NH MAIRTIN 2-15

DREADNOTS 2-15

Derek Shevlin struck a dramatic injury-time goal to snatch a draw for the Dreadnots in a thrilling Senior Championship quarter-final encounter with Nh Mairtin at Dunleer on Saturday evening.

The Monasterboice side looked to be heading for the last four when a point from Francis McCullough five minutes into stoppage time had them three clear. However, the Dreadnots launched one final desperate attack that ended with the veteran defender finding the net and forcing the tie to a replay.

It was dramatic end to a highly entertaining contest where both sides produced good passages of play and quality scores. There was also plenty of incident as the Dreadnots finished with 13 men after losing Paraic Smith and Cian McEvoy, while Mick Fanning was dismissed for the Jocks.

The Mairtins will certainly be the more disappointed of the two sides as they had their noses in front for much of the game but just couldn't complete the job as the Dreadnots refused to give up.

Stephen Campbell go the ball rolling with the opening point of the game and when Eoghan Callaghan pointed on nine minutes the Mairtins were 0-4 to 0-1 ahead.

The Dreadnots responded with a goal from Peter Kirwan before Pat Lynch put the Clogher men ahead for the first time.

The momentum swung back in the Mairtins favour when Padraig McDonagh found the net on 19 minutes. Despite points from James Califf and Carl Monaghan, the Monasterboice side went in at the break with a 2-7 to 1-6 lead thanks to a Brian Berrill goal after 23 minutes.

The entertainment levels were maintained in the second half with some well-taken scores as the Dreadnots slowly chipped away at the lead with the help of scores from Paraic Smith, Pat Lynch and Liam Shevlin.

The gap was back to a point on a number of occasions but crucially Nh Mairtin always remained in front with Eoghan Callaghan, Brian McQuillan and John Clutterbuck contributing points.

As the game moved into the dying minutes it looked as if the Jocks would hold out as points from Campbell and McCullough increased the gap to three. However, there was to be one final twist as Shevlin's goal ensured they would have to do it all again.

NH MAIRTIN: Craig Lynch; Paul Berrill, Michael Fanning, Thomas Sullivan; Padraig McDonagh 1-0, Brendan Reilly, John Clutterbuck 0-1; Wayne Campbell 0-1, Sam Mulroy 0-4; Stephen Campbell 0-3, Eoghan Callaghan 0-2, Conor Healy; Brian McQuillan 0-1, Brian Berrill 1-0, Conor Whelan 0-2. Subs: Conor Morgan and Francis McCullough 0-1.

DREADNOTS: Kenneth Shevlin; Brian Gargan, Padraig Rath, Derek Shevlin 1-0; Anthony Williams, Cian McEvoy, Barry Faulkner; James Califf 0-3, Fergal McGuigan; David O'Brien 0-1, Liam Shevlin 0-2, Pat Lynch 0-2; Peter Kirwan 1-1, Paraic Smith 0-5, Carl Monaghan 0-1. Subs: Anthony Lynch for F McGuigan, Dermot Campbell for B Faulkner, Aaron Scullion for J Califf.

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