Steven McDonnell's goal was the last kick of the game

Louth's Peter McGinnity was stretchered off early on and Armagh trio Gareth Swift, Charlie Vernon and Ciaran McKeever were also injured.

Louth led 0-7 to 0-5 at half-time and while Armagh levelled, Louth went two ahead again before McDonnell's goal.

Armagh's Malachy Macken and Louth's Colin Goss were sent off late on.

Substitute Mark Stanfield appeared to have done the right thing when he tapped the ball over the ball to extend Louth's lead to 0-11 to 0-9 when a goal seemed on, as the match entered injury-time.

But Armagh are renowned for their battling spirit and McDonnell hammered to the net after Louth had failed to clear away a Paul McGrane high ball.

Darren Clarke hit the opening two points of the game for Louth before Armagh's Paul Keenan struck the first score from play in the 10th minute.

Louth then stretchered their advantage to 0-5 to 0-2 but Peadar Toal, McDonnell and Malachy Mackin were all on target for Armagh before the break as the Wee County's lead was cut to 0-7 to 0-5.

Joe Kernan's side needed the win after the defeat in Kildare

The third quarter could only produce a solitary McDonnell point with the same player guilty of a couple of bad wides on a couple of occasions.

Darren Clarke's point increased Louth's lead again but Armagh fought back to level at 0-9 to 0-9 after 58 minutes.

Armagh had chances to go ahead but a 66th-minute Paddy Keenan point edged Louth ahead again and Stanfield's point seemed set to be the insurance score as the game entered injury-time.

But once again, McDonnell saved Armagh with a goal which could prove after Joe Kernan's opening day defeat in Kildare.

However, four minutes from the end, Keenan landed a superb score for Louth ? but could they hold on? The visitors used a short-passing, possession game to try to see out the clock. In the final seconds, Stanfield opted to pop the ball over the bar when he was clean through on goal.

It proved to be a fatal error from Louth?s Armagh-based player as Stanfield?s Killeavy clubmate McDonnell finished his bizarre afternoon in emphatic style when he blasted the winning goal to the net in the only minute of injury time.

As tempers flared, Malachy Mackin received a straight red card while Louth's Colin Goss also received his marching orders.

Armagh: C McKinney, A Mallon, E McNulty, F Moriarty, P McCreesh, C McKeever, T McClelland, G Swift, C Vernon, P Toal, J Lavery, P McKeever, S McDonnell, M Mackin, M O'Rourke. Subs: P Rodgers, B Donaghy, K Dyas, M Ferris, P Forker, S Forker, P Keenan, G McCreesh, JP Donnelly, K McGeeney, P McGrane, Martin O'Rourke, K Toner.