T-Met Armagh Senior Football Championship quarter-final: Maghery 2-13 Granemore 2-5
MAGHERY had eight points to spare over an exceedingly poor Granemore outfit at the Athletic Grounds on Wednesday night, which was really no reflection of their overall superiority.
Both Granemore goals arrived in the final five minutes by which time the loughshore men had emptied their bench. The game was as good as over at the halfway stage, Maghery breezing into 2-7 to 0-3 advantage. It wasn’t a lack of possession that had Granemore sitting on this paltry sum, more their persistence in carrying the ball into traffic.
The game really deteriorated in the second period, with Maghery content to stay in the one gear.
Two Séamus Forker points had them up and running and when David Lavery found the net on seven minutes, Granemore were already in a spot of bother.
It took the St Mary’s outfit 10 minutes to register, a Jason O’Neill pointed free followed by two more quick scores from O’Neill and Chris O’Connor, leaving the Lavery goal the difference. But that it was as good as it got for the losers who failed top score in the second quarter.
Maghery were well on their way to the last four when Paul Forker grabbed their second goal and white flags from Stephen Cusack (two) and Séamus Forker, had them 10 points clear at the break.
The second half was really a non-event though it took the Seán McDermott’s men until the 40th minute to extend their lead, a point from defender Gerard Campbell on the end of a 50 metres solo. Three more white flags quickly followed, top marksman Séamus Forker claiming two of them.
With five minutes remaining Maghery led by 13 points, late goals from substitutes Declan Doyle and Barry Lappin giving the scoreboard a more respectable look from the losers’ point of view
Maghery now meet holders Crossmaglen in the semi-final.
MATCH STATS
Maghery scorers: S Forker (0-5), D Lavery (1-1), P Forker (1-0), S Cusack (0-3), A Forker (0-1), G Campbell (0-1), R Lappin (0-1), J Lavery (0-1).
Granemore scorers: B Lappin (1-1), D Doyle (1-0), J O’Neill (0-2), C O’Connor (0-2)
