Ballymacnab 3-15 Sarsfields 0-6
Ballymacnab breezed through to the last eight of the Armagh SFC with a commanding 18-point victory over Sarsfields.
Two first half goals from Gavin McParland and James Gray put Barry Dillon’s men in control. The majors helped the Nab carry a ten-point lead into the break.
A second three-pointer from McParland after the turnaround pushed them further ahead. In the end, 18 points the difference between the sides at the full-time whistle.
Jack Grugan opened the scoring with a brace before Paul McGeown got Sarsfields off the mark with a free.
McParland rattle the net for the pre-match favourites minutes after his first shot on goal was saved by Stephen McArdle.
Finnen Maguire nailed two points while McParland and Ryan Watters both split the posts for Ballymacnab.
Eamon McGeown punched over as the High Moss persisted with their long ball tactic, moments before Chris Kerr pulled off a fine from McGeown.
The Nab replied at the other end of the field with a goal from Gray, who was a late replacement for Ballymacnab’s injured captain Ryan Kennedy.
Callum McGibbon raised the final white flag of the opening period. That left the score at the half time break 2-7 to 0-3 to the Nab.
The sides traded scores at the start of the second period with Hughes matching a point from Thomas McAlinden.
Ballymacnab rattled off four scores on the trot, through Watters (2), Rory Grugan and Pearse Hughes.
Paul McGeown slotted over two more frees, either side of a superb finish from McParland, who raised his second green flag of the night.
Ballymacnab chipped over the final three scores of the night through substitute Paul Meegan, Watters and Kieran Hughes.
That sends Ballymacnab through to the last eight. They can only face Madden, Clann Eireann or Crossmaglen in the quarter-finals.
