Division 1A
Armagh Harps 1-16 Dromintee 0-14
The Harps welcomed Dromintee to a sun-soaked Abbey Park on Sunday for the only Division 1A game of the weekend.
The hosts closed the gap at the top of the table as they impressively saw off the league leaders.
Declan McKenna led from the front for the Harps. His fantastic, defence-splitting pass set-up the only goal of the game.
The first shot was saved. But Ryan McShane palmed the rebound to the net and give the Harps a three-point lead after five minutes.
Right half backs Aaron Boyle and Rory McGrath traded scores before the Harps took control of the encounter.
Conor Murphy, McKenna, Tommy Turley and Caolan McQuaid all hit the target to go ahead 1-5 to 0-1 at the water break.
Dromintee closed the gap with two pointed marks through Darren McKenna and Cathal McKenna. P.J. Tiernan also hit a monster to narrow the margin to four.
Martin McCoy started another purple patch for the Harps with a left footed score. McKenna’s second point split two Tom O’Kane frees as the hosts headed into the break 1-9 to 0-4 up.
The visitors rallied in the second half, led by the accurate Niall Courtney, but couldn’t get close enough cause a real scare.
Courtney struck a classy score right after the turnaround, his first of six second half points. Conor Murphy soon responded however, with a beautiful outside-of-the-book effort.
Two Courtney points were matched by O’Kane and McShane before Oran Loughran’s first left seven between the teams.
Dromintee’s talisman responded to three Tom O’Kane scores (two frees) to see the Harps up 1-15 to 0-9 at the water break.
Dromintee edged a feisty last quarter, but never got the goal that could have turned the tide. A superb ‘Dingle’ Daly save denied the best chance the away side had.
Loughran and Conn Stevenson exchanged scores while Courtney slotted over a brace to bring the margin to seven.
Aaron Boyle claimed his second before Ronan Quinn fired over the last point of the day. The Harps now sit just behind table toppers Dromintee, with a game in hand.
Division 1B
Madden 1-20 Clann Eireann 0-15
Madden topped Division 1B following an impressive eight-point win over travelling side Clann Eireann.
A crucial Niall Grimley goal inspired Madden to victory, as they pulled away after the turnaround.
It was nip and tuck during the first period, with Madden ahead by just three points at the break. 0-11 to 0-8.
Grimley accompanied his second half three-pointer with a point while Conor Grimley top scored for his side with 0-5.
Joe Sheridan led the charge, and the Man of the Match finished the game with a personal tally of 0-4.
Ciaran Rafferty hit 0-3, while Donal Rafferty and Darragh McMullan both chipped in with two points.
Aron McKenna, along with youngsters Patrick Carr and James Kilcullen, all raised one white flag apiece.
The win puts Madden two points clear at the top of the table, but Grange have a game in hand.
Two first half goals for Mullaghbawn saw them pick up two important points, as they push above the relegation zone.
They led 2-5 to 1-5 at half time and kept the three-point margin until the end, defeating Silverbridge 2-13 to 2-10.
St Patrick’s Cullyhanna edged through a nail-biting encounter with Annaghmore to secure the maximum points on offer.
They trailed by two at the break, 1-7 to 1-5. A storming second half showing saw them win 1-15 to 2-11.
Division 2A
Tir na nOg 2-11 Shane O’Neill’s 4-13
A dogged second half performance from Shane O’Neill’s saw them record an eight-point win on the road at the weekend.
The sides swapped scores during the opening exchanges, with Mark McCabe on target for the visitors. Tir na nOg shot ahead with a 5th minute goal, to put them in the driving seat.
Ciaran Mackin pointed with a great long-range effort as Paul O’Rourke also split the posts, but both scores were matched by the hosts.
Another brace for the Portadown men saw them extend their advantage, before McCabe was fouled inside the penalty area.
O’Rourke smashed the resulting spot kick off the bar but was on hand to coolly dispatch the rebound.
The home side responded superbly and rattled over the next three points to restore their five-point lead.
The teams exchanged two points apiece, the Shane’s scores coming through James Girvan and Oisin Nicks.
O’Rourke fired over a late score to close the half, with Tir na nOg ahead by four, 1-10 to 1-6.
An early second half point from O’Rourke was cancelled out almost immediately. The Camlough men really upped their game and hit 1-4 without reply.
Talisman O’Rourke slotted over from the dead ball before James Girvan fired home a goal to level the game.
Further pointed frees from O’Rourke (2) and Raymond Fitzpatrick put the Shane’s three ahead, but the lead didn’t last long.
Tir na nOg rattled the net for the second time to tie the game once again. Shane O’Neill’s shot back as Ciaran Mackin fired low to the net and put his side back in front.
Fitzpatrick pointed another free as O’Rourke raised his second green flag, with the game now in injury time.
Ciaran Mackin tagged on a late point to see the Shane’s ahead by eight when the final whistle sounded.
Tullysaran 3-11 Clan na Gael 2-17
Tullysaran narrowly lost out to last seasons Intermediate champions, with three points the difference in the end.
Gavin Conlon and Eddie Mallon traded scores with the Clan na Gael attack to see the sides tied 0-2 apiece at the water break.
The Lurgan men edged ahead with two frees, before Mallon reduced the deficit with his own dead ball effort.
A terrific turnover by Mallon set about another attack. Mark McKeever shot hit side in front with a brilliantly executed goal.
Clans rallied with 1-1 in quick succession, before Mallon slotted home a superb solo goal to edge the hosts ahead.
Two points from the visitors were cancelled out by McKeever and Mallon, before another Clans goal had them ahead 2-7 to 2-5 at the interval.
Eddie Mallon converted a free straight from the throw in, but Clans remained on top with two of their own.
Gavin Conlon saw his free kick cancelled out with two more points from the visitors, as did Sean Black. Clans ahead by five at the water break.
The margin soon became six, but Tullysaran rallied back into contention, with Mallon firing home 1-1 to close the gap.
Clans restored their three-point advantage, but Ryan and Gavin Conlon points dwindled that lead back to the minimum.
Two late scores from the away side secured the two points and they now sit second in the table, just behind Sarsfields.
Division 2B
Carrickcruppen remain top of Division 2B as their unbeaten league run continued with a five-point win over An Port Mor.
Eoin Woods and Adam Matthews claimed the crucial majors, as the Camlough side were victorious, 2-9 to 1-7.
Wolfe Tones continue to lead the chasing pack, siting second in the table with a five-point victory over Ballyhegan.
The Tones held a 1-9 to 1-5 advantage at the break. They extended the margin to 3-16 to 2-14 by the time the full-time whistle sounded.
Keady edged through a ding-dong battle away to Collegeland on Sunday, coming through by the minimum of margins.
They trailed at the break, with the hosts 1-3 to 0-4 up. A late goal allowed Keady to steal an important two points.
Junior Division
Forkhill 5-14 Belleek 0-10
Forkhill recorded an impressive victory over Belleek in a repeat of the 2020 Junior Championship final.
An early goal through Odhran Toal set the tone for the hosts, and they followed it up with four unanswered points.
Belleek’s opening point was matched by Cormac Toner, while Eoin-Roe O’Neill also swapped scores with the travelling side.
Toner rattled the net for his sides second major to see them ahead by 11 at the half time break, 2-9 to 0-4.
Owen Donaghy and Conaill Devlin matched Belleek scores before Stephen Sheridan raised Forkhill’s third green flag.
O’Neill found the net as well just after the water break, before Oisin Flynn exchanged points with Belleek.
James Shannon fired home the final goal of the game and Forkhill were comfortable 19-point winners in the end.
Dorsey 1-11 Derrynoose 2-14
Derrynoose came back from three points down at the break to win by six points in an exciting clash on Sunday afternoon.
A Conor McNally goal just after the water break put the visiting side 1-1 to 0-2. Two quickfire scores had Dorsey back on level terms.
A converted penalty saw the Emmets ahead, while two Davy McCreesh efforts reduced the gap to two.
Dorsey had the final say and slotted over the last point of the half to lead 1-6 to 1-3 at the break.
Jack Fox, Conall McNally and McCreesh all pointed to reduce the gap to one. McCreesh’s third in a row finally had Derrynoose all square before Dylan Murray fired them ahead.
The back and forth scoring continued, with the game tied on the 26th minute mark. Two scores from Pearse Lennon and McCreesh handed Derrynoose the initiative.
Lennon raised another green flag before McCreesh slotted over the last score of the game, with Derrynoose six-point winners.
Derrynoose were also out mid-week. They defeated Lissummon at home 2-8 to 1-5, with Davy McCreesh and Damian McGrane grabbing the goals.
Redmond O’Hanlon’s defeated Clady on Friday evening, despite the visitors hitting three second half goals. 2-9 to 3-3 the final score.
Thomas Davis narrowly saw off Killeavy IIs on Sunday afternoon, coming out on top 2-8 to 1-10.
