Senior Championship
St Patrick’s 2-8 Dromintee 0-8
Cullyhanna filled the final spot in the last eight with two goals in the final 10 minutes sending them six clear of Dromintee. The game only burst into life for brief spells with both sides bringing bodies behind the ball and trying to play on the counter attack, a tactic best used by St Patrick’s particularly for their two three-pointers.
Cullyhanna opened the scoring 23 seconds into the contest with Kieran Hoey playing the final pass for a Barry McConville point before Mickey Murray’s powerful run set up Hoey to double their advantage. Jason Duffy then got his first after playing a one-two with Eugene Casey while Aidan Nugent (free) gave his side a four point lead after 18 minutes.
Dromintee finally got off the mark in the 20th minute and hit three in a row through Aidan Morgan (2) and Ryan Hughes. Nugent was once again on target from the dead ball to extend Cullyhanna’s lead but the accurate free taker was soon sent to the line for a black card offence and Aidan Morgan chipped over the resulting free to close the gap to one.
Cullyhanna had the final say of the opening period and a brilliant point from the boot of Jason Duffy from an acute angle sent his side into the break with a two point advantage the score Cullyhanna 0-6 Dromintee 0-4. With Nugent now removed the game was well and truly still up for grabs for either team to capture.
Dromintee reduced the margin to a single point five minutes into the second half with a well taken left footed effort from Aaron McKay after hard work from Gareth Kilgallon. A fantastic turnover from Phelim Savage in the middle of the field sent St Pat’s on the attack once again and Savage played the final pass for Kieran Hoey’s point.
Cullyhanna found Dromintee hard to shake off and the deficit was cut to one once again with a Ryan Hughes free but this was matched within two minutes with St Pat’s knocking over a free of their own by Shea Hoey. Points from Aidan Morgan and a brilliant Ryan Hughes score from near the sideline saw the sides tied 0-8 each with just over 10 minutes left to play.
A great Ciaran McKeever interception in Cullyhanna’s defence sent Mickey Murray on his way and his lung bursting run saw him involved in the play twice before the ball finally found Shane Conlon who smashed the ball off the post and into the back of the Dromintee net.
St Patrick’s confirmed their place in the quarter finals with the next score as it was Jason Duffy who made up the hard yards to play in Kieran Hoey, with his low effort for a point flying over the keepers head and into the net. This was the final score of the game with Cullyhanna sparing six points by the time the final whistle sounded.
Intermediate Championship
Clan na Gael 0-20 Crossmaglen IIs 0-16
Clan na Gael continued their winning form to book their place in the 2019 Intermediate Semi Finals with a four point win over Crossmaglen IIs in Ballymacnab on Monday evening. Cross stuck well to their task all evening long and made the eventual winners work hard for their victory, as the margin was just one midway through the second half.
Niall Henderson got the opening score on the 3rd minute for Clans before Cross levelled through their centre half forward Shane McConville. The sides continued to exchanges scores before three Stefan Campbell points in a row sent his side ahead in the 12th minute, Clans in front 0-5 to 0-3.
Cross got back on level terms by the 20th minute and they were soon in front to lead 0-7 to 0-6 with another good score. James French split the posts to tie the contest before Stefan Campbell again hit the target to fire his side in front once more. A great goal chance for Clan na Gael was excellently cleared off the line by a Cross defender and a score for the South Armagh men left one the margin with the half heading towards added time.
The Lurgan men pushed on just before the short whistle sounded and hit three unanswered points in as many minutes to take a strong four point lead at the interval with the score board reading Clan na Gael 0-12 Crossmaglen 0-8 with everything still to play for in the remaining 30 minutes of action.
Cross narrowed the gap with a free in the opening minute of the second period before an excellent Ryan Conway save denied Crossmaglen a goal which would have levelled the game. Cross did continue to chip away at the Clans lead with another pointed free but two quick points allowed Clan na Gael to maintain their four point advantage.
Three points in a row left Cross trailing by just one but the evenly matched teams continued to swap scores with Clan na Gael having their noses just in front by the final whistle, scoring four of the final six points to gain a four point victory and they will now meet Grange next weekend in what promises to be a hell of a semi final clash.
