An enthralling eleven goal thriller at Lakeview Park saw Loughgall come so close to creating a cup shock over Gerry Flynn’s Newry side.

The hosts were two goals up in the first quarter of an hour when Matty Burrows converted from close range after 11 minutes. Then central defender Alan Murphy used his height to glance home Marty Lavery’s corner to turn the ascendancy in the Championship sides favour.

Ten minutes later Stephen Garrett netted from close range and just before the interval he set-up partner Chris Morgan to tap home from two yards into an empty net.

In between the Newry goals, Loughgall striker Burrows had rounded ‘keeper Paul Murphy however shot wide under pressure.

Burrows hit the upright on 66 minutes, then in stoppage time the on-loan Glentoran player finished from close range after Brian Adair’s pull-back.

In the first half of extra time Kevin Keegan ran down the right flank beat the challenge of Neil Alderdice before blazing into the top corner. Loughgall scored only two minutes later when Moffatt skipped past Darren King and pulled the ball back for substitute Andy Brown to fire home.

Newry all but won the contest when substitute Sean Friars converted from close range in the seventh minute of the second period of extra time and three minutes later Richard Clarke stepped up to score from the penalty spot after Steven Hyndes felled Friars in the box.

The home side failed to give up and incredibly scored a further two goals in the final two minutes of the game. Paul Baron blasted home from close range before he flicked on Moffatt’s free kick which deflected off Keegan before finding it’s way into the back of the net. However it wasn’t enough for Niall Curries men who lost out on the away goals rule.

Loughgall: Robinson, Hyndes, Pentland, Alderdice, Murphy, Herron, Moffatt, Adair, Burrows, Adamczyk, Lavery. Subs: Waddell, Brown, Hawthorne, Baron.

Newry City: Murphy, King, Walsh, Doneghan, E Friars, Clarke, Garrett, Collins, Morgan, Ferguson, Keegan. Subs: Gowdy, Black, Doherty, Curran, S Friars.

Referee: Arnold Hunter (Maguiresbridge).