Local Women Sport magazine Armagh senior quarter-finals
ST Patrick's, Cullyhanna recorded an historic first win on Saturday in the Local Women Sport magazine Armagh Senior Championship beating Aghagallon by two points in a keenly contested quarter-final.
Last year’s intermediate champions were on top in the opening half and goals from Kerrie Irwin and Bernie Murray gave them an interval lead of 2-4 to 0-4.
A goal from Sarah Mooney brought Aghagallon back into the game but Hannah Lennon and Jolene Rowland kept the south Armagh side ahead and into a semi-final on Friday September 30 against holders Ballymacnab.
Ballymacnab led from pillar to post with Eimear Smyth’s goal in the first half putting daylight between the teams at the break, 1-7 to 0-3.
Sophie Califfe kept Cross in the game with some fine saves and Lauren McConville and Megan O’Callaghan did their best at the other end of the pitch. However a second goal from Smith and one from Aoibheann O’Hare along with scores at regular intervals from free-taker Eabha Lennon kept the holders on course for a fourth successive crown.
Granemore have lost the last two finals as well as winning three of the last six and they needed to bring all that experience together to eke out a 2-10 to 1-11 win over Madden. It was a tough game from start to finish with the winners ahead by 1-4 to 0-6 at half-time, thanks to a goal from Kate Smith.
Gemma McCann goaled for Madden half way through the second half to put them ahead and they were a single point to the good when Ciara Carr slammed home the second Granemore goal. From then until the end they had the experience to hold on to make the next round.
The last of the quarter-finals on Sunday evening turned out to be the highest scoring with some sublime efforts from both play and frees.
Keady edged the first half and led by 0-8 to 0-7 at the break with Tahla White converting five scores including two frees. Katie Comiskey accumulated all seven scores for An Port Mór with five of those from frees.
Catherine Connolly edged Keady further ahead on the re-start, but White and Comiskey were deadly accurate from all angles and distances inside their opponents’ half.
A goal from Caoimhe O’Kane midway through the second half tied the teams on 1-12 to 0-15 and it was still level when An Port Mór lost a player to a red card with five minutes remaining.
Keady quickly took advantage with points from White (free), Catherine Beagan and Connolly and Eva Molloy iced the cake with an injury time goal to set up a semi-final with Granemore on Friday week.
Results
Granemore 2-10 Madden 1-11
Cullyhanna 2-8 Aghagallon 1-9
Keady 1-18 An Port Mór 1-12
Ballymacnab 3-13 Crossmaglen 0-9
