Hi °C | Lo °C Defending champions Mayobridge crashed out of the Down Championship at the quarter-final stage when they were sensationally beaten by Kilcoo at Clonduff Park, Hilltown.
Mayobridge, going for six in a row, appeared comfortable throughout but were caught cold by a storming Kilcoo finish which yielded a goal and four points in the last eight minutes of the game.
An hour-long downpour immediately before the throw-in left the ground in treacherous condition but both sides deserve credit for the sporting manner in which the game was played.
Mayobridge led from the start when Benny Coulter going for goal shot over the bar after 10 seconds. Points followed from Adrian Barry (2), Michael Walsh and Cahal Magee as the holders went into a 0-05 to 0-01 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Their better teamwork was giving Mayobridge the edge and when Barry flicked a Coulter cross to the net they led 1-06 to 0-01 after 20 minutes. Kilcoo living off scraps added two points from Donal Kan free-kicks and went in at the break trailing 0-3 to 1-06.
Coulter and Lavery exchanged early second half points but the ’Bridge should have had a goal when Ronan Sexton scooped a Coulter pass over the bar in front of an empty goal.
Mayobridge appeared content to sit on their lead but it was noticeable that Kilcoo substitute Anthony Devlin was beginning to make an impression on the game.
Kilcoo picked off a couple of points and as they kept plugging away the goal they needed came in the 26th minute. The move was started by a long run up field by centre half Aidan Brannagan, but it required a flash of genius from Conor Lavery who was fouled when he took the pass from Brannagan, but the free kick was quickly taken and Brannagan who had continued his run shot through a crowd of players to the net.
Now it was game on and the momentum was with Kilcoo. Gerard McEvoy slotted over a point and as the game went into stoppage time Paul Devlin showed a cool head as he pointed a ‘45’ to level the scores.
Lavery set up a point for Donal Kane to give Kilcoo the lead and with time running out Dominic McEvoy sealed a wonderful comeback with a final point.
