Cormac Leonard Commercials Armagh SFC play-off round
Maghery 0-12 Mullaghbawn 1-10
A LATE long-range strike by Niall Loye rounded off a terrific comeback for Mullaghbawn as they defeated Maghery to reach the Armagh quarter-finals.
Cuchullains were down by four at the restart but pulled themselves back into the game.
Maghery’s lead was interrupted twice late on but it was Loye who put the Mullaghbawn ahead for the very first time in the 65th minute after Eddie English had got his side back on level terms
Kevin Robinson and Pearse Quinn traded scores early on before Maghery took control of the contest.
An effort from All-Ireland winner Ben Crealey bounced over the bar, while Joe Mackle and Robinson (both frees) put Sean MacDermotts 0-4 to 0-1 ahead.
The sides remained in each other’s sights for the rest of the half with Maghery keeping their noses ahead but English’s hand sent over the final score of the first period and that left Mullaghbawn trailing 0-6 to 0-5, a manageable scoreline for the second period.
Forker took the game to another level and regained the lead for Maghery with two sublime efforts, while Ciaran Higgins added to the tally.
A long, looping ball into the square by Cormac Smyth ended up in the back of the net and Mullaghbawn were back in the game and the lead was back down to one.
Crealey and English exchanged pointed efforts, as did Ronan Branagh and Loye, before Fergal O’Brien tied things up.
Maghery charged back in front as Oisin Cushnahan deftly lofted the ball over from close range.
It was two dead-ball situations that gave Cuchullains the opportunity for victory. English levelled the tie and the chance to seal the comeback fell to Loye, who fired his free straight between the uprights.
