Late Kearns free earns MacRory win for Bessbrook
St Paul’s Bessbrook 1-6 St Michael’s Enniskillen 1-5
A free from Crossmaglen’s Oran Kearns four minutes from time settled this Danske Bank MacRory Cup tie in Clogher yesterday evening.
As can be judged from the final score-line, defences were pretty difficult to break down and both goals came in the final 10 minutes of play. Luke Flannagan and Colm McNally stood out for Enniskillen, while Conor Magennis had a stormer for St Paul’s also landing one of their second half points
Of the pair St Michael’s were probably the more wasteful and they paid for it in the first half as St Paul’s took an interval lead of 0-4 to 0-1 while the wides’ count mounted for Enniskillen.
After the break Conor Love and Pól McKearney hit Enniskillen points and then, although Maginnes hit back for Bessbrook, a long range free from Ronan Beattie was misjudged on the line and ended in the Bessbrook net with Michael Gallagher following through for a point.
That sparked a good passage of play from the Armagh side and Ryan Connolly fired low for a goal in the 53rd minute to regain the lead for them.
Although John Reihill levelled soon after, Kearns’ cool head ensured that the league points went Bessbrook’s way.
St Paul’s : Ryan Connolly 1-0, Seamus Loughran 0-2 frees, Aidan Davidson 0-1, Niall Magennis 0-1, Conor Magennis 0-1, Oran Kearns 0-1 free.
St Michael’s : Ronan Beattie 1-0 free, Pól McKearney 0-2, Conor Love 0-1, Michael Gallagher 0-1, John Reihill 0-1.
