AIB Ulster Club IFC quarter-final: Pomeroy 0-10 Cullyhanna 0-11
Aidan Nugent held his nerve to convert a difficult winning free with his weaker left foot deep into stoppage time to send Cullyhanna through to the Ulster Club IFC semi-finals.
But Pomeroy were furious that the final whistle was sounded as they attacked in search of a late leveller at O’Neills Healy Park.
The Armagh champions imposed themselves on the contest for much of the second half, and had just enough to get over the line in a thrilling finish.
“We knew that this was going to be a battle. We knew this was going to be a task,” said Cullyhanna manager Stephen Reel.
“We knew it was going to come down to the wire and we knew it was going to come down to the last minute and the last kick of the ball.”
Hugh Pat McGeary was a rock at the back for Pomeroy, while Cullyhanna centre back Michael Murray stood strong and firm as defences dominated an opening half that saw both sides take a counter-attacking approach.
It wasn’t pretty at times, but the accuracy of free-takers Ronan Duffin and Aidan Nugent kept their respective sides close.
Duffin also landed a couple of classy Pomeroy scores from play as they eased into a two points lead by the 20th minute.
Murray’s surges from deep helped the Armagh champions take a direct approach when avenues along the wings were closed off, while the influence of Frank Burns around the middle third gave the Plunkett’s stability.
Duffin’s fourth score maintained the two-point cushion, but a fourth converted free from Nugent narrowed the gap to a single point, Pomeroy ahead at the break by 0-6 to 0-5.
A couple of classy Kieran McGeary points pushed the lead out to three, but Cullyhanna’s big name players, Jason Duffy in particular, raised their game as the Orchard champions seized control, holding the home side scoreless for a full 20 minutes, while they reeled off five on the spin, including spectacular long range efforts from Tony Donnelly and skipper Pearse Casey.
Ross McQuillan also punched over a point to edge Cullyhanna in front for the first time, and another Nugent free had them two clear.
Pomeroy dispensed with the sweeper to press strongly in the closing stages, and McGeary brought them level.
But there was more drama in stoppage time as Nugent nailed his seventh conversion to seal a semi-final place for the Armagh men.
Pomeroy: J McCourt; M McDonald, HP McGeary, R Begley; H Cunningham, G McAleer, B Burns (0-1); R Duffin (0-5, 0-3 frees), R Loughran; J Campbell, F Burns, P Rafferty; H McNamee (0-1 mark), K McGeary (0-3), R McKenna.
Subs: L Kilpatrick for McDonald, A Coyle for McNamee, G Goodfellow for Begley, P Quinn for Goodfellow
Cullyhanna: J Carragher; S Og Irwin, S Connell, G Duffy; N McCreesh, M Murray, B McConville; P Casey (0-1), J Duffy; C Reavey, S Hoey, R McQuillan (0-1); K McCooey (0-1), T Donnelly (0-1), A Nugent (0-7, 7f).
Subs: G Mackin for McConville, P Savage for G Duffy
Referee: C Curran (Down).
ends
