But John Maughan’s side restored some proud to the west with a battling second half display which took them to within a whisker of sending the game to extra-time.

Five points behind at the break after playing with a strong wind in their backs, Mayo looked a spent force, but what character and courage they displayed in the second half.

Stephen Kernan gave Armagh a dream start, blasting a penalty to the roof of the net after Brian Mallon had been fouled by Stephen Drake.

It was the Ulster champions, playing into the stiff breeze, who continued to take the game to their opponents, and by the 14th minute, they were ahead by 1-2 to 0-1, Kernan hitting all their scores.

Damien Munnelly, with three converted frees, represented Mayo’s only genuine scoring threat, and they could make little inroads into an Orchard defence which had Finian Moriarty, Andy Mallon and Aaron Kernan in stubborn form, with midfielder Malachy Mackin dropping back as a supremely effective extra man at the back.

The Connacht men suffered another blow in the 24th minute when full forward Rona Austin rose high to field Stephen Kernan’s probing delivery and shoot low to the net for a six points lead.

Mayo finished the half with points from Aidan Kilcoyne, their only score from play in the first period, and Munnelly, but, facing the wind in the second half, they had a massive task on their hands.

But Munnelly, Kilcoyne and skipper Andy Moran narrowed the gap, and with Trevor Howley peforming heroics at the back, Mayo suddenly found some self-belief.

Peadar Toal, Michael McNamee and Brian Mallon shot superb Armagh points, and with normal time elapsed, they still led by 2-6 to 0-8.

But Mayo midfielder Barry Moran cracked in a goal, and a Kilcoyne free brought the sides level.

Armagh turned it around, however, and in the ninth minute of stoppage time Stephen Kernan put them back in front, before sub Shane O’Neill shot an insurance point.