Forkhill 0-17 Eire Og 0-14 (After Extra Time)
This one went right down to the wire with extra time needed to decide who would get their way through to the semi-finals.
Eire Og will feel hard done by, as they received an extremely harsh black card eight minutes into extra time, which proved to be the turning point in the game.
Ciaran Ryan was sent to the sin bin for a foul on Stephen Sheridan, with the sides locked on 0-12 each.
Forkhill pushed on to kick five unanswered points in this period and this ultimately decided the game.
Another turning point was the introduction of Barry Shannon. Known best as a defender, Shannon came into the forward line and was a huge boost for Forkhill.
The game was tip and tuck the whole way through with both sides experiencing purple patches when they would get on top.
The Craigavon side were marginally the better team in the first half and with the breeze two their backs, shot into a 0-7 to 0-4 lead by the 32nd minute.
The wind was a serious advantage as Eire Og kick some hugely impressive scores in the opening period through the likes of John Cochrane and Conor Martin.
Forkhill’s star men in Stephen Sheridan and Jemar Hall got their side back into contention with the final two scores of the half.
Hall got the game up and running with a score after ten seconds, Sheridan capturing possession from the throw-in and feeding his teammate.
Forkhill tagged on a further two scores to go three ahead but Eire Og matched their opponents good start with three points of their own.
Hall’s third of the half was the final piece of action with Eire Og leading by the minimum of margins at the break, 0-7 to 0-6.
Hall once again opened the scoring at the beginning of the second period with two scores while Cormac Toner extended his sides lead with a point.
Once again Eire Og fought back to get on level terms with Cochrane and Martin both pointing to leave the score 0-9 each.
Martin turned provider with the next move, setting up a Cochrane score while Jemar Hall once again levelled matters at the other end of the field.
Hall set up the on running Sheridan, who made a great burst off his shoulder and fired his side one ahead with time almost up.
Eire Og would have one final chance and it fell to Christopher McConville who got on the end of a patient move to tie the game 0-10 to 0-10 and bring the contest into extra time.
Barry Shannon hit the target fourteen seconds into additional time before Ciaran Magee tied the game once more.
Sheridan and Hall combined yet again for another point while Ciaran Ryan kicked his first of the evening to leave the game all square.
Ryan once then sent to the line and within the ten minutes, the game was well and truly gone from Eire Ogs grasp.
Hall brought his personal tally to 0-8 while Cormac Toner, Barry Shannon and Connor Donaghy all helped Forkhill take a five-point lead.
Eire Og did tag on two late scores through Conor Callaghan and Eoin McCluskey, but it was too little too late.
Forkhill march on to the last four and they remain one of the favourites to secure the crown. They await the semi-final draw and they will have a big saying for the rest of the Championship.
Newtown 2-9 (0-5) Corrinsheg0 2-9 (0-3)
This was a game to remember not only for Newtownhamiliton but for all those in attendance of Friday evenings game.
Penalties shootouts are a rare sight in Gaelic Football, but those who gathered in Ballymacnab for this quarter final clash certainly got their monies worth.
For the second time this year, penalties were required to decide a winner, following on from the Pearse Ogs win over Madden last weekend.
Corrinshego will feel hard done by as they fought back from the dead both in normal time and extra time to try and remain in the competition.
It was the Newtown keeper Gerard Watters who was the difference during the shootout, not only saving a Corrinshego penalty, but stepping up to slot home his own.
The sides were evenly matched during the opening ten minutes of the game, with the two captains getting their sides off the mark, Benny Davidson for Newtown and David Murphy for Corrinshego.
Jordan King caused serious problems for Newtown with his driving pace and he hit a beauty with the outside of his right boot to give his side the lead.
Nathan Vallely captured the games first goal when his deflated shot caught the keeper off guard, and with the assistance of both uprights, the ball eventually rolled over the line.
Benny Davidson and Daire Carr both pointed to extend St Michael’s lead before a brace of frees from Murphy brought Corrinshego back in touch.
Newtown got the final two scores of the half through Aidan Davidson and Pearse Woods following fantastic work from midfielder Sean McVerry.
This gave the Newtown men a comfortable 1-5 to 0-4 lead at the half time break but the game was still all to play for in the second period.
Benny Davidson pointed just after the restart with the assist coming from his son Aidan, following a wonderful catch in the middle of the field.
Jordan King popped over his second of the game before Newtown were reduced to fourteen men for an off the ball incident.
David Murphy hit a two further frees, split by a brilliant curling effort from Benny Davidson, with Newtown in front by three ending into the water break.
Corrinshego threw everything at the Newtown defence as they tried to rescue something from the contest.
Murphy close the gap to two points with another point from the dead ball before Corrinshego’s persistence finally paid off.
Liam Quinn raced along the end line and fired an outstanding finish into the top corner of the goal to see his side lead for the first time since the 10th minute.
Newtown would have one last chance however and they captured it with a late point bringing the game to extra time.
The addition 20 minutes still couldn’t provide a winner, with both teams remaining tied, 2-9 to 2-9 at the final whistle.
Benny Davidson caught the Corrinshego keeper and defence unaware as he fired the ball into the bottom corner from a free kick.
Corrinshego replied instantly and David Murphy squared the ball to David Hankin who had the easy job of palming home to the net to go to penalties.
The Newtown netminder Gerard Watters slotted his penalty away before saving David Murphy’s spot kick to give his side the ascendancy.
Up stepped Brian Caherty with the chance to make history and he powered home a brilliant effort to secure a semi-final spot for the blues.
