Aidan Nugent steals the show as St Patrick's Cullyhanna come from behind to win

Aidan Nugent was in outstanding top form, as he fired off 1-10 for the victors, building upon the 2-6 he tallied the week prior against Pearse Ogs.

Although it would be Cullyhanna's day when the final whistle blew, it was Mullaghbawn who got off to a dream start when Ryan Kelly rattled the roof of the Cullyhanna net with just over two minutes played.

Piaras McNeill added to that, and following a Kieran Grant '45 and another from McNeill, Mullaghbawn led 1-3 to 0-0.

It took 12 minutes for the favourites to register their first score, which came in the form of a Nugent free, which fellow 2024 All-Ireland winner Jason Duffy followed up with a point a moment later.

The next score of the game was taken by the home side's goalkeeper Grant, as he split the posts with a spectacular two-point free from beyond the 45-metre line.

Declan Campbell's side added to their advantage with Tiernan Murphy and Pearse Quinn finding the target, and they held a very impressive 1-7 to 0-2 lead after 20 minutes.

Duffy grabbed a badly needed score at the other end, but McNeill responded with one of the scores of the day – launching over a two-pointer from play from some 50 metres out.

Cullyhanna however, finished the first half with a glimmer of hope following scores from Duffy and Nugent which cut the deficit to seven points at the break.

The away side picked up from where they left off with Tony Donnelly opening their second half account, before Nugent hit two in quick succession – one from play and one from a free.

He then notched the score of the day, somehow squeezing the ball between the posts from two-point range from a narrow angle, off his 'weaker' left foot.

Nugent continued his scoring run with a tap-over free, but Mullaghbawn finally got off the mark in the second half with Quinn converting from a free, and he followed that up with a superb point from play.

Kieran McCooey answered back for Cullyhanna, before they got the key score of the game on 47 minutes. Mullaghbawn were dispossessed in their own defence and the wrong man – or the right man from Cullyhanna's point of view – Nugent got on the ball, drove forward and finished into the back of the net in a one on one, to put his side into the lead for the first time in the game.

He added to that by sending over a free off his left foot, to which Joe McCann responded for Mullaghbawn.

However, Cullyhanna weren't going to let their lead slip and they finished strong with three of the last four points.

Nugent took his tally to 1-9 from a free, and although Shea Loye got the next point, the visitors ran out three point winners following scores from Nugent (free) and Duffy.

After the full-time whistle was blown, Fionn Downey of Mullaghbawn was shown a straight red card by referee Kevin Murtagh for dissent. He will miss his side’s upcoming Play-off meeting with Killeavy.

MATCH STATS

Mullaghbawn Scorers: Piaras McNeill 0-4 (1tp), Kieran Grant 0-3 (1 45, 1tpf), Pearse Quinn 0-3 (1f), Ryan Kelly 1-0, Tiernan Murphy 0-1, Joe McCann 0-1, Shea Loye 0-1.

St Patrick's Cullyhanna Scorers: Aidan Nugent 1-10 (6f, 1tp), Jason Duffy 0-4, Tony Donnelly 0-1, Kieran McCooey 0-1.

Referee: Kevin Murtagh.