Madden 0-12 Armagh Harps 2-6
Madden booked their place in the quarter-final as a draw with the Harps was enough to see them through.
Two second half goal from Pascal Canavan’s side earned them a share of the spoils in the Athletic Grounds.
Madden made the perfect start to the game, racing into a three-point lead inside the opening eight minutes.
Conor Grimley slotted over two frees, while a Niall Smith turnover in centerfield ended with an Aron McKenna point.
The Harps got off the mark on the 9th minute. Joe McElory’s lung-bursting run drew a foul and the resulting free was tapped over by James McCoy.
Conor Murphy added a second for the Harps, but his effort was cancelled out by Shea Vallely at the other end.
Ciaran Rafferty notched his first before McElroy, after a one-two with Declan McKenna, fired over from close range following another big burst.
Grimley (free) and Martin McCoy exchanged points before Grimley added another before the break. That left Madden three to the good at half time, 0-7 to 0-4.
Second half
Darragh McMullen stretched Madden’s lead at the start of the second period, pointing right from the throw in.
Grimley tagged on another free before Niall Grimley entered the fray after 35 minutes to rapturise applause.
Conor Lavery traded scores with Patrick Carr while Ciaran Rafferty and Grimley extended Madden’s lead.
Lavery claimed another before the Harps were handed a huge lifeline. James Walsh’s effort was brilliantly saved by Jamie Sheridan, but Darragh Murphy punched home the rebound.
Madden were then reduced to 14 as Patrick Carr picked up a black card and spent ten minutes in the sin bin.
The Raparees could have had a goal of their own, but a fine save from John Daly denied McMullen.
The harps then raced up the field and levelled things up as Murphy grabbed his second goal of the game.
Hughes received his marching orders after a second bookable offence, but it made no impact on the game.
The Harps finish third in the group while Silverbridge’s big win over Shane O’Neill’s see them finish second.
