Armagh Club football & hurling

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

ACL Division 1: Granemore 2-15  St Patrick's 0-8

The joy of opening day victory in Culloville proved to be shortlived for a Cullyhanna side which slumped to a heavy defeat in their first home game of the season. Played last Wednesday night in front of a bumper crowd in conditions more accustomed to mid-June than mid-April, St Pat's were hampered from before the throw in with experienced players Shane Lennon and Mal Mackin having been added to our ever-increasing injury list after being up knocks against Culloville. Indeed the depth of our selection difficulties is illustrated by the statistic that only five of those who started the Senior championship replay against Crossmaglen six months ago were on the pitch at throw in on Wednesday.

The match started reasonably well for St Pat's with Liam O'Hare kicking an early point from play before Granemore waltzed through the Cullyhanna defence for an equalising point after 5 minutes. Two minutes later the newly promoted side kicked themselves in the lead with a great point from a narrow angle. That was to be a lead the mid-Armagh men never relinquished as they took a stranglehold on the match, dominating midfield and capitalising on the all too frequent errors in possession from St Pat's players. With 20 minutes gone, the Granemore advantage had been extended to five points before two Eugene Casey pointed frees either side of a Granemore point reduced the deficit somewhat. Another Granemore point followed before the first goal of the match arrived. Unsurprisingly, given the pattern of the match, it was the mid-Armagh men who rattled the net, their pacey corner forward showing the St Pat's defence a clean pair of heels before rifling to the net. The sides next exchanged points with the Cullyhanna score coming from a Shane McKeever free. The game was finished as a contest on 28 minutes when a good Granemore passing movement cut through the Cullyhanna defence at will. As had been their trait throughout the half, the man in possession was well supported and it was the Granemore midfielder who finished to the net to give his side an unassailable lead. To be fair to St Pat's they rallied somewhat in the latter stages of the half with pointed frees from Eugene Casey and Shane McKeever respectively to leave the half-time score Granemore 2-9 St Patrick's 0-6.

With the game effectively over as a contest by half-time, the second half was a somewhat turgid affair. It took twelve minutes for Granemore to increase the lead to double figures before Shane McKeever achieved his hat-trick of pointed frees after a foul on Rory McMahon. In a half characterised by poor passing and basic errors from St Pat's, their game efforts to reduce the deficit reaped few rewards. Indeed it was the away side which finished the stronger reeling off three points in a row between the 23rd and 25th minutes of the half. On 27 minutes St Pat's managed their second point from play of the match when Rory O'Neill collected a Kieran Hoey pass before kicking a lovely score. That was to be a good as it got for Cullyhanna as Granemore finished the match  with two late points and indeed it took a point-blank save from goalkeeper Deaglan McArdle to prevent a third goal from Granemore. Final score:  Granemore 2-15 St Patrick's 0-8.

While the missing players are certainly a factor, they cannot be used an excuse for a performance such as this given that Granemore dominated the match from start to finish against a St Pat's side who struggled to gain primary possession and were almost wholly reliant on freetakers for scores. That said, this result will have hurt the players far more than any supporter and I have no doubt that they will be determined to put in an improved display against Pearse Óg in Armagh on Wednesday night.

Starting XV: D McArdle; P McKeever, S Reel, S O'Neill; B Savage, E McArdle, M Murray; R McMahon, K Hoey; C Nugent, L O'Hare (0-1), A Mackin; R O'Neill (0-1), S McKeever (0-2), E Casey (0-2). Subs Used: N McShane, K O'Neill, P Casey, K McEvoy

[Milltown Row2]

Sean tracey's pitch. What is the name of the road its on please?

[winsamsoon]

not 100 % but it is right beside Kilwilkie so if u head for there it is 2 mins around the corner

[illdecide]

Sean tracey's pitch. What is the name of the road its on please?

North Circular road

[crossfire]

Thanks El Cuervo

[apres_match]

Been a good while since I've been on this, any word of a round of fixtures tomorrow night lads?

[Orior]

What about fixtures for Sunday? Nothing in the Irish News today except underage and women.

[crossfire]

Been a good while since I've been on this, any word of a round of fixtures tomorrow night lads?

Wed 27th
Div 1
W'cross v Cross
C'ville v Clans
Ogs v Pats
G'more v Nab
Sars v Maghery
Cruppin v Dromintee

[Onion Bag]

Half time

G'more 0 - 4
Nab 0 - 7

[Onion Bag]

Full time

G'more 1 - 10
Nab 0 - 7

[RealSpiritof98]

Harps won by 2, did their best throw it away

[crossfire]

Cross Rangers 1-12 Whitecross 1-5.

Score at half time was 1-4 each but Cross pulled away in the last 15 minutes.

Any other results

[Harold Disgracey]

Tír na nÓg beat Silverbridge 1-10 to 1-8 I believe.

[pearseog]

Pearse Og 0-7 - 0-9 St.Patrick's
Cullyhana totally deserved their win

[fitzroyalty]

Culloville 1-10 Clan na Gael 1-16. I think that was the scoreline.