Cullyhanna defeat Madden in nail-biting encounter on opening night

Late scores from Ross McQuillan and Kieran McCooey saw St Patrick's Cullyhanna overcome Madden by the narrowest of margins in an absorbing encounter.

Aidan Nugent top scored with 0-6, whilst Conor Grimley led the charge for the Rapparees with five points. However, Mark Harte's side were left to rue missing a multitude of chances, with Sean Og Irwin's second half goal ultimately proving crucial.

Shea Hoey and Aron McKenna traded the opening scores, before Madden had a lot of the ball, but weren't able to pull ahead.

Instead, it was the hosts who rattled off the next five points with Nugent nailing a two-pointer off his left foot and a one-pointer off his right, before Gary Mackin and McCooey added to the lead.

Conor Grimley answered with a free at the other end, but Tony Donnelly hit a two-pointer for the hosts.

Madden began to grow into the game as half-time approached, with Paddy Carr, Conor Grimley and Joe Sheridan raising white flags, but Cullyhanna had the last laugh with Nugent putting them 0-10 to 0-5 ahead at the half-time break with another well-worked two-pointer.

Madden needed a response after the break, and they certainly got one with Conor Grimley raising an orange flag, before Sheridan cut the gap to two.

The visitors then had a couple of sniffs at goal but couldn't take them, and – as was often the story throughout – Cullyhanna were the more clinical at the other end. Neil McCreesh caught the Madden defence sleeping and got in one on one. He was brought down by Jamie Sheridan and the referee Kevin Faloon was surely going to call for a penalty, only corner back Irwin was on hand to smash the loose ball into the net.

Madden's Oisin O'Hara and Cullyhanna's Nugent traded the next two scores before Madden hit a purple patch of their own. Little by little, they battled from five down to one point ahead with Championship debutant Paidi Comiskey, Ciaran Rafferty (a one pointer, then a two-pointer), Conor Grimley and Niall Smith all finding the mark.

That gave Madden their first lead of the game, and they looked set to snatch the win away from home. However, Cullyhanna had enough left in the tank to come out on top in the nail-biting final moments, with McQuillan levelling before McCooey was the hero with the winning score.

MATCH STATS

St Patrick's Cullyhanna scorers: Aidan Nugent (0-6, 2tp), Sean Og Irwin (1-0), Tony Donnelly (0-2, 1tp), Kieran McCooey (0-2), Shea Hoey (0-1), Gary Mackin (0-1), Ross McQuillan (0-1). Madden scorers: Conor Grimley (0-5, 2f, 1tp), Ciaran Rafferty (0-3, 1tp), Joe Sheridan (0-2), Oisin O'Hara (0-1), Niall Smith (0-1), Paddy Carr (0-1), Aron McKenna (0-1), Paidi Comiskey (0-1).

Referee: Kevin Faloon.