O'Hanlon scores last-gasp winner as Killeavy oust Mullaghbawn in a thriller

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Killeavy and Mullaghbawn collided in a humdinger on Friday night, with the south Armagh clubs serving up a contender for the game of the year in this season’s Armagh Division 1A League.

Momentum swung back and forth in a dramatic contest, and although a draw would perhaps have been a fair result as neither side deserved to lose, it was Killeavy who were victorious with Ciaron O’Hanlon landing the winning score with the last kick of the game.

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Killeavy lead at the break

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Playing with a breeze at their backs, Killeavy got off to a superb start and were firing on all cylinders early on, as they led 0-5 to 0-0 after seven minutes, with Fergal Boylan and Gareth Murphy finding the mark before Kealan McDonnell nailed a two-pointer and a close range free.

Mullaghbawn very nearly came flying back into the contest with a goal after a slick handpassing move between Cormac Smyth and Pauric Mackin saw Mackin go in one on one, but his shot crashed off the crossbar. The chance stayed alive, and Eddie English slotted over his side’s opening point.

Fergal Boylan responded for the hosts, before Mullaghbawn’s Adam McDonnell and English (free) found the target.

However, Killeavy were getting their chances easier and Callum O’Hare used the breeze advantage to drill over a two-pointer. Then, O’Hanlon overturned a Mullaghbawn kick-out and fed his captain Cathal Boylan, who increased Killeavy’s lead to 0-9 to 0-3.

Joseph McCann and Adam McDonnell pointed for the away team, either side of an impressive snapshot score from O’Hanlon.

Killeavy corner back Rory Kearney got in on the act, driving forward from deep to get his name on the scoresheet. However, Cormac Smyth hit back for Mullaghbawn.

Then, in first half stoppage time, Declan Campbell’s side scored a crucial goal to pull themselves back into the contest. They worked the ball down the left wing, Mackin fed Niall Loye and he blasted his shot into the roof of the net.

However, the home side led 0-12 to 1-6 going into the changing rooms following a score from Tiarnan Brown.

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Dramatic second half

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In the early stages of the second half, Mullaghbawn picked up from where they left off and did to Killeavy what was done to them, by scoring the first five points of the half.

Those scores came via a Pearse Quinn free, a superb two-pointer from Mackin from the left wing, English and a Mackin one-pointer.

It took until the ninth minute of the second half for Killeavy to breakthrough, but O’Hare landed a badly needed point to stem the tide.

It didn’t slow Mullaghbawn down for too long however, as Shea Loye responded with one of the best scores of the game, hitting a two-point free from some 55 metres out.

Every shot the away side were taking seemed to be finding the mark and a Joseph McCann score put them into a four-point lead.

Killeavy were under the cosh, but they got a massive shot in the arm on 43 minutes, when O’Hare’s shot dropped short but was gathered by Fergal Boylan, and he laid it on a plate for Cathal Boylan to palm into an empty net, and they were back in the game.

O’Hare then found the target and it was all square, but Mullaghbawn’s Quinn slotted over a free to nudge them back in front.

Then, on 50 minutes, Smyth fielded a Kieran Grant kick-out, fed Gerard McCann, he played Quinn through on goal, and Mullaghbawn’s number 10 nearly took the roof off of the net with a ferocious finish to make it 2-15 to 1-14.

Killeavy kept on battling though, and pulled themselves back level once more following two frees from Fergal Boylan, a fifth O’Hare point of the day, and one from O’Hanlon.

So, the two sides headed into stoppage level, but the drama was only beginning.

With tired bodies all throughout the pitch, Mullaghbawn goalkeeper Grant used his fresh legs to get up the pitch, join the attack and slot over a two-pointer.

However, Killeavy’s O’Hanlon won the resulting kick-out, and with contact from his marker, he was allowed to bring the ball forward 50 metres.

O’Hanlon set it on the deck, and goalkeeper Shea Magill did the honours, slotting over a two-pointer of his own from the dead ball.

Now, all eyes were on the referee and it figured that the next score would be the winner.

Mullaghbawn had a chance, but McCann fisted his shot wide.

Killeavy went short on their kick-out built a play through Murphy and he was fouled. O’Hanlon took the solo and go, burst through the Mullaghbawn defence and pointed a late, late winner for his side.

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MATCH STATS

Killeavy scorers: Callum O’Hare (0-5, 1tp), Cathal Boylan (1-1), Fergal Boylan (0-4, 2f), Ciaron O’Hanlon (0-3), Kealan McDonnell (0-3, 1tp, 1f) Shea Magill (0-2, 1tpf), Rory Kearney (0-1), Gareth Murphy (0-1), Tiarnan Brown (0-1).

Mullaghbawn scorers: Pearse Quinn (1-2, 2f), Pauric Mackin (0-3, 1tp), Eddie English (0-3, 1f), Niall Loye (1-0), Shea Loye (0-2, 1tpf), Kieran Grant (0-2, 1tp), Joseph McCann (0-2), Adam McDonnell (0-2), Cormac Smyth (0-1).

Referee: Kevin Faloon.