Keady 0-11 Middletown 1-15
A superb second half performance saw Middletown claim a fifth consecutive Armagh Senior Hurling Championship title on Sunday afternoon.
The decider was a tense affair throughout, with little scoring meaning that every tackle and every turnover was treated with the same reception as a score from the two partisan sets of supporters, and for most of the game, whatever little scoring there was favoured Keady.
They led 0-08 to 0-06 at the interval, but with only three points scored in the second half, Declan Napier's side were blown away by Middletown, who grew in strength and confidence as the game went on.
Middletown were able to get their noses in front 0-12 to 0-11 after Dean Gaffney and Sean Óg McGuinness combined for four points on the trot, but the turning point of the game came on 50 minutes.
The Keady full back line overcommitted and were taken out entirely by a clever McGuiness through ball which left Conor Gormley in glorious isolation one on one with goalkeeper Conor McAnallen.
Having only been introduced five minutes prior, Gormley had the composure to slide the ball low underneath the shot-stopper and give his side a four point advantage.
Before that, the contest was difficult to call as both teams went back and forth, with Conor Corvan playing a starring role at centre half forward for Keady, alongside the hardworking Shea Harvey in midfield.
However, they were left to rue notching up an agonising 14 wides, whilst they left two goal chances by the wayside.
First, Corvan had an open net, but was unable to get any contact on the sliotar, and Tiarnan Nevin cleared off the line, before Marc Toal shot from a tight angle but was kept out at the near post by a low Fintan Woods save.
For most of the contest, Middletown were able to get enough scores on the board to keep pace, before they let loose in the last 15 minutes, outscoring Keady 1-07 to 0-01, with Gormley’s goal a key score.
After that green flag was raised, Keady ran out of steam and ideas, and a series of high balls into the full forward line were mopped up by the Man of the Match Paul Gaffney, who was on hand to extinguish every fire Keady sought to create late on.
Three final points from Dean Gaffney (two) and Martin Moan was the icing on the cake for Middletown who sealed their eighth Armagh title in the last nine years.
Keady: Conor McAnallen; Odhran Fullerton, Damien Corvan, Conor Farrell; Stephen Renaghan, Barry Shortt (0-01), James King; Shea Harvey (0-01), Conor Renaghan; Jim Shortt, Conor Corvan (0-06, 4f), Fionntan Donnelly; John Corvan, Marc Toal, Tomas Galvin (0-02).
Subs: Sean Colton (0-01) for J Corvan (41), Caoimhín Rafferty for Fullerton (45), Oisin Keenan for Farrell (57), Martin Hughes for Donnelly (60).
Middletown: Fintan Woods; Kieran McKernan, Tiarnan Nevin, Paudie Lappin; Dean Gaffney (0-08, 7f), Paul Gaffney, Odhran Curry; Paddy McBride, Peadar McBride; Cahal Carvill (0-01), Martin Moan (0-01), Shaun Toal; Ryan Gaffney (0-01), Ben Toal, Sean Óg McGuinness (0-03, 1f).
Subs: Rory Grimes (0-01) for S Toal (34), Nathan Curry for B Toal (41), Conor Gormley for (1-00) for Peadar McBride (44), Jake Toal for Lappin (60+1).
Referee: Ruan McKinstry.
