Wolfe Tones 1-10 Keady 1-8
Two second half goals sparked this game into life as both teams looked like they could win at different stages.
Conor Renaghan’s rocket to the net handed Keady the lead for the first time, with 20 minutes remaining.
They wouldn’t trail again until the 58th minute, when the Tones struck back with their own crucial three-pointer.
Paudi Judge used all his strength to roll his defender and powered home the match winning goal.
It was a hectic conclusion as Keady looked to salvage something. The final chance fell to Seanie McCabe, who faced a wall of black jersey’s.
The Keady attacker got a shot away but the imposing figure of Callan Duffy between the sticks kept the ball his side of the goal line.
The Lurgan men started the brighter of the two teams, bursting into a 4-1 lead by the 12th minute.
That led could have been further but for a disallowed goal. Odhran Magee shot to the net from close range, after collecting the rebound of Judge’s effort.
Keady closed the gap through Conor Hughes (two frees) and Renaghan, but a Magee brace handed the Tones a 6-4 half time lead.
Conor Lavery’s men drove on at the start of the second period. Ryan McQuillan’s scored prior to an an incredible Chris Nugent effort, coming after a long period of patient play.
Keady’s goal shifted the momentum in favour and a heroic Stephen Murray block seemed to signal it was their night.
It wasn’t to be however, and Tones held on to win by two, setting up a quarter final clash with Carrickcruppen.
Wolfe Tones Scorers: Paudi Judge 1-2 (1f), Odhran Magee 0-3, Matthew Hagan 0-2, Ryan McQuillan 0-1, Tiarnan Judge 0-1, Chris Nugent 0-1.
Keady Scorers: Conor Renaghan 1-1, Conor Hughes 0-4, Matthew Green 0-1, James O’Hara 0-1, Stephen Renaghan 0-1.
Tullysaran 0-13 Tir na nOg 0-10
Tullysaran progressed to the next round of the Intermediate Championship after a scrappy win over Tir na nOg.
Played in perfect conditions, Ryan Conlon handed Tullysaran an early lead, which was matched by Tom Weir.
The O’Connell’s club dominated the next ten minutes. Eddie Mallon (2f), Gavin Conlon and Mark McKeever all scoring to make it 5-1 at the water break.
The pause seemed to upset Tullysaran’s momentum as Tir na nOg claimed the only three points of the second quarter.
Oran Power, Eamon Curran and Paul Carvill making it 5-4 at the interval.
A Tom Weir score, Tir na nOg’s best performer on the day, tied the game one minute after the restart.
Two Gavin Conlon scores (1f) and an Eddie Mallon effort restored the Tullysaran lead. Weir grabbed his third to close the gap, 8-6 at the end of the third quarter.
Tullysaran’s best period followed the second water break as they fired over the next four scores.
Mark McKeever grabbed an inspirational point, fetching the Tir na nOg kick out and firing over from 45 metres.
Matthew Kernan and Gavin Conlon (2) raised white flags as Tullysaran threatened to rattle the net on numerous occasions.
The goal continued to allude them however as a pointed 45 from Conor Larkin closed the gap once again.
Mallon eased over his 4th with a free as Tir na nOg pressed hard to keep in the game with only minutes remaining.
Declan O’Neill slotted over a free as Conan Power claimed the final score of the match. Tullysaran will now meet Forkhill in an intriguing quarter final match up.
Tullysaran Scorers: Gavin Conlon 0-5 (1f), Eddie Mallon 0-4 (2f), Mark McKeever 0-2, Ryan Conlon 0-1, Matthew Kernan 0-1.
Tir na nOg Scorers: Tom Weir 0-3, Oran Power 0-1, Eamon Curran 0-1, Paul Carvill 0-1 (f), Conor Larkin 0-1 (45), Declan O’Neill 0-1 (f), Conan Power 0-1, Conor McCormac 0-1.
Forkhill 2-22 An Port Mor 1-3
While the favourites won the game, the ease in which they dismissed An Port Mor was a shock.
The Blackwatertown men failed to get off the mark until the second half, when Forkhill had already rattled in net twice.
Their county contingent were instrumental in getting the goals. Stephen Sheridan and Paddy Burns both hit the net, while Jemar Hall played the final pass for both three-pointers.
Hall racked up 0-7 and left the fray mid-way through the second period. Sheridan claimed 1-3 while Burns finished with 1-1 to his name.
Barry Shannon chipped in with two second half points after being introduced during the half time break.
Owen Donaghy was a thorn in the oppositions side throughout the game and finished with a personal tally of 0-3.
An Port Mor decided to play route one football in the second half and eventually got some joy from it. Although Connor Donaghy was outstanding in defending the Forkhill square.
A long ball in by Ross Gribben was punched to the net by Vance Doherty, while Ryan Gorman (2) and Cormac Kieran both scored from frees.
It was an easy run out for Forkhill, who face a much tougher test the next day out.
Forkhill Scorers: Jemar Hall 0-7 (2f), Stephen Sheridan 1-3, Patrick Burns 1-1, Owen Donaghy 0-3, Cormac Toner 0-2, Barry Shannon 0-2, Ciaran Smith 0-1, Oisin Flynn 0-1, Shea Coleman 0-1, Conal Davin 0-1.
An Port Mor Scorers: Vance Doherty 1-0, Ryan Gorman 0-2 (2f), Cormac Kieran 0-1 (1f).
St Paul’s 2-13 Middletown 0-7
St Paul’s secured their spot in the next round with an expected win over Middletown.
Two points was the difference at half time. The Lurgan men taking a 6-4 lead with a brace just before the whistle.
Shea Murphy’s second half goal helped open up a seven-point deficit as St Paul’s began to take over.
A second three-pointer from Odhran Magill put the game beyond doubt as last year’s beaten finalists won by 12.
Whitecross 1-12 Ballyhegan 0-10
Whitecross gained revenge against Ballyhegan with a five-point win. The Davitts came out on top in this clash last year, but Whitecross turned the tables on Sunday.
Ballyhegan were four points ahead just after the interval but were reduced to 14 men and their challenge deflated.
The sides were evenly matched early on and sat level at 0-3 a piece after twenty minutes of action.
Three points from James McCormack (2f) and a Conall McKeever score (free) saw Ballyhegan hold a four-point half time lead.
Four in a row on the restart allowed Whitecross to tie the game. Two Aidan Finnegan points (1f) along with scores from Colm O’Hanlon and Cathal McSherry made it 0-8 each.
Anthony Breen nudged Whitecross ahead before another pointed free from McKeever left it all square.
Finnegan and McSherry (free) opened up a two-point gap before Whitecross struck the fatal blow.
Midfielder Aidan Finnegan, who finished with 1-5, grabbed the all-important, game winning goal.
Breen exchanged score with McKeever (free) to bring the game to a close as Whitecross progress to the next round.
Sarsfields 1-13 Clonmore 0-8
Sarsfields were eight-point winners over Clonmore as they carried their winning mentality from the league to the championship.
Thomas McAlinden’s 13th minute goal was the crucial score and allowed the High Moss men to lead for the remainder of the tie.
Caolan Donaghy opened the scoring for the underdogs, which was matched by a Kevin McAlinden score.
Sean Quigley (mark) nudged Clonmore ahead before Sarsfields hit the net to make two the difference.
Stefan Green (free) traded scores with Niall Kerr (45) while Kevin McAlinden done likewise with Donaghy (free).
A McAlinden brace (both frees) along with Colin Stevenson’s first sent Sarsfields 1-6 to 0-4 ahead at the break.
James Grimley exchanged points after the interval as the Lurgan men stretched their lead to six by the water break.
Eamon McGeown and Kerr (45) both scored while Paul McGeown also chipped in with a point from play.
Sarsfields will now take on Whitecross in two weeks’ time and they remain the favourites to land championship success.
Carrickcruppen 0-12 Collegeland 0-9
Nine points separated these sides at this same stage last season. While the margin was closer, the result remained the same.
As expect, Carrickcruppen confirmed their spot in the quarter finals where they take on Wolfe Tones.
Shane Donnelly and Jason Kelly (free) gave Collegeland an early two-point advantage, before Stephen Loughran (mark) halved the gap.
A Blaine Hughes 45 tied the game while Richard Keenan (free) sent Cruppen 3-2 ahead at the first water break.
Scott McCann evened the score, as Kelly and Keenan (free) traded points to see the sides level, 0-4 each, at the interval.
Stefan McKenna and Kelly got Collegeland up and running for the second period, before Hughes nailed another from the dead ball.
Paul McNally levelled the game for the Camlough men before Keenan nudged them ahead with his third.
Loughran opened up a two-point deficit as Keenan split the posts once again. Kelly claimed one back for Collegeland as the final whistle approached.
Blaine Hughes increased the favourites lead while a Scott McCann free kept his side in touch. Keenan fired over the final score of the game to see Cruppen through to the last eight.
Carrickcruppen Scorers: Richard Keenan 0-5 (2f), Blaine Hughes 0-3 (3f), Stephen Loughran 0-2 (1m), Paul McNally 0-1, Eoin Woods 0-1.
Collegeland Scorers: Jason Kelly 0-5 (2f), Scott McCann 0-2 (2f), Shane Donnelly 0-1, Stefan McKenna 0-1.
Culloville 3-8 Shane O’Neill’s 1-10
This result may be a shock, but for anyone in Crossmaglen on Sunday afternoon, it will come as no surprise.
From start to finish Culloville were on the front foot. Their main players really came to the fore and dragged the Blues through to the next round.
Colm Watters top scored with 2-3, and netted after twenty seconds of the game. Culloville never looked back.
Greg McCabe, who was inspirational for Shane O’Neill’s during the opening period, punched home a goal in the 20th minute.
The referee denied the three-pointer as McCabe had been in the square. It proved to be a massive turning point as the goal should have put Shane’s two in front.
Instead, Culloville raced down the field and Ryan Garvey nailed a massive score to make three the difference.
Colm Watters then doubled his goal tally and suddenly the underdogs were 2-3 to 0-4 in front.
The Shane’s trailed 2-4 to 0-5 at the break despite being the better team for large periods of the half.
They just couldn’t make it count on the scoreboard while Culloville certainly made the most of their chances.
The Blues hit their third and final goal just before the water break. Steven McCreesh played through the on running Niall Rowland who smashed it to the net.
Shane O’Neill’s did get back to within touching distance as substitute Mark McCabe smashed home a goal.
They never looked like rescuing a result however and Culloville deserving make their way through to the next stage of the championship.
Culloville: Colm Watters 2-3 (3f), Niall Rowland 1-0, Ryan Garvey 0-2, Dara Quinn 0-2 (1f), Fergal Kieran 0-1.
Shane O’Neill’s: Mark McCabe 1-1, Aodhan Conlon 0-2, Greg McCabe 0-2 (1f), Paul O’Rourke 0-2 (1f), Ciaran Mackin 0-1, Oisin Murphy 0-1, Neil Paul Lennon 0-1.
