Armagh Senior Championship preliminary round: Silverbridge Harps 3-9 Granemore 1-13
A WALK-in-the-park first half turned into a backs-to-the-wall thriller in a breathless second as Silverbridge saw off a determined Granemore fightback to squeeze into the quarter-finals (see draw below).
The Harps went in 10 points up at half-time but were clinging on by their fingertips at the finish as an inspired Granemore threw everything at them before time ran out.
Granemore hands had yet to touch the ball when Silverbridge took the lead. Jarly Og Burns leapt to win the throw-in and was brought down by Kieran Toner. Burns got up, looked up and cracked the free-kick in to Tiarnan Murphy who turned his marker and, although he scuffed his shot, it had enough on it to beat Kevin Kelly.
Within five minutes Murphy had another goal to his name. Again Burns was the provider, this time with a driving run down the middle. Murphy broke into space, Burns played the pass and this time the young forward cracked a confident finish into the Granemore net.
Aaron Murphy’s point extended the Harps’ lead to seven before Odhran Doyle pulled one back for Granemore who were battling but missing the opportunities they worked hard to create. Cathal O’Hare hit their fourth wide after 13 minutes.
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Ronan Reel sent over a long-range free for the ’Bridge and Granemore just didn’t have the legs to match their opponents and, when they did get on the ball, it didn’t stick in their forward line. There was an element of luck about the third Silverbridge goal which came after Peter Carragher’s shot drifted to the far post.
Granemore battled to get their hands on the ball and Sean Conlan attempted to clear it when Gavin Burns came in with a textbook two-handed block and the ball ricocheted into the net.
Michael Traynor and Murphy added two more points for the ’Bridge before the break and Granemore replied with frees from Doyle and Louis Hughes.
Trailing by 10 points, Granemore wasted no time about launching the ball into the square when the second half began. Paddy Reel and then goalkeeper Christopher Reel both won the ball bravely as Silverbridge weathered the early storm and then James Meegan did well to block a piledriver from Ryan Rafferty.
Doyle (a free) and Reece Butter scored either side of Ronan Reel’s point and Granemore kept clawing back ground as Hughes and Doyle frees narrowed the gap to 3-5 to 0-7.
With Toner ruling the skies, Silverbridge couldn’t win a kickout and when Pete Carr launched over another point, the comeback was definitely ‘on’ and Silverbridge were hanging on.
Paddy Reel had to hack the ball off his goalline when Karl McQuaid (pushed upfield from full-back to mark Jarly Og) broke through.
The water break was temporary respite for Silverbridge and when play resumed, Ronan Reel clipped over a free for them but Granemore kept on coming and Carr smashed a brilliant finish into the ’Bridge net before a Hughes free let it 3-6 to 1-9 with 10 minutes still to play.
Another brilliant point from Carr meant there were only two points in it. Rock clipped over a free for Silverbridge and sub Fionnan Burns had the chance to potentially finish it but he shot just wide.
At the other end, Granemore couldn’t miss. Ross Finn’s point left two in it again and, although Murphy cancelled it out, another Finn screamer meant a kick of the ball (3-8 to 1-12) separated the teams as the final minute of normal time began.
Another high ball into the Bridge square, McQuaid got hands on it but Carragher came away with it and cleared the danger. Jamie Martin clipped over a point to ease Silverbridge nerves but was then caught in possession.
Boylan managed a point as the second of injury-time ticked away. Michael King dropped the ball into the square, Silverbridge hands broke it down and Murphy, the man who had started the damage, grabbed it as the final whistle sounded. He hung on and so did Silverbridge.
Silverbridge scorers: T Murphy (2-2, 0-1 free), R Reel (0-3 frees), S Conlon (1-0), M Traynor (0-1), S Rock (0-1 free), J Martin (0-1), A Duffy (0-1)
Granemore scorers: O Doyle (0-4, 0-3 free), L Hughes (0-3), R Butter (0-1), P Carr (1-2), R Finn (0-2), B Boylan (0-1)
Armagh SFC quarter-final draw: Killeavy v Clann na Gael, Madden v Ballymacnab, Clann Eireann v Silverbridge, Crossmaglen v Armagh Harps
