Mullahoran 1-15
Castlerahan 2-11 (after extra time)

Mullahoran dug deepest in extra-time to see off Castlerahan on a night of high drama at Kingspan Breffni Park.

With their senior championship hopes on the line, both teams pulled off heroics at the end of normal time to force the added periods and at the closing stages of the first the flood lights shut off, in a malicious act according to officials, leaving the grounds in darkness for some 20 minutes.

Castlerahan, playing their third match in the space of seven days, were understood to be disappointed with the decision to play extra-time in the first place, but still held the advantage (2-9 to 1-11) when the lights went off in the 69th minute.

When they eventually came back on it was the Dreadnoughts that shone brightest under them as ace forward Enda O'Reilly (0-9) put them into the lead by the 73rd minute before late scores from Fionnon Reilly and Raymond Lynch sealed a victory which puts them through to a quarter-final against the winners of Ballinagh and Lavey.

O'Reilly opened Mullahoran's account with a free after four minutes which Oisin O'Connell quickly erased before the would-be winners began to stamp their authority on the game with the next three scores via Dermot Sheridan and O'Reilly (2).

Cian Mackey, making his first start in the competition, ended a 15-minute scoring drought for Castlerahan with his first of the night and when David Wright sailed over after belying his defensive duties the Ballyjamesduff men looked to be  gathering some momentum.

However, the favourites failed to push on up to half-time as Sean McKeogh struck Mullahoran's fifth. A Cian McEnroe free was the response before O'Reilly's placed ball closed the half at 0-6 to 0-4.

Mullahoran would hold their advantage for less than 20 seconds of the restart after Enda Flanagan cut through them and set-up an unmarked Sean Brady, who fisted to the net.

A Philip Brady free soon levelled but Castlerahan looked set to net again when Ronan Flanagan's run was halted by Noel Brady in the square and referee Tony Gregory gave horizontal arms. Mackey's penalty was parried by Dominic Crudden but the Dreadnoughts were off the hook only momentarily.

Paul Brady and Padraig McGovern sent over points to push the maroons two clear before a double blow arrived for the Killydoon men which saw Cavan star Killian Brady black-carded before a short kick-out from Crudden fell to Mackey, who sent a racing Oisin O'Connell through to blast to the net.

Crucially, the next two scores came Mullahoran's way via O'Reilly frees to set-up a mouth-watering last 10 minutes.

In that time, Castlerahan would lose Brady to a bad injury, requiring the midfielder to be stretchered off, and they simply couldn't put the game to bed, which, surely, a single score would have done for them.

Sure enough, their missed opportunities would cost them dear as a long drive into their square by Dermot Sheridan saw Paul Brady get a vital touch ahead of Jamie Leahy and his brother Philip was on hand to poach the levelling goal.

Ignited by Brady's strike, Mullahoran looked like they'd won it in injury-time with a free from their goal-scorer won in front of the posts by O'Reilly.

However, Ronan Flanagan would have the final say in normal time when he popped over a free, earned by Mackey, with the pressure on to send the game into added periods.

Before the darkness, Castlerahan were two to the good through Mackey (free) and substitute Cormac Daly and were somehow denied the net when Crudden pulled off heroics with the goal bearing down for Mackey.

The lights went out shortly after, spanning an extended break for the players as half-time was called, and when they were switched back on so were Mullahoran as two O'Reilly frees in the first three minutes put them back in the driving-seat.

Mackey levelled with five minutes to go but that was about as good as it got for Kevin McDonnell's side as their opponents' showcased their steel in the closing stages with Reilly and Lynch cracking over the scores that broke Castlerahan's back, leaving them in need of a goal that never came, as they'd have to settle for a McGahern free before time expired on them.

Mullahoran: Dominic Crudden; Seanie Smith, Noel Brady, Killian Brady; Dermot Sheridan (0-1, Chris Prior, Sean McKeogh (0-1); Peter Paul Galligan, Paddy Brady; Paul Brady, Enda O'Reilly (0-9, 6f), Raymond Lynch (0-1); Kevin Fitzsimons, Philip Brady (1-3, 3f), Damien McArdle. Subs: Christy Shiels for K Brady (43mins, b/c), Fionnon Reilly (0-1) for D McArdle (49), Jason Donohoe for D Sheridan (67).

Castlerahan: Jamie Leahy; Stephen Cooney, Barry Cusack, Ciaran Farrelly; Paul Smith, David Wright (0-1), Sean Brady (1-0); Fergal Reilly, Paul Brady (0-1); Enda Flanagan, Enda O'Connell, Ronan Flanagan (0-1, 1f); Oisin O'Connell (1-1), Cian Mackey (0-3, 2f), Cian McEnroe (0-1, 1f). Subs: Paul Cusack for C Farrelly (20mins), Padraig McGahern (0-2, 2f) for C McEnroe (30), Cormac Daly (0-1) for P Brady (56, inj), Caolan McBreen for P Cusack (60).

Ref: Tony Gregory (Bailieborough Shamrocks)

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