Intermediate Championship
Wolfe Tones 1-13 Tir na nOg 1-7
Tir na nOg were dealt a major blow before the ball was threw in when Brian Mallon was unable to play due to an injury and their night only went from bad to worse with Wolfe Tones running into an early six point lead. Tir na nOg did well to pull themselves back into it and were even level at a stage but too many unforced errors accompanied some wayward shooting to see Wolfe Tones progress to the semi finals.
Wolfe Tones burst out of the traps with two early scores from Captain James Lavery and Declan Lavery to lead 2-0 after three minutes before a brilliant turn of pace from Paudie Judge left his marker for dead and although the Wolfe Tone net minder got a touch it wasn’t enough to prevent the opening goal of the game.
The leaders continued their promising start with a turnover in the Tir na nOg defence prior to Niall Geoghan splitting the posts to fire his side into a 1-3 to 0-0 lead. The Portadown side came storming back into the contest in a six minute spell with a Paul Carvil brace followed by a punch goal through Peter Wilson after Conor McCormac’s shot had fell short.
Wolfe Tones tried to halt the revival with a long range James Lavery free but Tir na nOg hit their 4th point of the half to reduce the margin to one. The Tones got the final score of the half with a Paudie Judge free to put his side two points up at the short whistle, the score Wolfe Tones 1-5 Tir na nOg 1-3.
Within five minutes of the second half Tir na nOg were back on level terms with a Paul Carvil score followed by a Conor McCormac point and the game was on. Tir na nOg couldn’t build on their promising start however and wouldn’t register another score until the 55th minute, with Wolfe Tones controlling the contest.
Points from Declan Lavery, Paudie Judge (2) Matthew Hagan and Chris McCarron handed the Tones a five point advantage with not long left to play. Tir na nOg did pull one back but Wolfe Tones continued to punish the Portadown men with Odhran Magee (2) and Chris Nugent hitting further scores.
Tir na nOg were desperate to raise a green flag during the final moments of the duel but had to settle for a Jamie McAleenan point with the last score of the game, leaving Wolfe Tones victorious 1-13 to 1-7. The Wolfe Tones became the first team into this year’s Intermediate semi final and will find out their opponents in Monday evenings draw.
Grange 1-18 Mullaghbawn 1-15 (AET)
The tie of the round was played in Keady on Sunday afternoon and what a contest it turned out to be. Extra time was called upon to get a result and it was the Grange who edged past the League Champions to make the Intermediate semi finals with the game was 1-13 apiece after an hour of action.
Cathal McKenna hit 1-4 for his side over the duration of the contest and it was him who opened the scoring after two minutes. Shea Loye ended the game just a point shy of McKenna’s personal tally and Loye was also on target early on in the game to leave the sides on level terms.
Ben Toal hit a brace which was matched though points from Niall Strain and Gerard McCann before Ciaron Grant fired over to put Mullaghbawn ahead for the first time after 13 minutes. Justin Kieran tied the contest with his first score while Shea Loye slotted the ball past the Grange goalkeeper to give his side a three point advantage.
Kieran hit his second while Loye chipped over another score to keep three the margin. The Grange got on top just before the half time interval with points from Ben Toal (2), Cathal McKenna and Ethan Rafferty putting their side one ahead at the break, the score board reading Grange 0-9 Mullaghbawn 1-5.
Pauric Mackin brought Mullaghbawn back on level terms while Shea Loye continued his excellent form from the first 30 minutes to give his side the lead. Eddie English stretched the Mullaghbawn advantage to three with two pointed frees before Justin Kieran opened his teams second half account.
Miceal McKenna got his name on the score sheet midway through the half as he exchanged scores with Eddie English on two occasions before Justin Kieran narrowed the margin to just one with his 4th of the game. Cathal McKenna shot his side into the lead as his three-pointer saw the Grange in front 1-13 to 1-11.
Two further Eddie English points meant extra time was the only solution to separate the sides as 60 minutes of football wasn’t enough to do so. English hit six second half scores to insure his side continued their pursuit of championship glory but the Grange would hold the upper hand during extra time.
Miceal McKenna hit the only three scores of the first half of extra time to see his team in front at the break. Eddie English brought the margin back to two before Cathal McKenna opened up a three point lead once again. Eoghan McDonnell pulled one back but again Cathal McKenna tagged on another score to knock Mullaghbawn out of the championship and allow the Grange to book their place in the last four.
Shane O’Neill’s and St Paul’s also played out a fascinating encounter with extra time needed to decide this result as well. St Paul’s led by the minimum of margins after 30 minutes before Shane O’Neill’s had tied the game by the time the hour was up. Shane O’Neill’s edged through to the semi finals with two points to spare, the final score Shane O’Neill’s 0-15 St Paul’s 0-13.
