Maghery March On

24 August 2007

MAGHERY'S progress in this year's Senior Championship continued on Sunday with success over Killeavy in Armagh's Abbey Park.

MAGHERY 0-12 KILLEAVY 0-10

The free-flowing fixture proved a fitting clash for the quarter-final stages of the competition, with Killeavy registering the first score inside the opening 60 seconds.

Maghery quickly settled and had Stefan Forker to thank for an equaliser moments later before Killeavy moved back on top.

Solid play by Stephen Cusack helped to reduce the Killeavy attacking threat, although both sets of players enjoyed spells on top.

Seamus Forker provided the finishing touch to fine play by Maghery captain, Niall Forker, as the teams arrived at honours even at regular intervals.

James Lavery's long-range point provided one highlight for Maghery - along with Conor Forker’s score following clever approach play by Kieran Rafferty and Paul Forker.

Before the break, the introduction of Eamon Cusack provided Maghery with a boost and he recorded a free from an acute angle before Kieran Fox produced a wonderful save to deny Killeavy from the penalty spot in the closing seconds of the half.

Killeavy's problems continued after the break with a dismissal and Stefan Forker added insult to injury by converting the subsequent free before adding an additional two points to his personal tally.

Eamon Robinson proved a threat to Killeavy in the role of a roving forward to help maintain the Maghery advantage at 0-10 to 0-5 before a run of five consecutive points without reply left the teams on level terms entering the final 11 minutes.

Gerard Campbell, Eamon Toye, Niall Forker and Joe Fox stepped forward to lead Maghery home - with Eamon Robinson then providing a neat finish to a move which featured Paul Rafferty and Kieran Rafferty.

Stephen Nugent stepped off the sidelines to bolster Maghery's attacking threat and he picked out Seamus Forker for another point as Maghery finished ahead by 0-12 to 0-10 on a memorable day for the forward-thinking outfit.