The Orchard men raced ahead as Malachy Mackin played in Brian Mallon for a first minute goal.

The influential Steven McDonnell, who set up Paul Duffy for a second goal, helped the visitors take a 2-06 to 1-03 half-time lead.

Jason Doherty nabbed Mayo's only goal, late in the first period, and they had the deficit down to the minimum before Armagh hit back.

Not even the presence of newly-appointed Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD could inspire the home side to their second successive Division 1 win.

They got off to a nightmare start when Charlie Vernon won the throw-in and quick transfers from Gareth Swift and Mackin teed up Mallon for a superbly-taken goal.

Mallon was part of a very effective two-man full-forward line along with McDonnell, who finished with 0-06 (0-04f).

Andy Moran slotted over Mayo's first point and frees followed from McDonnell and Aidan Campbell, with a second placed ball from McDonnell moving Armagh's lead to 1-02 to 0-02 on the quarter hour.

Just a minute later, wing back Duffy raced in from the right to rocket a shot beyond goalkeeper Kenneth O'Malley for the visitors' second goal.

Now 2-03 to 0-02, Mayo had some ground to make up and the sight of their former player Billy Joe Padden in an Armagh jersey must have taken some getting used to. Padden was listed in the half-forwards for the Ulster side, but was used mostly in a defensive capacity.

McDonnell tagged on another pointed free, and Campbell did likewise at the other end. Mayo were guilty of some poor shooting in the first half with Moran missing two opportunities in quick succession.

Points followed from Kieran Toner, who gobbled up a terrific cross-field pass from McDonnell, and the latter added two more before the break. But Mayo worked their way back into contention. Doherty, their two-goal hero against Galway, gathered a pass from Kevin McLoughlin and created enough of an opening to squeeze a pinpoint shot into the net from a narrow angle.

It was all Mayo on the restart as Doherty landed a point from play and Campbell added a 39th minute free. The ever-ready Doherty continued to show his poacher's instinct and he fisted a McLoughlin delivery goalwards, only for net minder Philip McEvoy to make the save.

Vernon and McDonnell replied with points for Armagh, and after Mayo brought Ronan McGarrity on, they closed the gap to 2-08 to 1-08 courtesy of scores from captain Alan Dillon, Moran and Aidan Kilcoyne.

A well-hit free from Dillon and Moran's third point of the match reduced the arrears to the minimum and the momentum was suddenly with Mayo again as the clock showed there were just ten minutes left.

However, Armagh kept their cool and wrestled back control of the ball. Mayo were left ruing missed chances as Murtagh and McKeever, who pointed on the overlap, stepped up to secured the league points for Paddy O'Rourke's charges.