Niall Magennis nails the winner and sends Killeavy to the top of the Division 1A table

The top two sides in Armagh’s Division 1A met on Friday night, and a last-gasp two-pointer from Niall Magennis saw Killeavy triumph over Clann Eireann.

It was a game of twists and turns, and momentum swings, but Magennis’ late score moves Killeavy two points clear of the chasing pack – Clann Eireann and Madden – with four games left to go in the league.

Killeavy had the reputation in years gone by of being a strong defensive team but lacking in firepower. However, since club legend Steven McDonnell took over the team a year ago, they have totally flipped the script.

The south Armagh side are brave, press relentlessly, play attacking football and back themselves to outscore any opposition – and with eight wins from 10 games so far this season, they are correct in that assessment.

The visitors lead at the break

Clann Eireann had a strong breeze at their backs in the opening half, but it was Killeavy who started fast by scoring the first three points, as Fergal Boylan converted two frees either side of a Ronan McGuinness score.

It took almost nine minutes for the visitors to score, but an outstanding two-pointer from Ruairi McDonald off the left wing got them on the board and began a purple patch where they rattled off 0-7 in the blink of an eye.

Clann Eireann won the next two kick-outs and points from Dan McCarthy and Aodhan McConville put them ahead. Moments later, McDonald added a two-point free and a one-pointer, and all of a sudden Killeavy were under pressure.

A Kealan McDonnell free gave Killeavy a momentary reprieve, but on 22 minutes Conor McConville dinked a superb pass in behind the Killeavy defence, McDonald claimed it and drove it into the back of the net to take his personal tally to 1-5 and put the Lurgan men six ahead.

The home side responded well with corner forwards Fegal Boylan and Tiarnan Brown hitting the next two scores, but Ethan McKenna cancelled out those scores with a fantastic two-pointer at the other end. Clann Eireann then moved seven ahead when Dan McCarthy clipped over a free.

However, a huge moment in the game came on 29 minutes, when Clann Eireann goalkeeper had a pass intercepted by Fergal Boylan, and from some 30 metres out, and he found the back of an empty net.

Traded scores from Ryan Owens and McDonnell (free) meant that although they trailed by four at half-time, Killeavy went into the changing rooms content, knowing they had the breeze advantage in the second half.

Killeavy win it late

Despite some fantastic play and scores throughout the first half, Clann Eireann went to sleep offensively for most of the second half, as they struggled kicking into the wind and went some 25 minutes without a score.

At the other end, Killeavy just chipped away at the score-line, scoring 0-7 across the same period through Magennis, a Brown two-pointer, a McGuinness two-pointer, a McDonnell free and Caolan McConville’s first point of the night.

In the midst of that run it really looked it wasn’t going to be Clann Eireann’s night as Aodhan McConville hit the underside of the crossbar, before McDonald had a penalty saved by Killeavy goalkeeper Oisin Clarke with 10 minutes to go.

Despite all of Clann Eireann’s woes, Killeavy weren’t able to kill them off and with five minutes to go just three points separated the teams, and the back-to-back Division 1A league champions suddenly burst into life.

McDonald eased some the pain from his penalty miss by converting a free, and although Caolan McConville replied for the hosts, Clann Eireann had their tails up.

James McCooe made it a two-point game, another McDonald free cut it to one, and debutant Finn Campbell levelled the game up with time ticking away.

Then, in stoppage time Aodhan McConville hit a score worthy of winning any game as he swung it over from the left wing on his right boot, and it looked like Clann Eireann were going to leave south Armagh with the two points.

But there was enough time left on the clock for one last Killeavy chance. They could have worked it in closer, taken a point and taken a draw, but Magennis shot for the glory by attempting a two-pointer, and with the last kick of the game he raised an orange flag and sealed a memorable win for his side.

MATCH STATS

Killeavy scorers: Fergal Boylan (1-3, 2f); Kealan McDonnell (0-3, 3f); Ronan McGuinness (0-3, 1tp); Niall Magennis (0-3, 1tp); Tiarnan Brown (0-3, 1f, 1tp); Caolan McConville (0-2). Clann Eireann scorers: Ruairi McDonald (1-7, 2f, 1tp, 1tpf); Aodhan McConville (0-2); Dan McCarthy (0-2, 1f); Ethan McKenna (0-2, 1tp); James McCooe (0-1); Ryan Owens (0-1); Finn Campbell (0-1).