-4). Subs: D Nugent for King, R Rafferty for McVerry, C McCaffery for K Nugent, T McAlinden for Carragher

Referee: Fergal Cleary (Fermanagh).